Good job on the fish who were iced this weekend.
Nice big burbot GrampaRam. 8)
On March 26th my uncle and I went back to Last Mountain Lake for one more try at burbot before our ice fishing season ends.
It was a sunny, but windy, day on the ice. The temp was around the - 7 C mark, but with the wind chill, much colder, more like early winter than early spring.
There were no anglers on the ice so we set up in the general area as before and were ready for some action by 1.30 pm.
One angler stopped and talked to us for a min. He said he was fishing all morning for perch and walleye around the Sorenson's Beach area and never had a single bite the whole time.
We finally had 2 anglers set up a few 100 yards South of us and they would be the only other group out there all day.
Around 3.00pm the action finally started, and I ice the first fish of the day,
a 5.1 lb burbot.
with a few more to follow.
4.6lbs
3.9lbs
In the time, I had the 3 burbot, one larger battled scared pike bit the line off.
My uncle lost 3 burbot just under the ice and coming up the hole.
I though I would take a group photo before we repacked the gear.
By the time we were packed it was dark.
I though I would try for a little bit of night fishing. Others have said it can be good.
I fish for a few minutes without much luck, so, I switch lures, and, 5 minutes in, I feel a good thump.
My uncle turns on the truck lights and I wrestle with the fish.
As I get it part way up the hole I see it's a good sized burbot.
It then rolled into tight ball and won't budge.
I have no choice but to go up to my elbow into the frigid water to grab the gill plate or lower jaw.
She is finally iced and I hold before me a nice healthy 8.6 lb burbot who poses in the head light of the truck.
Over the afternoon I see 2 pike,{same one 3 times before it bites}, 13 burbot with only 4 that were actually hungry, a pair of white suckers and a whole school of large whitefish.
The lures of choice were storm wildeye swim shads. One also bit on a smelt.
It was a good day on the ice with a few more burbot to feed the family during the April off season.
Sat., March 28th, was our annual Wildlife Federation awards night and banquet.
I entered 2 waterfowl last fall and took 2nd in the snow goose category.
The snow goose weighed in at - 6lbs 12oz.
I also took home 1st, and the regional trophy, for the largest Canada goose entered.
The Canada goose weighed in at -12lbs 10.5oz.
I was also lucky at the raffle table draws too.
I won a hat & bag, an impact wrench, a blanket and the big prize of a complete patio set with umbrella and folding chairs.
Now why can't that kind of luck hold when I'm fishing???
All in all it was a very fun and unique couple of days for me.
I am not sure if the burbot fishing will be my last day on the ice, but if so, it has been a blast.
Looking forward to the new open water season soon.
WW
