Author Topic: North Idaho Ice (Read 540105 times)

DakotaElkSlayer · « **Reply #300 on:** Jan 01, 2011, 01:24 AM »

For you guys around CDA, you should give the guy at Fin and Feathers a call. Was in his shop last week, and he rattled off a bunch of lakes that guys were ice fishing in the area.

Jim

Gypodog Jr · « **Reply #301 on:** Jan 01, 2011, 04:27 AM »

Thanks Jim...I'll definitely give fins and feathers a call for ice reports in the future.

Well... I decided to do lower twin today. I got there and even thought the ice looked good, I didn't see anyone out there. I totally wussed out and headed for upper twin. It was a veritable ice fishing party up there!

Me and the boy set 8 tip ups. There were a couple groups with the good pike spots hugging the shoreline, and considering the slush, my ridiculously heavy sled and general laziness, I set tip ups out near the middle of the lake. Didn't pop a flag all day. Wished I woulda manned up and made the commute over to the other bank.

While waiting, we did catch 16 small perch I froze for piking, and cooked 8 bigger ones....but still nothing over 8 inches.

Then just to rub in a little salt...on the way home I passed a couple guys fishing lower twin. I knew that ice was good! The moral: A puss out + waking up late + general laziness= pike bait and a small snack.
happy 2011! Rich

Bearsfan · « **Reply #302 on:** Jan 01, 2011, 11:38 AM »

Anybody know anything about Preist Lake. I'm getting mack fever. It should be getting close with these awesome cold day and nights. Happy New Year All!

perchhead1 · « **Reply #303 on:** Jan 01, 2011, 01:10 PM »

I am also interested in Priest Lake, I have a contact up there I will check with.

fishslayerX · « **Reply #304 on:** Jan 01, 2011, 04:48 PM »

Have u all seen the new regulations lot of things changed this year. Has aneyone been out on Hauser yet this year I catch some nice cats through the ice out their 10lbs and more. Also how about Spirit lake I'm itching for some Blueback fishing.

Gypodog Jr · « **Reply #305 on:** Jan 01, 2011, 08:30 PM »

My old man checked spirit today about noon. Said the lake was about three quarters froze, just the very middle was open. Gettin close! This weather holds for a couple more days and we should be ready.

Rich

DakotaElkSlayer · « **Reply #306 on:** Jan 01, 2011, 11:09 PM »

Anyone fish Bead Lake over in Washington for Burbot AND Lakers?

Jim

riske · « **Reply #307 on:** Jan 02, 2011, 12:12 PM »

I havent been over to Bead for 20+ But I have 2 buddies that fish it every year if there is enough Ice. Its a bit of a walk to get to the fish and the fishing is better at night for the Ling.

Its 10 am and 18 degrees out. I guess its time to go fish.

UT sounds good if the slush firmed up. I doubt it did though. Although I have to stop in Spirit to get a new lics. Maybe I will stop down there and give it a shot. Anyone catch Pike out of Spirit?

fishslayerX · « **Reply #308 on:** Jan 02, 2011, 06:00 PM »

I went to the west end of spirit today it is froze but gets thin about 200ft from were the bluebacks run its super clear and only 2" to 3" thick did not want to press my luck. It will probably be safe in 4 or 5 days their were people fishing by the Nautical loop boat launch but did not stop to see how they were doing. I am going to Hauser tomorrow I will tell u all how it is

riske · « **Reply #309 on:** Jan 03, 2011, 07:11 PM »

Hit Twin yesterday and caught more bait. If you werent jigging you werent getting bites.

Saw a few pike on the ice. But I am not saying where. Sorry I got to pull at least one out before I disclose secrets. I have seen more people on UT this year than I ever have. People are reading the posts I guess.

Cocolalla looks good but I still have not seen anyone on it.

I drove out to Sunnyside at lunch today and there was 2 guys on the ice. I stopped on my way back as they were getting off of it. They say the ice is 3" thick and clear. Doesnt sound fun to me. Maybe if it was double that. It was all open water last week. They didnt even have a sniff in there time spent out there. It does look like there were quite a few people out there this weekend.

BlueDuck · « **Reply #310 on:** Jan 03, 2011, 08:31 PM »

I talked to a couple of guys who caught two dandy pike on upper twin on sunday. A 19 and a 26 pounder. Sounds good and it is. But they have been putting in their time. They have been fishing from shortly after daylite until dark nearly evey day for the last two weeks.They have caught several others but the fishing can be pretty slow. I have fished it 7 times myself and have caught 4 pike not nearly as big. Typical day you might get a flag or two, or maybe not but they are in there, and there are some big ones. I usually fish 4 tip ups for pike and jig one hole for perch. The perch keep me intertained while Im waiting for a pike to bite. At least we have a few lakes with safe ice. Lets hope it gets better as the winter goes on.

riske · « **Reply #311 on:** Jan 03, 2011, 10:49 PM »

With the snow/slush that hit the lakes last week there should be plenty of good ice soon. As long as it doesnt warm up.. I doubt it will. UT had nearly a foot counting the frozen slush.

