IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Montana => Ice Fishing Montana => Topic started by: HERDBULL on Dec 29, 2009, 12:35 AM
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whats the news on holter???? slow like everyone else???
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thought i would pull this one back up to see if i get a nibble from anyone else as to how the fishing has been here? ???
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Let you know on Saturday.
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Called Canyon store and they said people are fishing it had no real report though.
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After a little waterfowl hunting this morning below Wolf Creek bridge, we ran up to Holter and fished for an hour or so at Departure Point. Quite a few people at Log Gulch and a few at Departure. Ice is good - several 4-wheelers and snowmobiles out there. We had a couple bites (trout) but didn't hook anything. Some guys just a hundred yards from us caught 5 or so in the hour we were there. Not sure if it was location or presentation, but they were having fun and we were just killing time :) We fished from about 10:00 to 11:00, so we may have missed the early bite. Hunting was lousy too.....but at least I wasn't at work.
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thx guys...we need all the help we can get. everywhere we have gone has turned up nothing but atleast i wasnt the only one. so departure point..is that the first one as you come down the hill as you enter to holter??
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Fished the last 2 mornings at Holter, between 2 of us we landed 12 on Tuesday and 11 today. Fished around 20 feet of water.
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Fished the last 2 mornings at Holter, between 2 of us we landed 12 on Tuesday and 11 today. Fished around 20 feet of water.
Walleye??? or trout?
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Fished the last 2 mornings at Holter, between 2 of us we landed 12 on Tuesday and 11 today. Fished around 20 feet of water.
sounds like a good day. you said morning so i assume it was all caught before noon then? where were you fishing?
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We were targeting trout but caught the occasional walleye. Tuesday morning the major bite was at around 9 while Wednesday was around 10:30 in the morning.
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Herdbull-
Departure is the last one you can drive to- "BLM" is the first one. The walleye fishing is usually better the farther down you go.
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I had fished there a couple of years earlier with my wife and we smacked the trout. I don't know the name but it was a fair ways down there and there were picnic tables and restrooms...quite a facility. Then last year we went back down to target walleye and perch because we had heard good reports but we didn't move a thing. We went down past the area with the picnic tables and stuff. I remember we got out a ways and were fishing in deep water but not moving anything. I dropped one rod down just about 6 feet under the ice and got a rainbow about 10 minutes after that. Then we moved closer to shore and got fish steady all day. Big fish too. About 24-25" is what I would guess some of them went. I would like to come up there again but its quite a drive from Belgrade so I'd like to know more about were to try for the eyes and perch and maybe even some advice on what to use. Who knows though, its quite a ways and there are perch and walleye in CF and hauser which are closer.
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fished holter twice the perch fishing is o.k. but the walleye and trout is good.going out tonight to try for the bigger walleye.they say you will catch not as many but bigger ones late.
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We use mostly minnow heads on buckshot jigs- the perch and walleye seem to hit them best. We also try jigging rapalas tipped with maggots and do well sometimes. You should try to find 30 FOW give or take, start there and you should find fish.
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well i fished last night til 10:30 and got four little ones (walleye).had the vexlar and not many fished showed up.talk to a few people that fished and sounds like not much going on during the day.
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Cool, I'll try that next time I'm up there. Does it matter what time of day you're up there or when you're up there, say early ice or late ice.
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Boz- I know it stinks for you because it's a long drive... but early is better we've found. Usually we fish from sun-up to about noon then call it a day there. Pishkun on the other hand fishes well all day long for perch.
Good luck-
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well i fished last night til 10:30 and got four little ones (walleye).had the vexlar and not many fished showed up.talk to a few people that fished and sounds like not much going on during the day.
Were you fishing at Departure point carpsnager? Using minnow heads? Does anyone know where to fish for eyes without a 4 wheeler at holter?
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where you catch little ones big ones are near.
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Dajigger: Saw your pics, nice! you are right about the small ones, on Sat we went "overland" from Departure and were catching a few small ones just across the land bridge, but caught a HOG at 12". Where are the pictures from?
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Dajigger: Saw your pics, nice! you are right about the small ones, on Sat we went "overland" from Departure and were catching a few small ones just across the land bridge, but caught a HOG at 12". Where are the pictures from?
waptibob when you go to the land bridge do youu walk down the ice cut over or is there another way? i was at log gulch on 12/31 had one bite after perch
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Where is the land bridge? I was at departure point Jan 4. Got there around noon. Didn't mark anything at all until around 3. Two small walleye and a trout. 40 Feet of Water. I hooked into that rainbow at 40 feet deep where I was catching the small walleyes and I thought I had hooked one hell of a walleye at first. :'( Oh well.
