Salem

[Dirt23]

Curious if anyone ever targets cusk in here and if there's any sort of population worth trying. Thanks in advance can PM also

[fishingidjit]

I would hit Willoughby for cusk

[Dirt23]

Thank you for reply buddy has a camp on Ryan drive was seeing if it was worth staying out a few extra hours into night or if should stay camp eat venison drink beer

[fishingidjit]

Thank you for reply buddy has a camp on Ryan drive was seeing if it was worth staying out a few extra hours into night or if should stay camp eat venison drink beer

Sounds like a good plan !

[jbritch]

I used to live next to Big Salem for many years and had a shanty just off the point where the river comes in under the bridge from Little Salem.  Used to catch my limit of 5 walleyes nearly every single night usually before 9:00.  Never caught a ling (cusk) in either pond.  Did see a young guy with a 9-lb walleye though, he caught it in a foot of mud in Little Salem.  Be careful, there are springs in that channel; I broke through a couple of times.

For cusk I would go to the islands off Strawberry Acres in Newport.  Put a big minnow right down in the rocks under that little lighthouse thing.  I caught one big one once and threw it in my truck where it lived for a couple of days before I cleaned it.  Very good and delicate like cod, well, it is part of the cod family.

I never caught one in Willoughby, just lots of really nice rainbows, just off the southeastern shore.  Be careful there, there are springs in the reeds, so park well off the shore.  All of the rainbows were full of cigarette filters eaten at the access where all the shanties are gathered.  So we began using cigarette filters for bait and they hit them better than anything else.

[ISLAND STORM]

I used to live next to Big Salem for many years and had a shanty just off the point where the river comes in under the bridge from Little Salem.  Used to catch my limit of 5 walleyes nearly every single night usually before 9:00.  Never caught a ling (cusk) in either pond.  Did see a young guy with a 9-lb walleye though, he caught it in a foot of mud in Little Salem.  Be careful, there are springs in that channel; I broke through a couple of times.

For cusk I would go to the islands off Strawberry Acres in Newport.  Put a big minnow right down in the rocks under that little lighthouse thing.  I caught one big one once and threw it in my truck where it lived for a couple of days before I cleaned it.  Very good and delicate like cod, well, it is part of the cod family.

I never caught one in Willoughby, just lots of really nice rainbows, just off the southeastern shore.  Be careful there, there are springs in the reeds, so park well off the shore.  All of the rainbows were full of cigarette filters eaten at the access where all the shanties are gathered.  So we began using cigarette filters for bait and they hit them better than anything else.

Jbritch great to see a post from you!!! How’s your ice season been? I always look forward to your posts and stories.

My season has been uneventful thus far. Between schedules and terrible ice conditions I havent even been out. Been a very disappointing season thus far.

Hope all is well!!!

[jbritch]

Yeah, Island,

I haven't actually gone yet this year or even in the last three years, funny how time flies, but I had the Covid, and the next two variants and am still suffering from long-haul symptoms, mostly chronic acute pain from osteoarthritis exacerbated by the Covid bug; they really did make a good weapon, didn't they?  I can handle pain, like when I broke my back rolling a tractor on top of myself, but this is deep, deep inside my bones, makes anything other than sitting on the couch unbearable.  Tried all the meds but nothing works so I self-medicate

I got all my tip-ups tuned and gas for the auger and was about to step out a week ago.  Then I got a really strange premonition come over me and took it all out of the truck.  Felt something telling me I would get hurt or something.  Later I found out about the guy that went through and died the night before.  Did he send me a message?  I believe in that stuff, has happened before.

Anyway, my plan is to try Hog Island in the very near future, craving some Poor Man's Shrimp...

[Fishracks]

Does anyone have any ice conditions for Salem was thinking of coming up sat morning with my sled if there is room to park and have never fished here before would like to get out at least once before walleye season ends been a terrible year for ice thanks

[Raven71]

Not sure how thick the ice is right now.  Three weeks ago there was 8 inches of nice black ice. I suspect there is a bit more now. There are a couple hard shacks out there right now. We only got 2 inches of snow last night,  so you should have  no problem walking out with a sled.  Be careful where the river flows through - there is open water and the vicinity most likely has much less ice. There is plenty of parking in the access.
 Good luck!

[Fishracks]

Not sure how thick the ice is right now.  Three weeks ago there was 8 inches of nice black ice. I suspect there is a bit more now. There are a couple hard shacks out there right now. We only got 2 inches of snow last night,  so you should have  no problem walking out with a sled.  Be careful where the river flows through - there is open water and the vicinity most likely has much less ice. There is plenty of parking in the access.
 Good luck!

Thanks for the info i appreciate it I'm about 4 hours away and with the ice the way it's been this year wasn't sure if it was going to be fishable i definitely like to stay away from river mouths even when we have good ice allready had one close call up at chaumont bay

[Dirt23]

10 to 12  last weekend  probably half was good ice

[Fishracks]

10 to 12  last weekend  probably half was good ice

Thanks for the update my brother usually goes with me but can't make it so i canceled till next weekend hopefully with the forecast should still be good hopefully