1st time out this season

[gofish22]

Beyond ready to get on the ice tomorrow, My gear has been rigged up for weeks haha. If anyone has any ice reports they would be appreciated, not looking for specific spots, just getting an idea of which highway to take out of Marquette tomorrow.

[big bobber]

i hear sporely is good...ice @ east bass looked like abou 3 1/2 good black ice...been on engman...good black ice 3 in....were 10 peope on sporely yest...and 6 of us on engman...remember the springs!!!

[gofish22]

Thanks bobber, I will be going down that way next weekend. I like fishing East Bass so if it thickens up a bit I will head that way. I made it out on a small lake west of town a ways and ended up with 4 hammer handles and a mess of gills (some with decent size too). Felt real good to get out but the ice was clear/3.5in thick max and dropped to about 1.5" right near the drop off point I was fishing. The spud bar and lifeline were my best friends today haha. Had to leave the puppy tied up on shore so he will have to wait till next time for his first ice fish. Hopefully its another good season for everyone up here.

[PerchPopper50]

I was on sporely, engman, johnson, and little lake on Friday. Sporley was good out to about 200 yards from the launch, then the ice gets sketchy. Engman was the best bet, "safe," ice across the lake. Little lake will be ready to go soon, there is just a band around the shore that needs to freeze better, the rest of the shallow side will be 6" by the time that locks up. Bring a spud and be safe!

[pullingills]

How is the ice looking now after all the rain and other non sense ?

[big bobber]

im goin to check the ice...if there are other nuts out on the ice...i will join them...i dont think the ice is to bad yet...my driveway is still got ice lol.

[gofish22]

We barely even have snow on the ground after that warm rain here in Marquette.

[big bobber]

WENT AND CHECKED EAST BASS,ENGMAN,SPORLEY...ice still looked in good shape,but wasnt risking it by myself..a few cold nites and we are back in business!

[Icefisher40]

Any word on the shags?

I can be 100% in saying that there is 0 ice down here downstate right now...

[gofish22]

I am going way downstate this weekend. Such a shame. Try not to catch all the fish up here while I am gone. The weekend after Christmas I am going to make some overnight trips to the Republic area.

[PerchPopper50]

i hear sporely is good...ice @ east bass looked like abou 3 1/2 good black ice...been on engman...good black ice 3 in....were 10 peope on sporely yest...and 6 of us on engman...remember the springs!!!

       
 : Must have been me and my buddies you saw on Engman if you were the guys with clam hubs. We were hole hopping pretty hard and probably annoying you with our persistent spudding haha.  There was some questionable ice on the far side, most likely due to some springs.  But hey hopefully it just gets better from here on out.
                       

[big bobber]

i was the guy on the left with the frabill hub(bigger one) i was wonderin how the ice was out that way...by myself i have to hold back alittle...was great to see you out!didnt bother me a bit...however i wasnt impressed when those other guys came out and started drilling 10 ft fromn where id been waiting for the bite...then moved out 20yrd further and the dinks followed me right ou there!anyways...did catch a buch of gills in on big school...after the others left i couldnt keep both line in the water!!!stop at the shack anytime!always love GOOD company!

[gofish22]

I put my Ice Shanty (gofish22) name on the outside of my portable shelter. Near the door. Black shelter with white letters. Looks like we all fish in the same general areas so if you see me just give me a shout.

[PerchPopper50]

Yeah, we had fish on the flasher in almost every hole but we had to hole hop to catch anything worth keeping, Engman is a major sorting lake, we must have caught over 70-80 of cookie cutter dink gills and some moderate crappie to take home just a handful of fish a piece. It is fun watching the flasher light up though! Can't wait for the de nocs to lock up, get on some major walleye, whities, burbot...and of course some jumbo perch.