White Perch

[mudchuck]

"Hope the ice and shoreline hold up for you. Cough cough, tomorrow might be better than this weekend!"
Just made arrangements here at work to make a short day of things and a 1-way trip up that way to survey equipment then go fish.
I think 50 today, 60 tomorrow the camp shoreline will go after today, it was a little soft getting off and I had to walk parallel a little ways to find a not so soft spot.
So if we want to extend this access onto that shelf, wouldn't recommend any wheels now, snow melted & ice shelf is easy walking and don't have to go far...

Agree, got there late afternoon yesterday, saw a few guys fishing & pulling them in, ramp at Killkare is trashed now, had to walk shoreline & hopscotch some rocks to get on, but the guys I met came on at camps, so I got off at camps and walked back to park.

Filled a bucket in a couple hours, bite was consistent once they found the bait they stayed around until close to dark, everyone left around 5:30, I stayed a little longer, but once they left the school started moving away from the area, as there wasn't enough lines in the water to keep them around and the smaller yellows started showing up.
Interestingly enough, they really didn't want live minnows, but hammered minnow heads & spikes. Keep those dead minnows, they come in handy...

Up until last night, me having the annual company fish fry was in jeopardy of not happening because I hadn't caught any white perch, but certainly not for lack of trying, they're just late to show up to the party this year...FISH FRY ON!

Stay safe peeps, see you there if you're out there today, otherwise this might be my last trip out.

~Mud

[thefishingweatherman]

Going to head out there this afternoon and will post back on how the bite is. Excited that they're around before the ice gets sketchy this year! Best o luck to all who go!

[Bob G.]

Fished this morning for a bit at Killkare. Most guys were already on them at 7am. The ice at the ramp was breaking up as I got to solid ice. Fishing was slow compared to yesterday. My goal was to get some white perch for dinner tonight as my GF didn’t want  any more fish in the freezer. Brought home 4 for dinner.

The bite was slowing this morning and everyone started moving around to find them. I left at this point. There are so many holes around Hathaway Point, I haven’t drilled a hole in 2 days, just cleared an old hole with my skimmer.

Came back in at the beach, much better and not broken up. Good luck!

[NHHARDWATER]

Headed out tomorrow afternoon to find some for the freezer. I'll report back on what we find. Anyone else fishing 2nd shift tomorrow?
Are the bulk of them coming from the usual places at hathaway, or are people finding bigger schools elsewhere? I'll have my Father with me, we will be limited as far as hiking around to hunt for them, so the less trudging around we have to to get on them, the better. thanks for any info.

[Bob G.]

Mudchuck,

Were you out there this morning?

NHHARDWATER,

I would just fish where everyone else is. There are 1000 holes out there, be careful walking around with your father. Check out the beach to get on the ice and walk out around the ramp area. Good luck.

I rode by Malletts Bay ramp this afternoon. The shoreline was all broke up. There were a few guys out fishing past the marina and one person way out.

Today was my last day ice fishing for this year.

[NHHARDWATER]

NHHARDWATER,

I would just fish where everyone else is. There are 1000 holes out there, be careful walking around with your father. Check out the beach to get on the ice and walk out around the ramp area. Good luck.

I rode by Malletts Bay ramp this afternoon. The shoreline was all broke up. There were a few guys out fishing past the marina and one person way out.

Today was my last day ice fishing for this year.

Thanks Bob!

[thefishingweatherman]

Was there today from 1:30 to around 5 and managed a bucket or so. There was a tight cluster of people just southeast of hathaway point of maybe 20 or so people. Everyone catching fish, but not in stupendous numbers. Schools were moving around a lot so people were shifting holes regularly. Pretty well swiss cheese out there so you might not even need an auger in this weather. I will say, if you're getting on the ice at the Kilkare boat launch, pick your spot carefully, unless you're like me, and wanna go knee-deep on the way off the ice. Good luck everyone!

[JRK22.250]

Fished from 2:30 to 5 managed to get a full pail of mostly good size whites. Definitely avoid ramp and use beach to get on.

[mudchuck]

Fished from 11 to 3 Wednesday, caught 3 buckets full, a little over 100#, add this to the 3/4 pail from Monday Tuesday and my ice fishing is done for the season.
All in all, about 125# gross wgt, cleaned a bucket last night got 8# boneless-skinless fillets off them...1 down 3 to go.
Guess this saved the day for the annual fish fry at work!!!
Nightcrawlers were the hot bait, using spikes was slow and the fish were smaller.

[thefishingweatherman]

Nice haul mudchuck!

[mudchuck]

Nice haul mudchuck!

Thanks.
Yeah, I think a few guys out there were a little jealous of my quick & heavy haul...bait was key. Used an orange/silver flake bibbet in case anyone was wondering and wore off most of the paint by the time I left the ice.
I gave away a few worms to help the cause with a newbie out there too. Hope that and the dead minnows were helpful.

