Author Topic: North Idaho Ice (Read 540129 times)

idahnt · « **Reply #3060 on:** Dec 31, 2017, 03:26 PM »

Saw an ice hut out there last Friday. Didn't talk to anyone.

idahnt · « **Reply #3061 on:** Dec 31, 2017, 03:38 PM »

Quote from: Packernut on Dec 31, 2017, 12:47 AM

I fished Fernan 12-28 from 10:00 to 3:00 and 12-30 from 11:00 to 3:00. Fished Thursday in 19 FOW on the North side. A few fisherman were fishing on the South side across the lake and caught a few bluegills, perch and a cat fish. No trout being caught yet. Ice was 4 inches with 3 1/2 good clear ice on Thursday. Saturday ice was holding a little soft around the bank still at 4 inches with 3 inches of slop on top. I fished closer to the public launch on the East side of the lake on Saturday in 14 FOW for about 45 minutes with no bites before I headed back to my exact spot from Thursday and immediately started catching fish out of my same holes. I was using a glow hook with perch eye on one rod and a VMC Tigler spoon with perch eye on the other hole both with success. 25 caught with 17 perch cleaned Thursday and 13 caught with 8 cleaned Saturday. Colder temps tonight and the rest of the week should freeze the slush on the top.

Packernut

Is it safe to walk across the lake?

RayneBidziil22 · « **Reply #3062 on:** Dec 31, 2017, 04:31 PM »

Hayden Lake is froze on Sportsman's but it's going to be sloppy just like any of the other lakes

mrflores187 · « **Reply #3063 on:** Dec 31, 2017, 06:42 PM »

Quote from: Vandal78 on Dec 31, 2017, 09:31 AM

Where did you take measurement at? Indian Creek?

I was just west of silver beach resort

NarniaFisher · « **Reply #3064 on:** Dec 31, 2017, 06:50 PM »

Hello all!

I'm new the the forum and fairly new to ice fishing itself, but I appreciate all the tips I get here and thought I should start to contribute myself.

We fished upper twin yesterday for about 4 hrs right off the boat ramp in 8-12ft water. There was plenty of ice (5"+slush) and plenty of people out. I didn't see anyone else catching and all we got were tons of little perch and panfish. They were eating anything we dropped.

Today we hit the sportsmans access at Hayden. We tried for pike mostly, but I switched to a small spoon near the end and nailed about a 4 pound rainbow. It surprised and pleased me. No pike. Other guys out there were catching a few pike. One group had a monster that must've been near 20lb. I have no idea how to target them yet. Ice was 5" solid +1" white over most of the area. Out near the center of the lake (headed towards the far road) we found ice ~2.5" solid and 1" of white... we quickly left that range

Sorry for the long first post, but looking forward to getting to know some of you.

RayneBidziil22 · « **Reply #3065 on:** Dec 31, 2017, 10:30 PM »

Where at did you catch the 4 lb rainbow out on Hayden was it towards the yellow slide or was it towards the point

jagmt · « **Reply #3066 on:** Dec 31, 2017, 10:35 PM »

Any reports on Spirit Lake?

jagmt · « **Reply #3067 on:** Dec 31, 2017, 11:09 PM »

NarniaFisher, I wish I could offer you a ton of advise on Pike...I have had my best luck on pike through the ice fishing tip-ups. I generally set them in 8 to 16 feet of water Riggs with smelt. I have not had much luck using herring although other guys have said they work about as well. I set one tip-up 4 to 6 feet under the ice and the other a foot or two off the bottom. Hope that helps and good luck.

NarniaFisher · « **Reply #3068 on:** Dec 31, 2017, 11:35 PM »

Quote from: RayneBidziil22 on Dec 31, 2017, 10:30 PM

Where at did you catch the 4 lb rainbow out on Hayden was it towards the yellow slide or was it towards the point

We were right in the middle of the bay, about 80yards from the edge of the ice... I don't know the yellow slide?... basically in 6.5ft of water in the center of the bay. He shot in and hammered the jig. No other trout that I'm aware of today.