Oh yeah, I was dead-sticking on rod while I was jigging with another. I walked over to clean out some ice out of the dead-stick hole and I saw a couple of nice rainbows about 4 feet below the ice going after an orange string bobber stop I had left on my line.
Where are the larger walleyes at?
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I call it that, but just head south from Departure point following the ridge that makes the east side of the lake until you reach a low saddle (about 1/2 mile) that then takes you to the "other side". After a several hundred yard portage you end up on the lake about 1/2 mile north of Cottonwood creek. There were some guys fishing down there, too.
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how has holter been fishing?
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Slow still- Saturday we got 4 trout, 2 walleyes and 1 perch.
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Slow still- Saturday we got 4 trout, 2 walleyes and 1 perch.
beter than nothin all day.....lol!
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went to holter yesterday and had a good day of fishing.we caught 50+ perch 5 trout ten walleye small ones and one ling.
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went to holter yesterday and had a good day of fishing.we caught 50+ perch 5 trout ten walleye small ones and one ling.
how was the ice and where abouts were ya?
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ice was about 12 to 15 in. with the top 3 in. real soft and the rest was good ice.We walk in the bay where the boat loft is.
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ice was about 12 to 15 in. with the top 3 in. real soft and the rest was good ice.We walk in the bay where the boat loft is.
Carpsnager,
Bay out of Log gulch or the first one as your coming down the hill? :tipup:
Z
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How is the ice holding up?
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How is the ice holding up?
14" pretty solid-ATV still driving over most of the lake
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Sunday across from Log Gulch was nice. Early fish in 19 fow The ice was 12" and solid.Trout and salmon on the ice by 9:oo.
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Where exactly is log gulch at? I've never fished out there, but was thinking about heading out there later this afternoon/evening.
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Log Gulch is almost all the way down the road, just before Departure Point. If you head out let us know how the ice is holding up. I went to Pishkun Saturday and the ice was great everywhere except the edges. Too bad it was a slow day for perch.
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Didn't make it out there today so no news on the ice conditions. I hope to maybe get out there next weekend if I don't hit the perch derby at canyon ferry. What has been working out there? Do you really use anything different when fishing for salmon out there? Or is it pretty much the same as fishing for trout? Any info/help is appreciated!
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I have found that the trout are at 12 feet under the ice in 35 FOW, and the salmon are two feet under the ice.
The salmon will nibble the bait and are hard to set the hook, and the trout grab it and run. Flags up !
Holter Lake, 10 months of fishing.
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What do you use as far as bait goes? Do maggots do the job? Or do you have to go with something else? I've never fished for salmon, let alone salmon through the ice!
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Went by departure point, today 12 inches of good ice. One perch to show for it all. 48 feet deep.
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Andercee,
Started at departure point yesterday with only one light bite from sunup til around 1230hrs. Moved to the opposite side of Log gulch and fish in 8fow to 30fow with no bites. Then we moved out to the 38 to 48fow and had one more bite and that was about 10ft below the ice. We drill holes about every 20yds 3/4qtrs across the lake looking down each with the marcum and saw only one fish in 40fow(& that was smack dab in the middle of the lake). We ended up landing a 21in bow from a :tipup: not to far from shore... But what a perfect day for the hard water!! Better than sitting on the couch! :tipup:
Z
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Sounds like things have been pretty slow. Anyone know how the ice is out there? Also, any new info on the fishin?
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thinkin on heading out this sunday. any info would be great. im stayin close to the bays targeting trout.
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Heading out in the morning (Saturday). Thinking of going across the land to the area around Cottonwood Creek. Never been to that area before. How long will it take to walk from Departure Point??
