North Idaho Ice

[IceChatter]

Seriously your pictures are frameable Spilt.  I bought a couple of those HT Ice blue rods you use.  Love them.  Very, very light action and fun.  Thank you.

[uprivercasey]

Question for the North Idaho boys, is the slush bearable up there? Wanting to head up tomorrow any Intel  is appreciated.

[Idahogator]

Good boots will help, Casey.   Piling snow up and packing it worked a bit today at Round Lake.

Temperatures were warmer a but south of Sandpoint, caution.     

[hugeinchina]

My ice season is done. Folded my left leg over the wrong way above my ankle and broke both bones. Two titanium plates and some screws later they are telling me that the recovery road is long (3years) and that I can put no weight on it for some time. While this happened in the parking lot at work, ice was the culprit. Please stay safe out there and ice some fish! 

[Idahogator]

Hugeinchina,
                May the good that moves through all life be with you in bettering that 3 years by a long time.

                Meanwhile, I'm screaming "OUCH" for you, Sir.

             

[hugeinchina]

Thank you Idahogator! I am confident that I will make it back out there next season!

[uprivercasey]

Thanks for the update Gator, think I'll just wait for the weather to cool off.     

[BlueDuck]

Sorry to hear about your mishhap Huge.  Here's hoping you have better and faster luck healing then was forecasted. 

[gillsonice]

Sorry to hear about the leg Huge, hope you have a full and speedy recovery.

[hugeinchina]

Thanks everyone! Ambulance just got me home and thought I would check the reports. Thank you all for the well wishes. I'm sure I'll be back next season.

[Idahogator]

Home is so much better.     

Mend well, Huge and keep in touch.     

[BIGxJIMxSLADE]

Oh man, sorry to hear about the leg. Hope you heal up fast and well.

[thechubbycubby]

Good luck on the leg recovery. Hopefully the leg grows back even stronger. Did u at least take advantage of all the new advancement in technology and have the doctors put in a fish finder in the leg?

[hugeinchina]

I sure did, problem is the transducer is in the head of my Johnson and tends to freeze up on me when I've got it in the ice!  tight lines gentleman! 

[Badbleily]

Very sorry to hear huge! Hope you have a speedy recovery! I was wondering if anyone knows the current ice condition on round lake? I know it's going to be slushy but I'm more concerned as far as ice saftey for I will have my young boys with me.

[Idahogator]

Badbleily, Friday, Round Lake had 13" of ice, a little water around the holes and 4" to 5 1/2" of snow. There are a few packed trails on the ice with a solid bottom. The parking lot was a challenge to move on but, once you fall, just crawl to the edge for traction, ha.   

[Badbleily]

Thank you very much idahogator for the information! Me and my boys will be heading that way in about a half hour! Any info on depth for crappie and perch I'm very new to the ice fishing game and don't have any electronics. Not going to keep any just want to put my boys on some fish!

[Idahogator]

Perch most anywhere on the lake, on or within a foot of the bottom.

Crappie, hm, never targeted them but, nearer the edges in the lilly-pad stalks but, eletronics help locate and a camera puts you spot on.

Good luck.     

[DEER4DINNER]

Fished Fernan yesterday for a couple hours.  Pretty slow.  Brought 3 perch home.  One of which my brother caught.  Easy walking now that the slush has frozen.  Several layers of frozen snow and slush that you can feel as you auger through.  Probably 15" total including a solid 9"+ of good clear ice. 

Thinking of heading to Round Lake today.  How did you guys do at Round the last couple of days? 

[Idahogator]

Thinking of heading to Round Lake today.  How did you guys do at Round the last couple of days? 

Last Monday a limit of trout at 10' to 14' down, two perch near the bottom an two small brookies.

Firday, tiny sunfish under 3" and perch under 6".   At dusk, stood up to pack up and BAM 16"+ trout near the bottom on a dead-stick.

[willrile4]

How has the weather been up in Cda the last few days want to hit Avondale tommorow, wondering about ice conditions? Also any reports on the chain lakes, I have fished this area a couple times in the summer but didn't catch much. So I am no sure what areas to even start with, I'm targeting anything besides the hoards of planter trout.

[DEER4DINNER]

Thanks Idahogator.  Well I ended up driving up there today.  Didn't have a lot of time.  Fished from about 11am-2pm and brought a dozen nice perch home.  All over 8" and up to about 12".  Had the whole lake to myself (and my dog) for the first 2 1/2 hours before one other guy showed up.  Peaceful and got to listen to some turkeys gobblin' up in the trees.  Nice sunny day.  Glad I had my shades 

Last Monday a limit of trout at 10' to 14' down, two perch near the bottom an two small brookies.

Firday, tiny sunfish under 3" and perch under 6".   At dusk, stood up to pack up and BAM 16"+ trout near the bottom on a dead-stick.

[Idahogator]

Thanks Idahogator.  Well I ended up driving up there today.  Didn't have a lot of time.  Fished from about 11am-2pm and brought a dozen nice perch home.  All over 8" and up to about 12".  Had the whole lake to myself (and my dog) for the first 2 1/2 hours before one other guy showed up.  Peaceful and got to listen to some turkeys gobblin' up in the trees.  Nice sunny day.  Glad I had my shades 

Yes, you had a great day.         There are usually a pair of bald eagles on a snag toward the entrance road.   

[BIGxJIMxSLADE]

Hey everyone, was looking to go try out Mirror lake on Wednesday. Do the 5 public IDFG parking spots fill up much, and if so, where is the next closest public parking ?
Thank you.

[cocolallakid]

Hey everyone its been awhile since ive posted on this but figured i would chip in. We tried fishing fry creek on sunday and the ice was pretty mushy and wind blown, maybe 6" of solid with 5" slush , deepest we could get was 3' of water. Fished for an hr no luck. My brother and friend fished there a week or two ago when the cold snap hit and they caught a few cutthroats and a nice whitefish. The ice reached out a lot further back then also... Ice is a little sketchy now prob wont be going back to fry creek this year...

Yesterday we fished Cocolalla out by the houses on the loop rd (i have access from a friends house). Ice was 8" thick with a heavy layer of slop on top... Pretty hard to hike around in! We didnt have much luck for perch out deep so we moved closer to 4-8' of water and caught a few small brook trout, 1 16" bow, 1 19" cutthroat. The sun was awesome and was a good day to be on the lake!

Ive been interested in tip up fishing for pike down in hayden/lowtwin/chain lakes??? Ive only caught pike in montana so trying to find some fish closer to home in cocolalla. Anyone have any recent pike reports in my area??? Any info would be much appreciated thanks!

[cocolallakid]

BIGxJIMxSLADE i dont think ive ever had a problem parking at mirror. I think you'll be fine especially on a wednesday. Good luck!!!

[spiltmilt]

Anyone know the ice conditions at Priest? Want to head up there Monday and will provide a fishing report.

[RayneBidziil22]

I'm heading out to Avondale tomorrow morning I'll let you know how the ice is and how good of the bite is

[DEER4DINNER]

I was considering another trip to Round Lake tomorrow (Friday), but kind of want to do some pike fishin'.  Has anyone been to Hayden recently?  Any good reports? 

Is the ice still good on the chains after the warm up we had? 

jpolock, if you read this:  Did you ever make it down to Black Lake?  If so, what were conditions and did you do any good? 

Thanks!

[houlzhouse]

Thinking about cocalalla tomorrow.  Anyone know appx. ice thickness?

Thanks,