[Bob G.]

Mudchuck,

What do you do with the buckets of fish until you fillet them?

[mudchuck]

Mudchuck,

What do you do with the buckets of fish until you fillet them?

I have them on ice and already filleted 1 bucket last night, will get 2 more done this afternoon after work. Last pail will be tomorrow.

Finally getting to use my Bubba Li-Ion cordless fillet knife set!
Use it on the Haddock/Cod/Stripers on occasion when I get some deep sea action in.
Bought it 3 years ago and never had enough fresh water fish large enough to actually use it, the 7" flex blades work the best but are still too coarse of serrations for yellow perch & gill/seeds, but these whites it seems to glide easily thru the rib bones without mauling the meat.

[fishingidjit]

Nice catch and a good fish fry is in the works !

[Bob G.]

Nice!

[JRK22.250]

Way to whack'em mudchuck!

[Crayfish2]

Anybody going to be out there this afternoon?  Still able to get on the ice?  I'm planning on heading up after work ... assuming it's still fishable.

Also, is there anybody in the St. A area that buys fish?  I'm planning on keeping a bucket or so, but if I manage to catch more than that I'd like to sell the rest.

[thefishingweatherman]

Anybody going to be out there this afternoon?  Still able to get on the ice?  I'm planning on heading up after work ... assuming it's still fishable.

Also, is there anybody in the St. A area that buys fish?  I'm planning on keeping a bucket or so, but if I manage to catch more than that I'd like to sell the rest.

I talked to a guy on the ice the other day who said there's a farmer nearby who is buying them for 50 cents a pound, but that's all I can tell ya. Maybe ask around when you're on the ice. Someone's bound to know.

[shiveringjoe]

I'm cutting out of work early to head up there and try to get on the ice. Hope to be fishing by 330pm.

Anybody going to be out there this afternoon?  Still able to get on the ice?  I'm planning on heading up after work ... assuming it's still fishable.

Also, is there anybody in the St. A area that buys fish?  I'm planning on keeping a bucket or so, but if I manage to catch more than that I'd like to sell the rest.

[mudchuck]

I talked to a guy on the ice the other day who said there's a farmer nearby who is buying them for 50 cents a pound, but that's all I can tell ya. Maybe ask around when you're on the ice. Someone's bound to know.

J&S on Dunsmore Road I think is still buying fish

[mudchuck]

Wish I could join you all for 1 more trip, but I still have fish to clean and put my gear up already.
Have fun, stay safe...hearing the shorelines are getting real sketchy now.

[NHHARDWATER]

Thursday 3/17/22:
Arrived at Hathaway at 2pm, fished until sunset. I can count on one hand how many days I have ice fished on a day and nice as this one. 60 degrees ice fishing a treat by anyone's standards. Finally got my Dad out there so he could experience the frenzy. We had a great evening with about 70 lbs of perch in the truck for the ride home. A bit on the slow side but steady to start until about 5pm and it was more active from then until dusk. Pink was the color of the day, and found spikes to be more effective than worms this day as well. Funny how they change their pallets from day to day.

HEADS UP: Shoreline on the point is rotted away on both sides. I would not recommend trying to access there. We broke through 10feet from shore getting off the ice. photo shows the shoreline as of Thursday night. Still 10-11" of ice out there but getting grey. A few people out there told me that the ramp is junk and the beach was the best option for access to the ice in that area.

[NHHARDWATER]

I'm cutting out of work early to head up there and try to get on the ice. Hope to be fishing by 330pm.

Good luck Joe!

[Light liner]

If it is J&S make sure they can pay you, don’t take IOU’s.

[Crayfish2]

Congrats, Aaron!  Glad you were able to get your Dad on them.

Thanks for the heads-up on J&S and on the shoreline.  I'll probably just try to catch my bucket and head home, instead of dealing with that.

[Uppervalley Kid]

Awesome!

[Tacoma Marty]

Congrats, Aaron!  Glad you were able to get your Dad on them.

Thanks for the heads-up on J&S and on the shoreline.  I'll probably just try to catch my bucket and head home, instead of dealing with that.

I’m done fishing the hard water for the year but if you get into them I’ll take a bucket at 50 cents a pound. I will direct message you my cell number.

[Crayfish2]

I’m done fishing the hard water for the year but if you get into them I’ll take a bucket at 50 cents a pound. I will direct message you my cell number.

Sounds good!  Where do you live ... just in case?

[Tacoma Marty]

I live in Essex but don't mind running up to St Albans to meet you, just give me a heads up.

[Crayfish2]

Perfect ... I live in Jericho.  Hopefully I'll be giving you a call.