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Herdbull,
Plenty of ice on Holter; went out Wednesday night and pulled an all night-er. Fishing in 30 fow just outside of the cove at Log gulch. Straight out the boat launch. I set up three :tipup:s out my door 20yds and the other two 20yds each further out toward the center of the lake. Furthest :tipup: hit first before I could get my shanty up but nothing was on it. The:tipup:s hit every hour till 1045hrs. Caught some bows on the rods in between. All was quite till 0100, and my pole drag click woke me up; fought a 27in ling up on of the hole. Then the closets :tipup: hit that had a 25incher on it. Few more fish here and there then @ 0415hrs my pole almost was ripped from my hands. Fought a 30incher for 15mikes or so and then was the last bite & fish for the night. Seemed as the night went the fish got closer to shore and much, much bigger. First few I landed were all 15-20ins. Real good night in my book & limited out! Got pics too, but need to set up a photo bucket or one of the accts to I can post the pics. :tipup: :tipup:
:icefish:
Z
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fished holter sunday and there was fish on the vexlar all day but could not get them to bit and we tryed alot of diffrent things. at about 3:30pm the perch started to bit. we fished til 7pm and ended up with 15 perch,one ling,two walleye and three trout. i had something big on but it got off just under the ice.
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It takes about 20 minutes from Departure Point to the land crossing. That crossing takes about another 10 minutes, depending on how much gear and if there is some snow to help out, then another 20 minutes or so to Cottonwood, again, depending on how mobile you are. So maybe an hour total from DP. I have only made the crossing and fished on the other side in about 45-50 FOW. Caught 5 perch there and one was nice (12"). :o
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It takes about 20 minutes from Departure Point to the land crossing. That crossing takes about another 10 minutes, depending on how much gear and if there is some snow to help out, then another 20 minutes or so to Cottonwood, again, depending on how mobile you are. So maybe an hour total from DP. I have only made the crossing and fished on the other side in about 45-50 FOW. Caught 5 perch there and one was nice (12"). :o
This was for DadnFox
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How is the cliff area to the west across the lake from log gulch for wallie fishing? Is the ice safe enough across the middle of the lake to take a 4 wheeler? I have not ice fished Holter for anything other than trout and was feeling adventurous this weekend... ::)
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I caught them in that area last winter, I walked, but there was tracks all over and I seen atvs over there all the time.... but I can't vouch for this season though. I usually fished more off the area that bends around and faces the damn, in 35-50 FOW, buck-shots tipped with minnow heads and picked up a few nice perch too. Usually it took a lot of work to get any eyes worth keeping.
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Thanks! Is there anytime of day that seemes to better than another. I plan on heading up early on Sunday.
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Dawn or dusk and if my memory serves me correctly I did my best in the morning, but that is when I fished the most. I did have a fairly productive evening off of Log Gulch one time but it was early ice, Jan. 1st 2009. Fished out 25-30 feet, sort of off the bend in the road, out a ways from all the trout fisherman.
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If a guy is stuck to walking then, where would be his best shot for walleye? I have tried twice at Log gulch, with no sucess.
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I would walk out to the cliffs from log gulch, takes about 15 minutes... drill that area out and work it in the evening or morning. As hit or miss as it is, another lake may be the best bet if you are really serious about chasing walleyes.
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Not too bad this after noon, caught 3 ling 25-31" 1 HUGE perch and 1 17" walleye 4hrs on the ice. Ice was in good shape and the weather was amazing 1-2mph wind tops and 30 deg. Also had a nice ling put on a show for us, I was using the Camera and my brother was using my flasher had a ling come at the camera and swat it with it's tail 3-4 time and stare down the camera between swats. He wasn't paying any attention to my jig just had some issues with the camera. All in all it was a good afternoon/evening.
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i was fishing around cotton wood a few years ago in the boat and had the camera down. came across a crawdad , it stopped real quick ,stared into the camera and then it just attacked the camera. it was climbing all over the camera (good thing they are small)
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Fished the BLM campground this morning. Fishing in about 10 feet of water7 or so feet below the ice and had a decent day. The best activity was between 11 and 1. Couldn't keep em off for about two hours. small pink jigs and maggots. Caught 7 rainbows and had 7 or 8 more on.
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Fished Holter Saturday afternoon and night and Sunday morning.
The ling were on fire! We caught 28 ling, 17 walleye (all small but good eaters), 8 trout and 4 perch.
Ling and walleye were on frozen minnows (heads only for the eyes) and maggots and crawlers for the trout and perch.
Pretty good couple days of fishing.
The ling must be spawning because it was outta control. Caught them during the day on jig rods and at night on tip-ups. If you like ling, I'd give Holter a shot.
We were upstream from Log Gulch. ;)
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I was out sat.afternoon until 10:30 pm and caught 4 ling.We we hoping to to catch a few walleyes but had no luck.We were out of log gulch campground.I f anybody has any tips on were to get a few 'eyes I would appreciate it,thanks Rich
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We went out Saturday and it was slow for us, 8 perch, 2 walleyes and 3 trout. We could see many more on the Vex's but they wouldn't bite. We still haven't got any ling this year- might have to try log gulch this weekend.
