SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD

[lakesteve]

Thank you! I just called the restaurant and they told me if I park out of the way, no charge. Thanks for your help!!

They have a sign up saying $7 for Ice Fishing parking at Nostalgia. Brown's Beach has always been free.

[jig 4 fish]

Heading to Saratoga Lake for an overnight fishing trip tomorrow. Anyone else do this? Any advice?

[IcefisherSteve]

Fished toga today.. Very finicky bite. Fish would mark and cover jig but just wouldn't hit it a lot times. . Playing keep away seemed to help. A lot dink blue Gil's but nice ones too. Bass were very active/aggressive.  Caught some crappies. One being my personal best on toga (14"). Few pickeral as always. Beautiful day to be out. Fished from 7-4pm. Plenty of ice and sun.

[havejigwilltravel]

nice fish!

[empirej]

niiiiiice..  fitch rd?

[basshunter12748]

Real nice crappie!!

[IcefisherSteve]

Absolute struggle today on toga. Bite is almost non existent. Tried fishing off path of area we normally do to see what we find. Nothing. Moved back to area we normally fish..exact spots actually. Struggling. Wind picking up too. Giving it another 30 then that's a wrap. Definitely slowest day so far this season. Few bass, a pickeral and 2 bluegill. Not marking much. What we do mark has no interest in moving much

[bigredonice]

Absolute struggle today on toga. Bite is almost non existent. Tried fishing off path of area we normally do to see what we find. Nothing. Moved back to area we normally fish..exact spots actually. Struggling. Wind picking up too. Giving it another 30 then that's a wrap. Definitely slowest day so far this season. Few bass, a pickeral and 2 bluegill. Not marking much. What we do mark has no interest in moving much

try fishing up high, right under the ice.   Sometimes thats the ticket on the weedy flats, especially as it warms up and the ice deteriorates.   Me n Slipbob were pulling blanks one march day about 10 years back till one of us caught a crappie with our jig just under the ice, and then it was game on.

[IcefisherSteve]

try fishing up high, right under the ice.   Sometimes thats the ticket on the weedy flats, especially as it warms up and the ice deteriorates.   Me n Slipbob were pulling blanks one march day about 10 years back till one of us caught a crappie with our jig just under the ice, and then it was game on.

Funny you say that because that's what I did today unintentionally. Was on my phone so put rod up on cross bar of shanty..which brought my jig just under ice by 1' or so..next thing know 2 big marks on it.. quick grab rod but couldn't get them to take it. Figured it prob was crappie. Even bass were tight lipped today. Which is kinda crazy on toga

[buz23]

Let me second the poor reports.  I drilled a ton of holes from 6' to 21' today, and not much to show for it.  A couple nice bluegills and a snot rocket out of the shallower water, but only one or two other lookers.  Once over 11' all I could find was teeny tiny perch- finger size.  Weather was nice until about 9:30, then the wind came up.  Took my flip over out, it was a long walk out and back but I guess it was worth it once the wind came up.  On the other hand, the only decent fish I caught were when I was fishing out in the open, so if I hadn't had my shelter I would have packed it in when the wind came up saved myself some time and aggravation. 

[IcefisherSteve]

Once my shanty started to shake like crazy from the wind it just added to the frustration. Then my buddy mentioned going to eat chicken wings from rusty nail.. I said we outta here.
 It's amazing how it can turn right off with fishing some days. Back to goose hunting for bit then will give it another shot. Almost glad to hear the struggles were real today but bummed overall about it.

[62&done]

where is the Rusty Nail?  I'm all ways looking for some chow after fishing.  Are they reasonable with a good menu?

[IcefisherSteve]

where is the Rusty Nail?  I'm all ways looking for some chow after fishing.  Are they reasonable with a good menu?

Bar food mainly not fine dining. Known for wings really. If your birthday you get however many wings your age is for free. Do pay tax still so not free really. It's on rt9 in Clifton Park
Bentley's in Malta, the mill in round lake, rusty nail in Clifton Park all same owner I believe. Basic bar foods really. Good eats though.

