Newfound Chronicles

[mowbizz]

Hmmm…almost look “smelty” and definitely something a laker would be going after?
Shiny and thin…

[DConICE]

Glad I got the chance to visit... nice to see the shack in person after watching the build process years ago and seeing it in all the videos.
Good to see you again Jiggin... maybe next season I'll get a chance to come up and fish.

Good luck figuring out what the elusive small prey are...

[INeedALaker]

Maybe white perch, JIGGIN. Is that newfound report ? If so, must be down south? At least we’ll have somewhere to fish. What about Sanborn Bay, is that locked up? Seems protected. Looks like some sustained cold coming up here, maybe we’ll get lucky

[800stealth]

Nice vid Jiggin, glad to hear your ice held through the weekend.

[jigmaster5]

2.17 - 2.20.23
Interested in thoughts as to what these fish are on bottom. They don't swim like smelt and very small to be lakers. You can see them shining while eating chum. Forked tail as far as I could tell. There were several on bottom and stayed all day / all weekend but unfortunately the visibility on camera was horrible.
Scoob fished with me on Sunday and thought he had a few hits but said they were small biters. White fish perhaps??

It's tough to say b/c of visibility, but I think you're right....Lake Whitefish.  You should catch 1 to confirm.  Maybe try a small swedish pimple or something like that?

[JIGGIN-]

Maybe white perch, JIGGIN. Is that newfound report ? If so, must be down south? At least we’ll have somewhere to fish. What about Sanborn Bay, is that locked up? Seems protected. Looks like some sustained cold coming up here, maybe we’ll get lucky

Thanks for the reply, Unfortunately we don't have white perch in Newfound.
Yes a Newfound report and yes, south end of the lake.
My guess is Sanborn Bay is frozen but I'm not certain. Parking might be a problem there.
Let's hope for a cold snap....although we are getting a ton on snow today and throughout the weekend / next week it seems. That'll prevent making ice.

[JIGGIN-]

It's tough to say b/c of visibility, but I think you're right....Lake Whitefish.  You should catch 1 to confirm.  Maybe try a small swedish pimple or something like that?

Hoping they were white fish....heard they are making a come back. Tried to catch them but my jigs are too big. This weekend I'm scaling down. Thanks for the reply!

[Steve H.]

Hoping they were white fish....heard they are making a come back. Tried to catch them but my jigs are too big.

This one took a 4"   

https://nwsportsmanmag.com/zag-lands-new-wa-record-lake-whitefish-at-roosevelt/

[DConICE]

Hoping they were white fish....heard they are making a come back. Tried to catch them but my jigs are too big. This weekend I'm scaling down. Thanks for the reply!

Never thought of it until now but I should have gone back to my truck and grabbed some small jigs for you, though if I had you would have probably stayed all night trying to get one to bite

[zwiggles]

Whitefish would be my guess, but like you mentioned it’s hard to tell. Does newfound have lake whitefish and round whitefish? It would be cool if either were making a comeback

[JIGGIN-]

Never thought of it until now but I should have gone back to my truck and grabbed some small jigs for you, though if I had * you* would have probably stayed all night trying to get one to bite

*We would have probably stayed all night trying to get one to bite......

Couldn't use your lure without you. 

[JIGGIN-]

2.22.23

Pyscho and I went out to check the ice further up the lake after work.....not good. Had to cross a pressure ridge but the ice wasn't adequate enough to move the houses. This snow isn't gonna help.

Bumped the house from 55fow to 35fow with plans to bring the grandson out today (snow day!). Will be his first time getting out onto the ice this season. Hoping to get good underwater camera visibility, will be tough with the snow cover.

Gotta get the drive way plowed / cleaned up first and then probably stay out till Sunday.

This weekend would normally be the AVFD Ice Fishing Derby but it was cancelled due to poor ice conditions. Tough decision but the right one I think.

[JIGGIN-]

Whitefish would be my guess, but like you mentioned it’s hard to tell. Does newfound have lake whitefish and round whitefish? It would be cool if either were making a comeback

Yes supposably we do, both I believe. I've never caught one nor seen one however I know of some folks who have caught them, like NHTF.

