Sandypond

[hardwater61]

raysyncar - thanks for your story, glad you and your son mad it off and are fine.  You are giving us all a great reminder - Be Prepared.  We all get complacent with time, we just need to make our routine include that preparedness.

X2!

[drowndin dots]

   Here's some sound advice as well. When the wind forecast is for 45+gusts and there is a lake effect snow warning, STAY HOME 

[snakemaistre]

Got turned around like that in the deer woods one time, snow covered my tracks in, gps batteries were dead, no cell, my compass and a general idea that I needed to head east got me back to the road I was parked on. Was an uneasy feeling. Needless to say but that compass goes with me every time.


Ps how much snow did the pond get with this lake effect?

[Bambino0657]

My buddy and I had a similar experiance back in the 80s (before gps and cell phones) as raysyncar.  Same spot, Wigwam, rockpile.  Fishing wasn't good and the snow was piling up.  I remembered how I cut my holes in relation to the shore so we tried to set a course that would get us to the wigwam parking lot.  We missed right by 1/4 mile.  We went into the wigwam to have a drink and some food when a Pepsi delivery truck driver came into the wigwam and told us the sun was shining at the blinking light on rt 3.  Talk about lake effect.  We fished the rest of the day at big bay oneida.

[Bambino0657]

PS I have kept a compass in my gear since.

[bgaffney]

can I use my 4x4 on the pond or is the snow too deep

[raysyncar]

The snow on the lake itself is fine, you just aim for the icy spots. As long as you do that a 4x4 will work great. Going out at the wigwam stay to the as far right as possible. Until I pick it up this morning, you can use my plow for a stay away marker. I had to take it off and leave it there because I got stuck going out. You have all the ice you need, more snow than you need where it is drifted, overcast skies and 8-10 mph nnw winds. Get your compass and anything else you need and keep moving. And for god's sake, stay safe. Tight lines boys and girls!

[raysyncar]

Drowndin dots, point taken. I put this out in front of my peers to be sure I never make the same mistake again and hopefully others will learn from my error. Hell , we might even save someone.. Sometimes the weatherman is off but he hit the nail on the head yesterday did'nt he?

[OneBucketMike]

Glad to hear everyone made it off the ice safe and sound! Never get complacent with the weather or conditions!
Hey Bcons...bees are dormant this time of year....be a great time to plug up them holes on your home! Just sayin'!--KP

Just be sure you are not plugging up the holes with the bees still INSIDE the house with now no way to get out but head for your living area in the Spring!!!

[bcons]

Just be sure you are not plugging up the holes with the bees still INSIDE the house with now no way to get out but head for your living area in the Spring!!!

They're making fun of me from an surprise morning 2-3 years ago.

The REAL story goes I had a nest show up quickly on a warm fall day outside a door right next to a light fixture.  Didn't think much of it because of the time of year and them being dormant when its cold.
Got up at 4:30am turned the light on &,went to get coffee from the kitchen.
Went outside for a smoke (never do that inside).
The heat from the light apparently got them all worked up & swarming.
I got 2' out the door and wham got stung dozens of times, spilled my HOT coffee down the front of myself. Tried to get back in the house 15-20 chased me in.  After I somewhat knew what was going on I then realized they were then attacking the lights in the house that were on.  Had to kill them in the house 1 by 1.
When I finally looked out that door there were still hundreds of them swarming around the light and a dozen or so seemingly stuck inside the light between the bulb & the glass.
A bit sore & swollen drove to Walmart to buy cans of spray now 5:30 am with very little coffee.
I spent a week & a small fortune on spray killing everything that resembled a yellow jacket.

[bcons]

How did the area fare with the recent weather?  Really torn on where to fish this weekend.
The sportsman's derby is a great time for all, inexpensive way to test your competitive edge, and good people.
Looking forward to trying the new ice fishing transportation!

[trapper2000]

see  I  told  ya  he  wasn't  the  brightest  crayon  in  the  box  .......  best  part  he  still  doesn't  see  what  he  did   wrong  buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[H.T.]

How did the area fare with the recent weather?  Really torn on where to fish this weekend.
The sportsman's derby is a great time for all, inexpensive way to test your competitive edge, and good people.
Looking forward to trying the new ice fishing transportation!

whats your new transportaion?

[bcons]

whats your new transportaion?