[buz23]

Bar food mainly not fine dining. Known for wings really. If your birthday you get however many wings your age is for free. Do pay tax still so not free really. It's on rt9 in Clifton Park
Bentley's in Malta, the mill in round lake, rusty nail in Clifton Park all same owner I believe. Basic bar foods really. Good eats though.

Bentley's does the wings on your birthday thing too. 

[ActiveTrapChecker]

Bar food mainly not fine dining. Known for wings really. If your birthday you get however many wings your age is for free. Do pay tax still so not free really. It's on rt9 in Clifton Park
Bentley's in Malta, the mill in round lake, rusty nail in Clifton Park all same owner I believe. Basic bar foods really. Good eats though.

And have to purchase a beverage that comes with a commemorative plastic cup

[buz23]

And have to purchase a beverage that comes with a commemorative plastic cup

You don't have to purchase that to get the wings deal, but if you do, you get a free one after you pay for the first (the cup is 32 oz).  You can split the wings up among a party, prolly not the beer.  Note you do pay a standard gratuity on the wings plus tax.

[ActiveTrapChecker]

You don't have to purchase that to get the wings deal, but if you do, you get a free one after you pay for the first (the cup is 32 oz).  You can split the wings up among a party, prolly not the beer.  Note you do pay a standard gratuity on the wings plus tax.

Man, they've been telling me for years that you had to purchase the drink
Now i have cups all over the place!
Thanks for the info. I heard the restaurant at the Embassy suites in Saratoga has the same deal as well.

[IcefisherSteve]

Beautiful day out on toga. Morning bite was tough but turned on big time around 130. Finally found the color they were looking for. Blue gils and crappie. Crappies up high in water column. Seem to come in pairs. Blue gils staying within 3' off bottom.

[Fontona19]

Very nice Steve! I have been considering a toga trip. Might just have to.

[delay18]

Hows the ice on the north end? Thinking of taking the GF out tomorrow off Fitch or Browns. Just want to get her on a pan fish bite.

[fisherbone]

Was drilling 17-20" today on south end....... machines and wheelers all over the place.... some cracks did start to open so be careful with the wet weather coming in tomorrow...

[IcefisherSteve]

Very nice Steve! I have been considering a toga trip. Might just have to.

Thank you sir..I enjoy toga. Fish were pretty aggressive this afternoon. Was a blast.

[buz23]

What's the shallowest water you guys find the gills when ice fishing?  About 40 years ago when I lived near the bridge I ran across a guy who was fishing in about 3' of water off Lee's campground.  He was sight fishing, and had a nice pile of fish.  You couldn't really see the fish, what you could see was the jig/spike disappear as the fish sucked it in.  I think this was fairly late in the season.

[IcefisherSteve]

What's the shallowest water you guys find the gills when ice fishing?  About 40 years ago when I lived near the bridge I ran across a guy who was fishing in about 3' of water off Lee's campground.  He was sight fishing, and had a nice pile of fish.  You couldn't really see the fish, what you could see was the jig/spike disappear as the fish sucked it in.  I think this was fairly late in the season.

Shallowest I have fished was about 5'.

[NHhunter]

 As a long time sight fisherman I've seen many times where the BG's and Crappies were just a foot under the ice while fishing as deep as 15'. Those fish just under the ice were always on the large size. Sunny days seemed the best for this pattern. Saratoga Lake sure is a great fishery. Glad I live close by.

[IcefisherSteve]

Crappie bite was excellent before dark. Good times.

[buz23]

I had good luck on the bluegills and bass tonite, 7 FOW.  Only 2 crappies, though.

[chessieman]

Just got back from 2 wk. business in Europe - need an "Ice fix" - what are the conditions, edges in particular for Fitch?? - Thx

[fl18guy]

Fitch was fine Sat am. Parked along 9p . Only stupid or brave soul out there. Did manage a handful of gills and lost a larger fish at hole. Ice was solid getting on , with lite slush on top. Still had spud and checked as I went. Ice was still 12-15 in thick easy. Except near some old 8in holes it was thinner.

[chessieman]

Thx - was out this morning - good ice conditions, a bit slick in spots - terrible bite, lots of looker, few takers - will try again tomorrow