The more I look at the videos (I have several but the video quality is about the same), they look like round white fish. I'm surprised how many there were if that's what they were. Pretty cool just the same.

[mowbizz]

Jiggin, what’s your laker total for the season up to? I’m sure not as many as years past but you must have a tally?

[800stealth]

Good luck riding it out through the weekend Jiggin... Sorry to hear your derby got cancelled, guess you'll just have to win it twice next year!

[JIGGIN-]

2.23 - 2.26.23

Spent last Thursday to Sunday on the lake like we do every year in celebration of the AVFD Ice Fishing Derby, which was cancelled. I hated the decision but know it was the right decision to cancel due to ice conditions / safety.
Psycho, ButterFly, Scruffy and Tippin joined in (Psycho and Butterfly spent Friday to Sunday on the ice).
Weather conditions ranged from wicked windy, very cold, calm nights, really nice day, and snowed. Seemed like all spectrums of weather excluding rain (thank goodness!!)
I managed to get 3 lakers, lost a few and saw a bunch on camera although the visibility on the camera was not all that great. The fish finder was very busy. I could not get them to bite after early morning, usually when I was busy doing "something" they'd hit my jig.
Had some funny conversations on the radio and met a few new people. Missed seeing and hearing everyone who would normally attend the derby but overall it was still a great time. It was so good to be out there without having to leave the ice at the end of the day and being part of the quiet night fishing for cusk.
Now the "derby" results among us:
Winner is......Butterfly! with a 23" laker!!!
Congratulations to Butterfly and awesome job!!! A beauty of a lake trout and was released to be caught again.

[Roccus]

2.23 - 2.26.23

Spent last Thursday to Sunday on the lake like we do every year in celebration of the AVFD Ice Fishing Derby, which was cancelled. I hated the decision but know it was the right decision to cancel due to ice conditions / safety.
Psycho, ButterFly, Scruffy and Tippin joined in (Psycho and Butterfly spent Friday to Sunday on the ice).
Weather conditions ranged from wicked windy, very cold, calm nights, really nice day, and snowed. Seemed like all spectrums of weather excluding rain (thank goodness!!)
I managed to get 3 lakers, lost a few and saw a bunch on camera although the visibility on the camera was not all that great. The fish finder was very busy. I could not get them to bite after early morning, usually when I was busy doing "something" they'd hit my jig.
Had some funny conversations on the radio and met a few new people. Missed seeing and hearing everyone who would normally attend the derby but overall it was still a great time. It was so good to be out there without having to leave the ice at the end of the day and being part of the quiet night fishing for cusk.
Now the "derby" results among us:
Winner is......Butterfly! with a 23" laker!!!
Congratulations to Butterfly and awesome job!!! A beauty of a lake trout and was released to be caught again.

Nice report, kudos for honoring a tradtion and congrats to Butterfly!

[800stealth]

Glad to hear you were at least able to hold your own mini derby and staying out for the weekend tops it off. Good stuff Jiggin!

[Steve H.]

Glad to hear you were at least able to hold your own mini derby and staying out for the weekend tops it off. Good stuff Jiggin!

Agree.  Sounds like it was a great time!

[DConICE]

Well done... nice to see all the handles back on the shanty... great group of people you have there on Newfound.

[JIGGIN-]

3.3 & 3.5.23

Friday night bumped the bobhouse off the exiting spot to get it off the sag on the ice. With the expected snow coming, it was best to get it off that spot as it would of flooded very badly once I drilled holes underneath the next day to fish.

Getting out early was difficult on Saturday morning due to the heavy snow fall. We got around 14" at the house. Once the wife and I got it cleaned up (for the most part) we headed to the lake. We were able to make it out around noon time.

Kept it simple, only 2 holes under the house, no underwater camera (didn't want to make an additional hole...3rd hole), and ran tip ups far away from the house as well.
With the heavy snow fall, when I drilled the holes, made sure to make a big cone around the hole with the slush hoping it would freeze up at some point and stop the water from flooding the ice. Stuffed our buckets down to the ice and was able to seal the water.

