Author Topic: Anyone else still alive?  (Read 5695 times)

Offline zcm_82

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Anyone else still alive?
« on: Jan 27, 2022, 09:11 AM »
Everyone else die in that cold snap?  :roflmao: Been a pretty dead forum this season.  After the first week or so of ice, haven't seen any holes in any of the ponds I've fished that aren't mine, so I'm thinking last year's ice fishing boom around here was a one and done deal.

Was -12° yesterday when I left the house in Iroquois County. Fished a small pond from about 8am-1pm. The fish were there, but the bite was super slow. Only managed 8 gills and a few missed bites. Ice was 8-11" thick on the pond I was sitting.





Offline Rebelss

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #1 on: Jan 27, 2022, 09:14 AM »
Better than I'm doing. Only been able to get a couple times over here due to weather; action was zip. Woulda been happy to have a few of those monster sunfish like ya got there...  ;) A Shappel shack, huh? I loved my DX4000.........
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Offline zcm_82

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #2 on: Jan 27, 2022, 09:26 AM »
Better than I'm doing. Only been able to get a couple times over here due to weather; action was zip. Woulda been happy to have a few of those monster sunfish like ya got there...  ;) A Shappel shack, huh? I loved my DX4000.........

I go after bigger fish (mostly carp) in open water. Ice fishing is just about getting fish to me. I'm not a fish eater, so the size of them doesn't really matter much. I'd rather have a dinkfest day on the ice than 1 or 2 nice fish. This season has actually been shaping up nicely... December was ludicruously warm, but Jan has been below average with very little snow here, so it's been fantastic for a few weeks.

Yep, DX3000. This is my 3rd or 4th season with it... I'm starting to get the oldtimer's where the years sort of all run together  ;D I love it, it is basically perfect for my needs. I had been eyeballing the 4000, but the 3000 fits in my hatchback, and the 4000 wouldn't, or I would have gotten the 4000. I hate hauling a trailer in the winter.



Offline IlliniIce

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #3 on: Jan 27, 2022, 11:01 AM »
havent been for a week, i have been more selective when i go this year, we have enough ice to last awhile so i havent been going on those frigid high pressure days when fish are glued to the bottom and it is tough to get them interested
have done well the times i have went when the temps warm up a bit. heading out soon and gonna hit it hard during next week's warmup
one of the lakes i fish has walleye, catching one is a goal this season along with big gills and crappies

Offline zcm_82

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #4 on: Jan 27, 2022, 11:11 AM »
I've been going pretty much any day I have the chance, regardless of the weather. This far south, you never know when the ice is gonna disappear. We can go from 10-12" of ice to no ice in a week, like what happened last year.

Those few warmer days last week were pretty productive. I'm thinking this weekend should be pretty good, as well.

I'm gonna hit one for a bit after work today, but after work outings are always short, because steel toed work boots + ice = cold feet fast.

Offline Sylvanboat

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #5 on: Jan 28, 2022, 06:44 PM »
Cold weather has me on track for more days fishing.  I fished Shabbona Lake last week.  Perfect day and caught some fish.

Offline zcm_82

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #6 on: Jan 28, 2022, 06:50 PM »
Went out for a couple hours after work today from 3-5pm. Bite was just flat dead until about 430, then it picked up a bit. Ended up with one decent gill and a handful of dinks in the last half hour.

Was watching fish through the hole before that, they just weren't going after anything.

I'll be hitting the same pond again tomorrow at dawn.

Offline zcm_82

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #7 on: Jan 29, 2022, 01:17 PM »
Ice picked up about an inch since yesterday afternoon. It was -3° when I left the house this morning. Fished from 7am-11am; real slow up until about 8:30, then the bite was pretty decent from 8:30-10, and just flipped off like a switch. Didn't get a single fish from 10-11.

Ended up pulling 1 decent crappie, a little largemouth, and about a dozen gills that were mostly dinkers.







