Coast Guard Morale Day on ICE

[FRESHBAIT]

Last week during quarters I brought up the fack that some people would prefer not to ski or snowboard for their morale day.  I was included in that bunch for the simple fact that I don't ski or snowboard, and that I don't fall with the greatest of ease 

I made the suggestion of "HOW ABOUT A MORALE ICEFISHING DAY FOR THOSE OF USE WHO DON'T SKI AND SNOWBOARD BUT STILL WANT TO GET OUT AND ENJOY THE WEATHER"  7 people said that they were interested, quite a few from down south, like north carolina, texas (who obviously have never been ice fishing)  So the Chief and I both being avid ice fisherman  said we'd set the whole thing up.   We got morale to buy the bait, food, beverages.  The chief and I provided the expertise, gear, and of course my ICE CONDO.  The only stipulation was if you wanted to fish you had to go and buy a license and show proof b4 you could fish.

Well on Monday after quarters, I went and got bait, and the food, and beverages and led the caravan of vehicle over to my home lake.   We got their about 10 am after a long morning quarters,  I imediately begin turning the lake into swiss cheese with my auger,  drilled about 50 holes b/c I planed on moving some that weren't producing.  Anyways  we set out 35 traps, which took awhile b/c we had to teach along the way.  We had them all set up by 1130,  it took us a while b/c we had to rund and get flags(tiger trout)  by 1150 we had hooked two southern boys into ice fishing.  One said and I qoute "this is so much fun,  I didn't think you could fish in the winter,  I'm gonna buy traps and a auger this summer for next yr" 

Morale had bought 8 dozen med shiners plus a few thrown in for extra and the Chief had 2 dozen w/ him so we had  over 120 minnows.   

Oh the best part was when Nick(from North Carolina)  said hey there's a flag(about 3pm) chief and I said hey that one is yours b/c ours are over there(point in the other direction b/c this flag was out 300 yd or more) so he runs out and waits to set the hook,  then we see him pulling in the line and fighting it(we're like what is it) then we see this huge fish come up out of the whole and flop on the ice, he's screaming "its huge, I caught the locke' ness' monster"  so we start the sprint out there to see what it was.  Low and behold a huge brown trout was laid out on the ice.  We didn't have a tape w/ us so he ran back and grabbed the empty beer cans....oh I mean soda cans and lined them up next to the fish 5 cans long from nose to tail it was the biggest one I had ever seen taken out of that lake.  He was going to have the fish mounted, but decided to release the fish back like the rest we had caught(after two quick photos).  Which I think was a good choice.

We fished until sunset icing quite a few more yellow perch, white perch, pickerel, bass.  We ended the day by pushing the Ice condo to shore(I still can fish from it, but it was easier to do it then w/ 7 people around then to wait till it was just me and my dad)  At the days end I had 1 doz shiners in my bucket, and the chief had about a dozn and a half in his.  It was a very busy day, walking and showing people a new experience.  I know alot are hooked on it now, talking about buying traps, augers and building shanties for next yr      It was probably the busiest day i've had this yr on ice, probably b/c we had some 35 traps out in our group.  Not to mention the weather on Monday was absolutely gorgeous for ice fishing. 

The lake still has a solid 20" of black ice under 3 inches of soft snow/pitted ice.

tight lines and keep a look out for next yr as I am sure some more coasties will be out on the ice   

[Mike G]

That's an awesome story! 
Your post is what ice fishing is all about.
Thanks for sharing it.

[Sir Catchalot]

Being the nerd that I am (picture me lining up the cans) that puts the Brownie at about 24 inches...NICE

[toguebuster]

thanks fresh bait for bringing more brothers into our little band of ice nuts !!!!!

[Hoppes]

Awesome....congrats to our men in uniform.  It's neat to see first time icefishermen!  Just as much fun as taking someone fishing for the first time in the summer.  Glad you guys took the time to introduce your shipmates to something they might not have experienced.
Hoppes

[weav11]

Nice fish! You're in Warren?  Where's the home lake? Unity? Megunticook? Pemaquid?

[FRESHBAIT]

CHICKAWALKIE,   MY PARENTS HAVE A HOUSE AND CAMP THERE.   ITS FULL OF YELLOW PERCH, WHITE PERCH.  THE PICKEREL HAVE BEEN MAKING A COMEBACK THE LAST COUPLE YRS OR SO.  THE SMALLMOUTHS HAVE BEEN PRETTY STEADY THERE THOUGH,  MY BEST IS 7LBS 2 OZ(ABOUT 6YRS AGO, THERE ARE STILL SOME BIG ONES IN THERE)  LARGEMOUTHS HAVE BEEN UP AND DOWN FOR YRS EVER SINCE THEY CLEANED THE LAKE(BY SEALING ALL THE CRUD ON THE BOTTOM) THEY DID HOWEVER KILL ALOT OF FISH THAT YR.  I REMEMBER AS A KID WALKING ALONG THE SHORELINE AND PICKING UP EELS, HORNPOUT, BASS, PERCH, TROUT FOR WEEKS AFTER THEY "CLEANED THE LAKE" 
IF&W ALWAYS KEEP IT STOCKED W/ BROWNS, AND BROOKIES EVERY YR,  MY BIGGEST BROWN OUT OF THERE IS 20",  STILL HAVEN'T CAUGHT ANY BROOKIES THOUGH.   

I HAVEN'T CAUGHT ANY HORNPOUT OUT OF THERE IN YRS,  I DO SEE A FEW EVERY YR DEAD IN THE SHALLOWS, SO THEY ARE STILL THERE, JUST THAT THE NUMBERS AREN'T UP.

[Dogman-]

Sounds like a great time was had by all.I'll bet the those southern gents will have some stories to tell about how they "walked on water"and caught some fish too.
I'm curious about something as in how this morale day goes,when I was in the C.G. we didn't have anything I'd call a morale day.Morale was something you did on your own time,but then again I was in New London CT for most of my time in.Real uptight command structure,seemed like boot camp all over again.