Not as sweet as yours bud!
However don't ask & I won't lie 

[H.T.]

what did you get? a wheeler or a snowmoblie?

[bcons]

Got a sled, darn thing! The previous owner must have pumped estrogen in it.  Its moodier than a woman!

[bcons]

see  I  told  ya  he  wasn't  the  brightest  crayon  in  the  box  .......  best  part  he  still  doesn't  see  what  he  did   wrong  buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Hey there, please tell me you don't run around bent over at the waist with your arms out to the side wearing a beanie with a propeller making airplane noises too.

[H.T.]

Got a sled, darn thing! The previous owner must have pumped estrogen in it.  Its moodier than a woman!

the older sleds are like chainsaws. always tempermental. had many over the years but when they run they cant be beat. alot better then walking thats for sure

[bcons]

Meant already have a sled. Have had at least one for years. 
Sold my older indys which I loved and bought a newer skidoo last season.
600ho and its a pain!
Miss my Indy's
Hope to be on wheels this weekend

[H.T.]

no more sleds for me. i bought the wheeler so i can use it year round. i can haul like 6 deer at a time with this this in the off season

[denny13126]

Look foreword to meet everyone tomorrow bring my moms boyfriends daughter out for her second time on the ice

[denny13126]

Look foreword to meet everyone tomorrow bring my moms boyfriends daughter out for her second time on the ice

[mdupper]

Hi all see you on the pond and have a great day of fishing

[denny13126]

Had fun today lil sister got 3ird in the youth and wow alotta bug pike today

[Cusefan78]

Bcons what's up with the sled. What did you get.  Mine was acting up till I until I changed out all the fuel lines and filters then cleaned the carb.  Haven't had a problem since. Starts on two pulls.  If you need help with it text me.

[rippem]

Had fun today lil sister got 3ird in the youth and wow alotta bug pike today

Nice fishing with ya again today im glad I had a better auger

[bcons]

Fished the SPSA derby Saturday.  Met up with HT.  Lucky enough to get a ride on his new wheels.
Sweet machine!  Neither of us thought of the drifts and the fact it was nearly dark and only a couple guys out.  4 big ones like a giant washboard at the lakeshore. One was 36-40" tall & pure vertical.  By the end of the day they'd been knocked down alot though.
After being out there an hour or more a red sled was coming right at us.  wouldn't ya know it Coach & FM.
Guess they fish "bankers hours"  
FM does it without cleats too even on bare ice!     "ooooo the ice is slipperier over here" 
Conditions were brutal.  Wind 15-30, chill was below zero until we were back in the parking lot.  Everything was freezing up.  Windy enough that by the end of the day when I pulled the ice anchor out that was holding the wall of my shanty out, it was bent nearly in half.  One of the big 5/16 anchors.
Fishing was ok, had to work for them.  Decent perch were light biters for the most part.
I left with 1/2 bucket & couple pike a 24 & 27".  Fun on 4lb perch gear & a 5" hole.  Pike kept coming up to the ice sideways so I couldn't turn their head up the little hole.  Had to let them run back down & try to horse them up fast.  Broke 2 more off.  Dumped quite a few perch too.  Need to go back to 8" auger.
Didn't bring any fish in to weigh wasn't that confident.  After I saw the board I did go back out to actually measure fish. Close but Nada 11 3/4 was my best.
There were 2- 12s (came down to weight) a 11 1/2 & then a 12 1/4.  Only placing top 3.
We were talking at lunch, knew it was gonna take a 12 1/2, just couldn't get it.
Overall good day (except the wind) and decent couple meals met the knife
HT was in normal form and pulled a limit of perch.

[bcons]

Had the typical buzz by from a sled too.   
Only 2 guys fishing side by side near us. No one else within couple hundred yards or more.  I had 3 tipups out in a circle 50' from my shanty.  Wasn't using them but still out.
A few sleds coming across all but one rode around.  1 guy rode between my shanty & a tip up.

[H.T.]

good fishing with you yesterday bcons. yes the weather sucked  with the wind so i stayed put in my shanty all day and only came out one time in 8 hours. i was on fish from start to finish but just could not get one over 11". went the whole day without catching a stink log at least. i bet i caught over 200 fish and kept 50 nice ones.

[wiredstone]

11" I would throw them all back. We are lucky down here . We have a lake where perch under 12" get thrown back. Gills under 10" thrown back too.