Sunnyside had no slush or snow just ice. And there was alot of floating ice on the lake/river when I crossed the LB this morning. Thats a good sign.

Wonder how Hayden is doing?

Gypodog Jr · « **Reply #312 on:** Jan 04, 2011, 12:03 PM »

a 19 and 26 pounder would make my winter! I call myself 'the pike whisperer' but that's because I think it's funny considering my record so far. My biggest pike through the ice thus far is an 8 pounder outa Hayden a few years back. I've only been tip-up fishing for about three years now...but I'm totally hooked on it.

Speaking of: I drove out to check Sportsman's. Open fer business. Two guys out there (set up right where I caught my 8). Didn't walk down to check but it's iced up a good half mile up the bay.

fishaddict · « **Reply #313 on:** Jan 04, 2011, 04:09 PM »

Just posted a 22 inch pike I caught this morning out of upper twin. It's on the short board but hey, Idaho is on the board! Come on team Idaho!!!

chipmunksniper · « **Reply #314 on:** Jan 04, 2011, 05:15 PM »

Nice fish! what'd you use for bait?

fishslayerX · « **Reply #315 on:** Jan 04, 2011, 08:44 PM »

I fished Hauser lake today the ice is thick 7" to 10" no slop not even an inch of snow on it. Caught some small bass, perch, gill and one nice Catfish the fish were a lot deeper than i thought in no less than 8' of water wasted a lot of time in the shallows. Fish and Game came by checked my license said they get a lot of people fishing early in the year like this without one. Do any of you pike fishermen fish the slough by the Cataldo Mission through the ice its got a lot of pike in it and a lot of weeds too.

Going back to spirit on thurs hope for more cold.

xwisconyfishermen · « **Reply #316 on:** Jan 04, 2011, 09:57 PM »

Hey knew to the site and the Idaho/cda area fishing. Was wondering if anyone could suggest some lakes to target crappie any info would be helpful. I was planning on fishing hayden or hauser does anyone know were I could find a lake map of either? Any info would be helpful.

Gypodog Jr · « **Reply #317 on:** Jan 04, 2011, 11:39 PM »

hi xwiscony! I've never fished Hauser...so don't know on that one. I've fished hayden all my life though. Good crappie fishing...but unless we get a stellar winter, only the north end ices up. The north end is shallow and doesn't hold alot of crappie. Or maybe I should say: I've never managed to get over 'em.

Idahogator · « **Reply #318 on:** Jan 04, 2011, 11:41 PM »

Welcome to IceShanty xw'.
  We are so far from civilization in N. Idaho that a lake map at best is a crude approximation of reality, ha.

  A few things to try would be a visit to some of the finer sports shops in an around Cd'A, Cabela's in Post falls and get the salesman to talking (good luck). I been signed up with Idaho Fish and Game for email updates and also follow Cd'A press online (scroll news and drop down to Outdoors, which is updated Thursdays.

   Email sign-up https://service.govdelivery.com/service/multi_subscribe.html?code=IDFISHGAME

   Link to Cd'A press ~ outdoors http://www.cdapress.com/news/outdoors/

   Tom

fishaddict · « **Reply #319 on:** Jan 05, 2011, 09:34 AM »

chipmunk--I was using small herring about two feet off the bottom. Not a big pike, but it's my first on a tip-up. Tasted damn good too!

fishslayerX · « **Reply #320 on:** Jan 05, 2011, 02:35 PM »

Hey fishaddict nice pike now you will be addicted to tipup fishing for pike its a great feeling geting one on the ice all the ones i pulled through make me feel like a little kid again. Wisconsin if you are going just for crappie Blanchard lake held the state record for a long time and I got some good ones last year their. Also Hauser has some and Avondale my personal best came from Turtle lake by St. Maries.

teamtigerstripe · « **Reply #321 on:** Jan 05, 2011, 06:14 PM »

FishslayerX, what else have you caught down at Turtle? Perch, Pike?

riske · « **Reply #322 on:** Jan 05, 2011, 10:07 PM »

Crappie fishing....

Hauser and UT have worked well for me. Both lakes that are kinda small through the ice but both hold some bigguns. Hayden has some of the best but very hard to get to on hard water. But in the spring you can catch some hogs.