Offline wsj_outdoorsman

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #8 on: Jan 30, 2022, 06:37 AM »
Been getting some smaller gills on a local pond, ice is very good this year at about 8" and clear.  Bass have been good, but would like to see some crappie come through the hole.  the pits gave up some small crappie and gills but no bass.  Lets hope we can spend some time on the ice, been a few years since we had a good season for hard water.

Really like the new widow maker rod, 27" light action.  Just wish I could find some quality rod made in the USA.
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Offline zcm_82

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #9 on: Jan 30, 2022, 04:44 PM »
Had a dinkfest from 730-11am today.  All gills, only one or two of any size whatsoever, and no real nice fish. Saw a few decent ones, but all the biters were small. Lost the only bass I hooked into at the bottom of the ice.

The ice was about 8.5" and singing after the sun came up over the trees.

Best fish of the day, which wasn't anything to write home about.


Offline Arquero3d

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #10 on: Feb 02, 2022, 09:17 AM »
I've been out plenty, but not enough! ;D
Plenty of days with catch rates of 10-12 per hour.  I have not yet had one of those awesome days where u catch 60-75 fish each in a couple hours.  It seems like we only get a couple days like that per year, often near the end.

The yellow perch have been cooperative during the middle of the day, crappie early and late.
9" of ice.
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Offline zcm_82

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #11 on: Feb 02, 2022, 09:21 AM »
I haven't had any fire days out there yet, but quite a few days with a good morning bite. Afternoons have been really slow or dead.

Gonna be a slushy mess now... we got over 50° with about 1" of rain last night, and we're up over 4" of snow so far today. Forecast says 9-14" before it's over. At the rate it's accumulating, I'm thinking more like 8"

Offline Arquero3d

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #12 on: Feb 06, 2022, 09:16 PM »
Fished a few hours yesterday with a couple noobs.  Let them have both of my flashers, so I had to go old school!  High pressure seemed to keep them tight-lipped, but we managed about 20.

Headed to WI tomorrow in search of walleye!

10" of ice.
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Offline zcm_82

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #13 on: Feb 07, 2022, 06:13 AM »
Saturday bite was slow but steady all morning here. Yesterday morning was pretty slow.

I went back out in the afternoon and the bite was a lot better until a bunch of drunk idiots came and set up about 10' from my fish house and spooked everything tromping around like a bunch of morons.

Offline IlliniIce

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #14 on: Feb 09, 2022, 09:35 AM »
yesterday was best outing of the year, caught a bunch of nice gills and a few big crappies
was tough to get bit when i got there around 10 am, small jig and waxie got a few in 10-12 ft near the dam.
moved to the middle of the big pond in 20 foot around noon, 1/16 slender spoon with a couple waxies and nonstop action for a couple hours. lots of cruising high flyers 10 ft down crushing the spoon. never changed lure
kept only 10 and threw back a lot of nice fish
was 46 degrees back at truck

Offline zcm_82

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #15 on: Feb 09, 2022, 09:40 AM »
yesterday was best outing of the year, caught a bunch of nice gills and a few big crappies
was tough to get bit when i got there around 10 am, small jig and waxie got a few in 10-12 ft near the dam.
moved to the middle of the big pond in 20 foot around noon, 1/16 slender spoon with a couple waxies and nonstop action for a couple hours. lots of cruising high flyers 10 ft down crushing the spoon. never changed lure
kept only 10 and threw back a lot of nice fish
was 46 degrees back at truck

I did ok Monday after work; fished from about 2-345pm. Bite was steady but not hot, then shut shut down dead around 3:30.

Looking like the end is coming sooner than later down here. Forecast for this weekend and next Monday looks good,  but lots of highs in the 40s and some rain starting late next week. The edges will be gone fast once all the snow starts melting.

Offline IlliniIce

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #16 on: Feb 14, 2022, 10:31 AM »
gonna head out soon and again tomorrow before weather gets crazy.
near 50 tomorrow with wind, then rain before another arctic blast and predicted 3-6 inches of snow then back in the 50s early next week
had three good days last week so if season's about to end, its been a good one
i am itchin to get the new boat on the rivers and catch some walleyes and saugers  ;D

Offline zcm_82

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #17 on: Feb 14, 2022, 12:17 PM »
I went out both days over the weekend. Saturday was slow; water was murky as pea soup after all the rain we had on Friday.

