First fish of 2024

[zcm_82]

Went out on a small, shallow pond from about 1130am-3pm. The ice was a nice, solid 4-4.5 of clear with a bit of crappy white around the edges.

The water was extremely murky from all the rain, and the fishing was slooooow. They were there, just couldn't get them interested in anything. I finally had one dink bass and a small gill whack a Powerbait Fry around 2pm, but other than that it was a Dead Sea kind of day.

I'll be hitting it again tomorrow, hopefully they aren't as negative 🤷‍♂️

[ratsotail]

Thanks for the report and ice conditions! What town are you near? Better luck next trip. I was wondering about that last rain and it's effect on water quality and fish moods. I checked the lake I want to fish soon before ice up and it was pretty clear. Hoping the fish are hungry!

Tight Lines,

Jeff

[zcm_82]

I was fishing in Iroquois County.

It was really stirred up. Visibility in that pond is typically 5-6 feet, it was about 2 today.

[hounds]

Be safe glad you made it out.

[zcm_82]

Be safe glad you made it out.

Thanks. Not sure if I'll go back to that one tomorrow, or a different pond. The ice was just in the best shape on that one today. The others I looked at were about 3" this morning.

[Finaddict59]

Hey used to live in Iroquois county north, don’t want to give anything away, you weren’t fishing at a series of 4 lakes by any chance, and would you know by chance is the slough up and running yet or is it still closed. Thanks

[zcm_82]

Hey used to live in Iroquois county north, don’t want to give anything away, you weren’t fishing at a series of 4 lakes by any chance, and would you know by chance is the slough up and running yet or is it still closed. Thanks

Nope, just a little puddle.

The Slough is scheduled to re-open for fishing this spring, so I think it's still closed. I haven't been out there since the winter before they started drawing it down. It had gotten really, really full of algae the last few years before they drained it.

[Finaddict59]

Thank you for the slough info,gonna be out that way, one less stop, spring time I’ll start bothering the ranger station, got some small lakes in Iroquois to check, and a couple of back water slough areas off the Kank, by Wednesday things should be tight thanks again.

[zcm_82]

Thank you for the slough info,gonna be out that way, one less stop, spring time I’ll start bothering the ranger station, got some small lakes in Iroquois to check, and a couple of back water slough areas off the Kank, by Wednesday things should be tight thanks again.

I fish the Kank quite a bit from the boat, but mostly on the Indiana side the past few years. IL side has gotten silted in really badly, and the pleasure traffic is just too heavy for my liking downstream of AP.

I guess they are finally going to dredge out around the AP park ramp this year, though. I had been launching by the old RR bridge, but since they actually graveled that into a semi-legit ramp a couple years ago, there's just way too many people launching there for the little bit of parking space around it.

[Finaddict59]

LMAO yeah it’s a zoo my son lives in aroma park, there’s still a few places off the beaten path, but your usually always sharing space sooner or later it is what it is. We lived there a couple years the launch was closed for silt the whole time we lived there.at one time you could wade to the island straight across from the launch, the powers that be always talk about fixing the silt problem thanks to Indiana doing their part, Kankakee county might finally do a proper dredge I’ll believe it when it’s done, and no sooner I fished that river from 97 to 2010 from Momence to Wilmington I’ve heard it all, tight lines stay safe! ✌️

[zcm_82]

Just ended up going back out to the same pond from 745-1045. Ice was a pretty consistent 5" everywhere I checked it.

The bite was a lot better... still not a hot bite, but steady fish all morning. They were pretty much all plastered to the bottom, never even got a nibble anywhere more than about 18" off it. I ended up getting 9 gills, 2 crappies, and 2 little bass.

My hook setting was absolute trash, so I shoulda had more. I missed quite a few bites, and lost 4 or 5 on the way up, including a decent crappie and a little catfish right at the bottom of the hole.

[ratsotail]

At least you've got out twice now! Are you using bait or plastics? Might be another VERY short season with rain forecasted next week 🥴

[zcm_82]

Caught everything on a single Gulp Waxie today. Got lucky, usually I lose one every 5 fish or so 

Yesterday I got both fish on a Powerbait fry.

I actually haven't used any live bait through the ice in 2 or 3 years now.