Thanks for the tips jagmt! I couldn't find that deep of water today with solid ice over it. I'll try again though.

Does anyone actively jig for pike in North Idaho? I've heard of it and it sounds like a blast

NarniaFisher · « **Reply #3069 on:** Dec 31, 2017, 11:37 PM »

Can anyone confirm fishable ice on Priest? I want to try tomorrow, but don't want to brave the roads and ruin a whole day driving there and back if there's no chance??

Fishnfire1 · « **Reply #3070 on:** Dec 31, 2017, 11:51 PM »

Spent the morning on spirit, nautical lp launch. Caught 1 koke. They would come in, nibble a little then take off again. The ice was about 4 in. Of clear with a lot of crusty snow on top.

emmettid · « **Reply #3071 on:** Jan 01, 2018, 07:16 AM »

HAS ANYONE TRIED ELK RIVER OR SPRINGVALLEY RES. THIS YEAR?

IcekiddKt · « **Reply #3072 on:** Jan 01, 2018, 11:25 AM »

Thanks for the info!

CombatJigs · « **Reply #3073 on:** Jan 01, 2018, 11:33 AM »

Hey folks, new to the site.. Just reading up on some good information and figured i'd join up. I've been fishing Fernan & Avondale thus far into the ice season. Been a slow, soft bite. I tend to use bigger jigs than normal for ice as I run a soft plastic company. Went out to Avondale two days ago, post rain and it was a slushy mess. Managed to pull out a few trout on a 2" jig / 1/16 tungsten in about 1.5 hours. Look forward to joining yall on the forums and lake!

Idahogator · « **Reply #3074 on:** Jan 01, 2018, 11:45 AM »

A hearty welcome, CombatJigs.

You've come to the right place. Enjoy.

fishaddict · « **Reply #3075 on:** Jan 01, 2018, 11:54 AM »

Happy new year everyone! Anybody been past the chains in the last couple of days? I need pike!!!

jagmt · « **Reply #3076 on:** Jan 01, 2018, 02:21 PM »

Quote from: Fishnfire1 on Dec 31, 2017, 11:51 PM

Spent the morning on spirit, nautical lp launch. Caught 1 koke. They would come in, nibble a little then take off again. The ice was about 4 in. Of clear with a lot of crusty snow on top.

Thanks is for the info...is the launch you fished off on the furthest south of the lake...

jagmt · « **Reply #3077 on:** Jan 01, 2018, 02:27 PM »

Fished upper Twin this morning with the kiddos from 8 until noon. We caught a bunch of small perch. Started out with a solid bit but really dropped off after 1030..we marked a lot of fish on the bottom...at first everything work but then it had to glow and be orange...5 to 6 inches of ice with crusty slush.

There were a could other groups out and they seems to catching similar to what we were.

jagmt · « **Reply #3078 on:** Jan 01, 2018, 02:41 PM »

Quote from: CombatJigs on Jan 01, 2018, 11:33 AM

Hey folks, new to the site.. Just reading up on some good information and figured i'd join up. I've been fishing Fernan & Avondale thus far into the ice season. Been a slow, soft bite. I tend to use bigger jigs than normal for ice as I run a soft plastic company. Went out to Avondale two days ago, post rain and it was a slushy mess. Managed to pull out a few trout on a 2" jig / 1/16 tungsten in about 1.5 hours. Look forward to joining yall on the forums and lake!

Welcome CombatJigs...what part of Fernan did you fish?...my kids and I fished the west end a lot before it froze...we did pretty well on perch and crappie. Will probably check it out this afternoon...