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Bullelk34 where were you fishing sat.at holter?
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Was there today, 2/15. Didn't see anything until about 5 then I saw some in 40 ft but they didn't bite. I didn't see anyone else pull anything up but I didn't ask.
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Not sure what to call it..... Past the first campground a bit, we park at a private launch and walk from there. I call it "Corwin Point"....
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ok whats the secret to this lake fished it a few times and I cant even mark but a handful of fish let alone get any of them to bite. any advice anyone.
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I know what your problem is, your fishing buddy is in Afghanistan. He will show you where to fish in 2 weekends.
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I was out on Friday and did pretty bad. Only got two decent perch. Apparently they are catchign them pretty heavy at the top end of the lake. You take a 4 wheeler up lake from the last campground then drive over a hill and get back on the lake at some power lines. Didn't get there myself because it was too late but I saw about 6 different 4 wheelers loaded with gear heading that way.
flyfish59102
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I know what your problem is, your fishing buddy is in Afghanistan. He will show you where to fish in 2 weekends.
well hurry the hell up and get back here then and show me whats up.
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Flights are backed up 10 days at Bagram, not looking good for my projected date. I knew I shouldn't of gotten my hopes up, but it kept me going for a time :-\
How many holes are you drilling? I know you are on foot, but I would be giving that auger a work out until I was marking them and then not spending more that 5-10 minutes on a jig or hole until something happened.
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drive over a hill and get back on the lake at some power lines
Don't drive over the hill; you can be ticketed for it. It is pretty steep anyways and it would be a struggle on a wheeler. The people you are seeing are probably driving all of the way around the point. I have walked over there before and done well, but it is kind of a pain in the arse. If you decide to drive around the point it is about three miles. There are some weird currents in there so watch the ice on your wheeler.
MT
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What do you guys use for ling up on Holter? I am going to make my first night time ice fishing trip ever and was wanting to catch a ling through the ice. Will they take jigs?
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Trappermike82,
I use spoons & pimples with treble hooks laid right on the bottom. Used all kinds of bait that works but what really brings'em quick is "fresh" killed fat heads. Depending on the size of the minnow I'll chunk it into 2 or 3 pieces leaving as much entrails as I can dripping off it. I run my :tipup:'s strait out from shore(starting in 30-35fow); and you'll see them get closer & shallower as the night goes...That's has really worked well this year! Good Luck! :tipup:
Z
What do you guys use for ling up on Holter? I am going to make my first night time ice fishing trip ever and was wanting to catch a ling through the ice. Will they take jigs?
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Thanks IceManZ! I'll let you know how I do this weekend!
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As will I, going out SAT....Good Luck!! :tipup:
Z
Thanks IceManZ! I'll let you know how I do this weekend!
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I'm heading up Sat afternoon. Good luck to as well and thanks for the info. :icefish:
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Thanks for all the info guys. I am heading out Sat. afternoon hoping for a ling or two...
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Fished Saturday afternoon until dark- things are picking up. We got about 50 perch, a few walleye and ling, but no trout (which is fine). I imagine it will be just as good until ice out, can't wait for next weekend already.
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we fished all day saturday into sunday morning at log gulch and caught 3 rainbows. i caught my first ling and my dad also gets to cross ling off his bucket list but we only got those two... hell two ling made my weekend
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Good to meet you this weekend! Looks like a couple of us finally got to cross ling off of our to do lists! It sounded like iceandwhiskey got ahold of another ling and some trout... I am waiting for the report. Glad you guys made it back. I went coyote hunting this morning after getting back to G town at 1 AM. It was a little tough but the coyote in the back of the truck made it worth it.
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Thanks again for the help IcemanZ
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we thought of going after yotes this morning but it got damn cold last night, and dads not a big fan of below zero stuff. but did buy a heater this afternoon so now i'm set untill i get that four wheeler
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No worries Brother glad to help. How'd you end up doing? ...Good meeting ya as well!! :tipup:
Z
Thanks again for the help IcemanZ
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We ended up pulling three out of the ice that night along with one nice bow. Two of the ling were between 25 and 30 inches. Apparently Frank and his wife caught one more ling towards the morning hours but I am still waiting for the details.