In my experiance Hauser infront of the Rainbow and the north east side. but they aint sitting on the bottom. Or around crowds. Maybe thats why the night bite is better?

DakotaElkSlayer · « **Reply #323 on:** Jan 05, 2011, 10:58 PM »

Quote from: fishslayerX on Jan 05, 2011, 02:35 PM

my personal best came from Turtle lake by St. Maries.

Buddy and I hit Turtle last winter after hearing all sorts of stories about nice crappie. Must've drilled 120 holes and a total of TWO BULLHEADS were caught!

Jim

fishslayerX · « **Reply #324 on:** Jan 06, 2011, 08:53 AM »

Turtle can give out a harsh skunking I have killed it one week and been P.O. with poor fishing the next. It was a few years back, it is a small lake at best and gets fished pretty hard I have been told its best the year after a huge flood on the St. Joe. Fills it back up with fish I have had luck w/Pike their too all small. If you go their and the fishing sucks I would try Swan Lake gets fished less or try Benawah if frozen. also their is a flooded field out side St. Maries on Hy 5 heading toward 95 the locals call Hepton or Hipton that has nice pike but is super shallow. If that does not work I catch nice Cutthroat on the St.Joe all year go with a large sinking neon Rap, it can be a lot of work. Not every fishing trip can be a fishslayer.

Are their any good lakes by Moscow? Elk and Moose creek Res. never been hear good stuff. Lets be Positive

fishaddict · « **Reply #325 on:** Jan 06, 2011, 11:19 AM »

Was going to catch the new state record pike out of upper twin today but........raining. Oh well, he'll still be around tomorrow.

DakotaElkSlayer · « **Reply #326 on:** Jan 06, 2011, 11:52 PM »

Quote from: fishslayerX on Jan 06, 2011, 08:53 AM

Are their any good lakes by Moscow? Elk and Moose creek Res. never been hear good stuff. Lets be Positive

Near Moscow, we have Spring Valley Reservoir, Moose Creek Reservoir, and Elk Creek Reservoir. S.V.R. is dominated by planter rainbows. Depending on the year, the fish run from 10" to 14" and there are a ton of 'em. Crappies and gills are in there too, but the gills are dinks and the crappie are really, really hard to find. There are a handful of tiger musky and gigantic large mouth bass, too.

M.C.R. is just like S.V.R., but doesn't get the pressure... Trout usually slightly bigger, and there are some dandy crappie in there if you can find them....which I failed to do on several occasions last year.

E.C.R. is pretty much like the other two, but as an added bonus, it has a descent population of BROOK TROUT. I would say that you had a shot at a 16" if you can find them and keep your bait away from the 'bows.

Winchester Lake, an hour south, is heads and shoulders above any of these. Last week, I actually whacked my first bow to give to the father-in-law. When I cleaned it, I was suprised to find its flesh a beautiful ORANGE!!! Yup, just like the way it should be. The reservoirs around here, the bows' flesh are all a "planter white."

Jim

fishslayerX · « **Reply #327 on:** Jan 07, 2011, 09:04 AM »

That is cool i put back my planter Rainbows "usually" because I find their white meat gross I would love a lake with some more natural pinker fish. I spend a lot of time fishing for Brookies and Browns because of their reddish pink meat. Also a 16" brook is awesome I catch a few like that, a few out of thousands I always say if I get an 18" I will force myself to mount it. I may try to fish E.C.R next time I visit my friends in Deary do the Brook Trout hang out by the inlet or outlet, like they do sometimes? Also do you fish the Potlatch river we did last March and caught some of the most beautiful Rainbows I have ever seen, pretty small 13" at most, did not eat them. I have heard it gets some huge ones or, "Steelhead if their over 20" in May and April heading up to spawn. I missed it last year came back in August it was super low hard to fish and full of micro Bows did not fish long.

fishslayerX · « **Reply #328 on:** Jan 07, 2011, 01:26 PM »

???I went to Twin lakes today saw a lot of places were people had been on the lower part decided it looked safe. parked by the bridge got my stuff headed down to were all the deer crossed over got down second step fell through up to my Knees. Boots were wet scraped shin no big deal did not make my day. Be safe I fish upper twin sometimes the warm weather has made some weak ice around shore. when I left I saw were someone drove a quad on lower not a good plan if 250lbs will crush the outer edge. My first time ever through the ice, glad it was shallow

fishslayerX · « **Reply #329 on:** Jan 13, 2011, 04:04 PM »

Anyone out their ice fishing in this crumby weather I have been inside hiding out going to spirit tomorrow rain or shine. $:-\$

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Author Topic: North Idaho Ice (Read 540105 times)