Yesterday's bite was a lot better, but my back decided to flare up and try to kill me mid-morning, so I called it a day while the fish were still hitting. It's still super stiff today, so I won't be going after work. Maybe tomorrow if my back is behaving by then.

Offline IlliniIce

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #18 on: Feb 15, 2022, 09:24 AM »
i keep saying i am getting a better fishing chair, my back gets stiff too if i sit too long.
a buddy fell through up to his knees walking out yesterday on a mid size lake where i was headed today. still good ice where he was fishing
2 small ponds, including where i was yesterday, are still solid on the edges but its been mainly dink gills and no crappies the last couple trips there
i might wash the boat today instead

Offline zcm_82

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #19 on: Feb 15, 2022, 09:32 AM »
I've got a bad back and neck from putting a Bronco around a tree when I was 18. It has gotten a lot worse in the past few years, though. Sitting too long is the major trigger, but standing too long, or turning/bending wrong will set it off, too.

It's mostly better today, so I may go out for a bit after work.

My boat will remain covered for the time being, but I imagine this week is the last hurrah on the ice around here, given the forecast has 40s and 50s with rain multiple days next week.

Offline zcm_82

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #20 on: Feb 19, 2022, 03:32 PM »
Looks like the end of the road is just around the corner here. I checked 4 ponds this morning, and was only able to get out on one. The edges were completely shot on the other 3, and 2 of them had open water spots.

The one I was on had mostly bad edges, but a couple places I could still sneak on. The ice was not very healthy, 2" of frozen slush on top, then a pocket of water, and 3-5" of varying quality ice under the water layer. Could feel it bouncing when I was walking on it.





Offline IlliniIce

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #21 on: Feb 20, 2022, 08:30 AM »
i am in total wait and see mode but it aint lookin good
three days of 50 with tstorms tuesday but then more cold weather, dont know if it will be enough to refreeze things though
but i aint put my gear away yet  ;D

Offline zcm_82

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #22 on: Feb 20, 2022, 08:39 AM »
Wind is brutal and the bite is crap today, but it looks like today is likely last fishable ice here, so I'm out.



Offline Arquero3d

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #23 on: Feb 20, 2022, 09:32 PM »
Gonna give it a try tomorrow. I'm hopeful I can get on.  If the home pond is too soft, I may have to try larger water.
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Offline zcm_82

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #24 on: Feb 20, 2022, 09:38 PM »
Got a goose egg, only had a few bites.

Stepped through right next to the bank when I was heading off. The ice softened up quite a bit over the course of the day with the sun beating down on it.

If it's below freezing in the morning I may go try again for a while the edges are tighter. If it's above 32°, I'll be staying home.

Offline Arquero3d

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #25 on: Feb 21, 2022, 11:33 PM »
Well, I guess it's great to go out with a bang!  I just finished cleaning 209 fish.  Had some help catching them, no help cleaning them.  But that's okay...I never complain about having lots of fish to clean! ;D. A long day, but it was worth it.  I will now be able to freeze my first filets of the season!
 
7" of ice when I started in the morning, 6" when I left at dark. 
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Offline zcm_82

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Re: Anyone else still alive?
« Reply #26 on: Feb 22, 2022, 05:58 AM »
I went for a few hours yesterday. It was 31° when I got to the pond at first light. By the time I packed it in around 9am it was 42° and most of the edges were open water. Only got a handful of gills and a baby bass, but it beat staying at home.

The ice was 4" or so under a couple inches of frozen slush that had loosened up a lot by the time I quit. Supposed to be over 60° with rain today, so that'll eat up any spots that were left along the banks.

Hoping this forecast cold snap the next few days refreezes the edges, but I'm not holding my breath.

 



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