Promo: Maybe we are just stupid. 10+ inches of snow and -9 degrees to start most of the morning was not fun, but they were really moving today. We saw ten of em and I pulled the trigger on one with my shotty but it was so cold the firing pin only dented the primer... Nice job on the heater. Sure makes things a little more comfortable.
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Well after it was all said and done. "That means my wife had enough of my addiction" we went home with 3 Ling and 2 trout (One of which Mike caught). I was satisfied it being the first time I had targeted Ling. I also managed not to sink the new 4 wheeler so all in all a good weekend. Now where to go next weekend???
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You have my number if you come up this way. I had fun fishing with you guys!
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Went again, nothing.
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Spent all day? And no bites at all? Where you fishing at?? :tipup:
Z
Went again, nothing.
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ICEMAN if you go to log gulch and walk 300-400 yards to the south west of the boat landing off the point and start putting tipups in 23 fow and start heading deeper to 40-45 fow.If you start around 4:00 p.m. and get all your lines in by dark and just wait and the ling will show up.Use a size 6 single hook and put a whole nightcrawler on leaving a tail of the worm to dangle and the just set your bait 3-6 inches off the bottom.We have caught 9 ling there the last 2 times out.Be patient we didn't have our first flag until 8:00pm the week before and it was almost 9:oo pm last fri.One tip make sure your tipup line is tied securely to it's reel the ling have been taking a lot of line out.We had 3 tipups spooled fri night and my buddy's tipup had the line come untied.Hope this helps those ling are a blast and great to eat.
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Spent all day? And no bites at all? Where you fishing at?? :tipup:
Z
I left early around 3. Around departure point.
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Haven't had much luck there either nor have I heard of anyone else catching from there as well. Been fishing right out log gulch, running the :tipup:'s out at the end of the cove to 60fow. Seems the later the day gets; bites get closer to shore...bites starting about 3 :tipup:
Z
I left early around 3. Around departure point.
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trappermike - i would've been out in that nasty weather but the old man i was with wasn't about to go out in that weather, he still hasn't tested out his electronic caller i bought him for christmas. oh and tried the ling and holy crap it was the best fish i've ever had!
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Anyone been up there this week? I think I've caught ling fever ;D Going to give it another shot. My wife will actually eat ling...
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Trappermike82,
Nope, been at work, might head up Sunday and pull and all night'er or head up to Frances...got some monster ling there compared to Holter; 27" of ice too... :tipup:
Z
Anyone been up there this week? I think I've caught ling fever ;D Going to give it another shot. My wife will actually eat ling...
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Ice and whiskey is already up there and I am heading up tomorrow afternoon. If you go to Frances, good luck!
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i've think i've got that sickness too but this weekend i'm goin to daily catch some perch... hopefully good luck catching ling and if you catch too many just send them my way
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Cool, will do Brother; you as well. Let me know how you all did!:tipup:
Z
Ice and whiskey is already up there and I am heading up tomorrow afternoon. If you go to Frances, good luck!
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I think the final count was 7 or 8 ling and 6 trout. I lost track of how many spooled and tangled tipups we had saturday night! The first ling I caught had three of my four tipups with it... I guess he was hungry ;D iceandwhiskey caught one ling about 6 lbs. It was a pig! Overall, I would call it a failry productive weekend. Didn't sound like many people did real well for anything this weekend. After this week of upcoming warm weather, it might be tough to get out on the ice. It was already starting to pull away from shore yesterday.
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How is the ice holding up? Forecast is not looking good.
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When I was up there Sunday, the ice was starting to pull away from the shore and there was open water over by split rock. There was 10-12 inches of ice, but it was cruddy looking ice. I would have to imagine there might be some more open water this weekend and there will probably be some open water between the ice and shore. How much is anyone's guess.
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I would be very careful.
We were quite a ways upstream from Departure Point and the ice is getting VERY soft.
You could put a spud bar right through 6 inches of ice in two swipes.
I'm done, personally.
With Holter ice fishing, that is. Time to get the boat out at the Gates!
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I would be very careful.
We were quite a ways upstream from Departure Point and the ice is getting VERY soft.
You could put a spud bar right through 6 inches of ice in two swipes.
I'm done, personally.
With Holter ice fishing, that is. Time to get the boat out at the Gates!
X2, Sound advice.
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went to the gates yesterday in the boat,had problems with big motor so had to stay in main lake with electric motor. three of us and we must of caught 30 trout and had lots of bites.all we used were jigs,really wanted to caught a few walleye.can't wait to get out again but like many of you know who have had boat problems it might take awhile to get it back.