[ratsotail]

Continued luck! I'm heading out tomorrow for first trip (ice conditions permitting).

[Arquero3d]

Made the maiden voyage today.  Took the boys to the home pond in western IL after school.  Slow bite.  We managed 20, with the largest crappie just shy of 14".

4.5-7.5" of ice.

[zcm_82]

Got some stuff to deal with yesterday and today so no fishing for me... maybe tomorrow depending on how things shake out.

[IlliniIce]

first trip, small pond had 6 to 8 inches of ice. so-so bite, gills would come in to spoons but preferred small jig and waxi.
kept around 15 nice gills but didnt find the crappies that i know are in that pond. might try a bigger lake today, gotta git while the gitten is good. 

[zcm_82]

I was surprised, I'm down in Indianapolis today and everything is frozen clear down here, too.

[zcm_82]

Didn't end up having to go back to Indy again today, so I fished a couple hours this morning. That wind made for a miserable setup and takedown, and it was slow. Ended up catching 5 gills and a dink largemouth in about 2 hours fishing, all tight to the bottom. Ice was ~6.5"

[IlliniIce]

went to a bigger pond/small lake thursday and the bite really fired up around noon.
25 and sunny but sat in the popup to get out of the wind. ice was 8 inches
big gills were cruising and hammering spoons 10-15 feet down over 18 foot
slender spoon and demon with waxis were hot baits, a few on plastics
cant get back out until monday and tuesday, then see how much rain we get

[zcm_82]

Pretty decent morning here... sat on 7.25" ice from 9:30-noon. I ended up catching 16 gills and a dink bass. Not a lot of size, but the bite waa steady.

I gotta go back down to Indy tomorrow. With the forecast looking the way it does next week, this may have been the last day of the season for me.

[zcm_82]

Little man decided he wanted to fish after lunch, so I went back out a couple hours in the afternoon with him. I picked up another 11 gils and another dink largemouth. He ended up getting a couple gills before his patience ran out 

[MysidEaters]

Went to Banner Marsh NE arm of shovel lake yesterday. Was about 6 inches of clear dark ice, covered by 1-2 inches of cold dry powder. 4yo wanted to join and we had fun chipping holes and jigging little mister twisters, a kastmaster, and an airplane jig. No bites. Saw several other fishers out on the south arm stretched out from the boat ramp. I Didn't show up until 2-3 pm, but it looked like they were all standing around talking and not catching.

[zcm_82]

I think we're probably just about done around here... there's nothing below freezing in the forecast now 

I haven't been out to check ice since Saturday, but all this rain is gonna eat it up quick. I'll probably go have a look this afternoon if it isn't raining.

[zcm_82]

8" today... top inch was mushy garbage. The was also quite a bit of puddled standing water from snow meltoff.

[Arquero3d]

Took the kids out today for some SLOW fishing.  The 11-yr-old hauled in the fish of the day with a 15" crappie, making the trip at least memorable!

5-9" of ice.

[zcm_82]

Better than I did 

I fished about an hour and caught a big, fat goose egg. Only had a few bites, and the one hookup I got ended up breaking me off.

I'm going to give it another shot after work today if the edges are still good enough to get out. It's pouring again right now, so that's iffy since they were already fairly soft yesterday.

[IlliniIce]

lite bite for us yesterday, managed some nice gills but they completely shut off about noon
still 8 inches of ice, some water on top but edges still solid
waiting for rain to quit before heading out, might be last trip if it keeps raining and getting warmer this week

[zcm_82]

I went back to the same pond today... only thinned down to 7" but the edges are getting really rough. I had to poke around to find a solid spot to get on.

Fishing was slow, but not flat dead... caught an even 10 gills in about 2 hours. I think this was probably the end for me; edges are gonna be toast in pretty short order.

[IlliniIce]

oh well, fun while it lasted 
wednesday was my last day. ice almost 8 inches but getting soft, with an inch of water on top. broke through the edge stepping toward the bank coming off, good thing i had knee boots on.
got out 4 times in 8 days and did well on good-sized gills, not many crappies. lots of lookers wednesday, they would not hit anything tipped with a wax worm, go figure. everything i caught was on small tungsten and maki plastic.
hopefully can get the boat back on the rivers soon.