Fished both Saturday and Sunday marking fish on the fish finder but didn't have any luck. We've been stuck at Cummings beach this season and the lakers are on to us. Missed a couple on cut bait laying on bottom....chum. Would not touch a jig.

At the end of the day on Sunday, jacked up the house an additional block, stuff snow into our holes so the wind wouldn't keep them open preventing the swirls. Threw some snow where ever it was deeper slush / water knowing high winds were coming.
During the day, temps only got up to 33F with the wind chill and the snow cones under the house did stiffen up enough to help create a dam preventing flooding when I removed the buckets.
Used the Argo to flattened the snow / slush around the house so the cold air could have a chance to freeze up the slush, then made a "runway" for our escape if needed for the house. With cold temps at night, it should stiffen up enough to walk on is the hopes or at least start freezing up any slush / water.

As most know, the snow insulates the ice so not too worried about the ice melting during the day, just gonna get wet when the snow melts. The water will eventually either pop the shore line or work its way through the ice, creating that "March" ice conditions. Even though the outside temps are in the 40's during the day, the temps on the ice aren't the same (with the wind). Good news is, nights are still in the 20's. We have a few weeks left....trying to hang in there safely, Not done yet.

[mowbizz]

Way to hang in there Jiggin! I wouldn’t expect anything less!😊

[JIGGIN-]

3.7.23

So my work paid off. I was able to get out today to check the house. Where ever I packed the snow down, it was frozen. Once you step off the beaten path, up to almost my knees in snow and slush.
Wind was raging and kept the wind chill below freezing.

[fishingidjit]

Jiggin, Seems like we had our March temps in Febuary and we are getting some Feb temps now. ice is holding it's own for now !

[JIGGIN-]

3.11 - 3.12.23

Was only able to put in 2 days this week on the ice. House was fine from the work i did last week.

Still at Cummings beach and saw lakers under the house all weekend however they are on to me, got some great footage on video with having 4 - 5 lakers buzzing around at a time.

They would only take chum and seem to know the difference between mine with a hook in it and the ones without. They would not take anything that was in the hole i created from pounding a jig on bottom so i had to keep moving my piece of chum to the outside of my hole. I missed 3 lakers (tried setting the hook like it was a jig stick and had to go back to fishing like I was fishing for browns, rainbows and brooks, took me 3 tries before i settled down and was able to pull one up). Kept reaching for my jig stick while fishing with a spring line. Boring way to fish for me.

Weather was fantastic, warm, sunny and low winds. Perfect weather for sleeping out on the ice. The ice is still holding but getting soft. By Sunday some wetness around my door. Around the rest of the house was fine so decided to jack up the house another block and leave it there for the up coming snow storm.

Filled my fishing holes with snow and packed it in. Also filled around my door with snow to hopefully get it to freeze up some.

See what happens with the snow storm but as a side note, it will help protect the ice from melting but will create a slushfest next weekend.

[fishingidjit]

Every weekend from here on in is a bonus!

[DConICE]

Jiggin you sure put in a ton of work to keep things safe and fishable, I commend you for that and am glad it worked out for  you.

Hope the season finishes strong for you...

[JIGGIN-]

3.19.23

Based on weather, Sunday was predicted to be the coldest morning so we all agree'd to yank the bob house's off the lake. Mine went easy peasy.
Video soon.....

Still not done yet.

Jiggin

[merk42]

I pulled mine to the boat launch yesterday, not on Newfound! A sad but safe day! Its mostly degrading surface conditions that chase us off... If it firms up we may drag it back out for the day... there is 16 inches of ice... 2 layers with 8 inches of water... pain in the neck! Its aluminum on skis! Light as a feather. Had a banner bass day. 7 all over 2lbs... morning only! Will get out one or two more times...

[JIGGIN-]

3.22.23

Was able to get out in the afternoon yesterday with the wife. Went off of Wellington Beach (not the boat launch).

There was about 5-6" of ok honeycomb ice with 4" of crap on top with a 2" gap between. Unfortunately when we got out, the top layer was already getting soft and we were starting to collapse the top 2" of crap ice by the time we were ready to leave.

Shore line is good as of yesterday, not sure about after this rain though.

Still hoping to be not done yet......