Blair Valley Lake 1/23

[mr._freeze]

Checked on the conditions today and found about 3 inches. That's not enough for me to go running all over the lake but enough to set out some rods rigged with powerbait and sit up on shore. Actually most of my sitting was in the truck because of the brutal conditions. I actually managed 4 rainbows around 11 inches each. I must have been funny to watch as I would jump out of the truck everytime I would get a bite then slip and fall as soon as I would get to the ice.  

[Looking4Fish]

Thanks for the info! Last year I ice fished Blairs Valley and didn't catch a thing! What's the technique to ice fish for trout? Do you fish on the bottom? 1/2 way down??? Worms should be a good bait, right? Can't wait to head out. 
john

[Floater]

Mr. Freeze,

Safe to assume that if you pull one of those Muskies out of Blair's that we'll being seeing a picture like those Potomac beauties you caught. :^)

Glad that you pulled a few fish thru the ice, thanks for posting.
Bob

[mr._freeze]

John, the trout in there are fresh stockies from about a week ago. The first trout I ever caught through the ice were last year at Greenbriar when they stocked them before ice out. Having said that I can tell you,with very limited experience, fresh stockies are in shallow water. I mean test hole shallow. I can not get a bite on a tipup. I think it spooks them in the very shallow water. Just drop some powerbait on a jigging rod with a split shot  down to the bottom and prop the rod up. I also think its a good idea to stand on shore or at least away from the rod because the water is so shallow. Offcourse, that gives you a viable fishing option when the ice is marginal.
 
Bob, after 11 months of open water and the prospects of not actually making out on ice this year I was about as happy with 4 small trout as latching onto a big muskie!

[Looking4Fish]

Thanks for the info Mr. Freeze. I plan on heading out to Blairs this Saturday, I hope the ice will be thick enough.
I didn't know they had muskies at Blairs. The trout won't last long with hungry muskies around!  I hooked a Muskie last summer at Lake Needwood, what a ride!
John

[Fat Boy]

FYI, I added this lake to the Reports and Conditions board

[Looking4Fish]

Mr. Freeze,
I fished Blairs this Saturday, caught my limit in trout! You were right, the power bait worked really well! I even caught a few on tip-ups. My best day of ice fishing EVER. My brother and I are going to try Deep Creek this weekend -hope the conditions will be favorable.
John

[mr._freeze]

Good to hear it. I kinda wish I had fished Blair on Saturday too. Deep Creek was S-L-O-W. 

[REB9]

Hey Mr. Freeze-  When you were on Rt 68 last weekend heading for Deep Creek how did Rocky Gorge look?  Do you think it is fishable?  ALso, have you heard any ice reports for Savage River Reservoir?  Savage can be red hot or the dead sea.  I like first ice though.  The perch should be heading up reservoir to prepare for spawn..  REB9

[mr._freeze]

REB9, Sorry drove up before daylight and came home after dark. I never got a good look at Rocky Gap. Haven't heard a thing about Savage. Hey,  was that you I talked to last year on Greenbriar about fishing Savage?

[REB9]

Yep- One and the same.   Seems you fish about the same amount of time as I do.. Most of the time...   Re. Savage.  I will try to give the New Germany Park Rangers a call tomorrow or Thursday and see ifn I can get an ice report on the lake.  See you on the water somewhere.  REB9