Fishnfire1 · « **Reply #3079 on:** Jan 01, 2018, 02:58 PM »

Yes it is at the southern end of the lake. The water is about 80 feet deep. The fish were around the 20 foot mark.

baetis_elk · « **Reply #3080 on:** Jan 01, 2018, 04:52 PM »

Fished Spirit Lake out of the Maiden Rock launch (Nautical Loop Road) for a couple hours this morning. Missed one lite bite and landed one 15" Chinook. I was sitting over about 80 FOW. The chinook was cruising at about 30 FOW. There was 4" of hard clear ice (estimated) topped by a layer of slush and then a layer of frozen slush.

CMS · « **Reply #3081 on:** Jan 01, 2018, 05:02 PM »

I wonder if the chinook are going to have Kokanee scattered?

RayneBidziil22 · « **Reply #3082 on:** Jan 01, 2018, 05:45 PM »

Quote from: baetis_elk on Jan 01, 2018, 04:52 PM

Fished Spirit Lake out of the Maiden Rock launch (Nautical Loop Road) for a couple hours this morning. Missed one lite bite and landed one 15" Chinook. I was sitting over about 80 FOW. The chinook was cruising at about 30 FOW. There was 4" of hard clear ice (estimated) topped by a layer of slush and then a layer of frozen slush.

what you hooking the chinook on (photo of the rig would be wonderful)

DNW · « **Reply #3083 on:** Jan 01, 2018, 06:21 PM »

I checked the ice at Medicine and Killarney today, both lakes had about 3" of white ice with some area's of open water. Ice did not look good yet, I didn't fish either lake. Went out to sportsman access at Hayden instead, fished a couple hours with 4 tip-ups with no bites.

NarniaFisher · « **Reply #3084 on:** Jan 01, 2018, 10:36 PM »

3 of us fished Fernan early today and immediately picked up 1 rainbow and 1 perch, then struggled for the next 3 hrs with only a few bites and 3 more fish.

We packed up and headed to Avondale. Holy ice party out there with all the people! Still, we immediately began catching a mixed bag of bass, bluegill, perch, and trout in 20ft water. Nothing to the method, just tiny spoons tipped with

Need to find bigger fish to bend the rods soon...

CombatJigs · « **Reply #3085 on:** Jan 01, 2018, 10:43 PM »

Quote from: jagmt on Jan 01, 2018, 02:41 PM

Welcome CombatJigs...what part of Fernan did you fish?...my kids and I fished the west end a lot before it froze...we did pretty well on perch and crappie. Will probably check it out this afternoon...

Thank you! I started at the west end, caught quite a bit of small perch and a few pan size trout. Today I went out on to Avondale and boy was the bite ON, trout...perch and bluegill. Lots of action in a few hours.

This guy was a CHUNK!

atholmike · « **Reply #3086 on:** Jan 01, 2018, 10:48 PM »

Does anyone know how thick the ice is on Cocolalla Lk.

hugeinchina · « **Reply #3087 on:** Jan 01, 2018, 11:49 PM »

Quote from: atholmike on Jan 01, 2018, 10:48 PM

Does anyone know how thick the ice is on Cocolalla Lk.

We drove by on our way up to Round lake today and there were two groups out fishing. We didn’t stop so I’m not sure what the thickness is, but the lady at the gas station across the road from there told us tons of people have been out there.

baetis_elk · « **Reply #3088 on:** Jan 01, 2018, 11:56 PM »

Rayne, I was using a small Kokanee Flasher (UV finish) with a pink jigging spoon about a foot below it. I trailed the spoon with a glo-hook baited with maggots. The fish took the glo-hook. It was fun to catch one. Maybe there will be a few pushing 20" next winter. I didn't take a photo of the rig. Sorry. I basically copied this rigging -

Idahogator · « **Reply #3089 on:** Jan 02, 2018, 12:02 AM »

Quote from: hugeinchina on Jan 01, 2018, 11:49 PM

We drove by on our way up to Round lake today and there were two groups out fishing. We didn’t stop so I’m not sure what the thickness is, but the lady at the gas station across the road from there told us tons of people have been out there.

Careful with the info on the no fish biting at Round Lake State Park. We all know that.

News:

Author Topic: North Idaho Ice (Read 540129 times)