Hold my beer watch this!!

[tristen]

Didn't know any other way to describe my day.  First time ice fishing in Colorado, I live in Fort Collins so really wanted to check out the lakes near by; Chambers, Joe Wright.  So I wake up at 4 am pickup loaded, bunch of new gear including the new Lx7.  Get to chambers around 6:00 am park my truck in on the South side.  Get over the hump and realize there is no way in hell I will have enough energy to pull my new eco 2 back up the hill.  So time is money, I'm on to the next lake.  Well if any one has been to Joe Wright, i quickly found out that wasn't accessible for me either.  So long story short I somehow end up at Lake John get on the lake find some nice 15-20 feet of water go to put up the new sled, and God decided to hammer down on the wind and now I'm scratching the sled idea.  The wind is blowing so bad I can barely see the new marcum screen because it's getting blasted with snow.  Bout to give up and decide heck with it, drive up the lake a bit find a nice little drop off that will shelter the wind.  Grabbed two poles marcum and auger and somehow bagged 6 fish in about an hour.  No keepers but did accomplish something.  Anyway thanks for story time and on to Dillon tomarrow.

[JohnnyO19]

Sounds like quite the adventure!

"drive up the lake a bit find a nice little drop off that will shelter the wind" 

Lake John is the only lake in Colorado I've taken a vehicle on. Is it drivable yet or were you on the road??? BTW,  L John is a fun little lake! , next time try Cowdry 

[tristen]

Yes the road I wrapped around to the other side.  It was a fun lake, either it sheltered me or Mother Nature was done having fun with me and gave up. Lol. Really weird how the fish were only interested in one jig.  Pink and white.  Wanted nothing to do with green, red, yellow.  The lake has great access which was a fine sight for my eyes.

[tristen]

I was averaging about 13-15 inches of ice.  I've never taken a vehicle on the ice but I bet you could land a jet on that sucker.

[Sawtooth]

I can sympathize with your Chambers/Wright experience.  Too much work.

Many North Park lakes are good.  John has slowed down a bit recently, so glad you found something.  They are feeding well on small stickleback minnows, which is why they are so fat, and not a voracious for my jigs as they used to be.  Hope that changes.  The Lake John Resort is a great source for info and supplies.  Bill and Tish Wilcox are super folks and I never miss a chance to shoot the breeze with them and grab a soda and snack.

I have tried driving onto John a few times in the past, but too risky for me anymore.  Not worth it, especially when it is such an easy walk.

You might try South Delaney the next time over there.  Unlike John, it is all artificial, and there is a slot requirement, but this year has been very good for us there.

[fishslap]

That's a problem when your ice fishing gear prevents you from ice fishing .  I quit using a shelter of any kind years ago.  I just dress for the occasion and remain mobile.  Chambers sucks for access even with a small sled of gear. I only fish Joe Wright early and still use snow shoes to get on the lake most years.

[Sawtooth]

That's a problem when your ice fishing gear prevents you from ice fishing .  I quit using a shelter of any kind years ago.  I just dress for the occasion and remain mobile.  Chambers sucks for access even with a small sled of gear. I only fish Joe Wright early and still use snow shoes to get on the lake most years.

I know where you are coming from, fishslap.  Going light would make my life easier.  However, yesterday sitting in my warm flip shack with cold 30 mph winds whipping around us, that little Buddy heater felt pretty good as I sat on my padded seat in my shirt sleeves. 

[tristen]

Its all a learning experience at this point.  I'm just going to try and hit as many lakes as possible to see what I'm comfortable with.  The other side of this is I just bought a side by side so trying to figure out where I could use it to pull all the gear.  I can definetly see both sides as far as a shelter and no shelter.  My main reason is for my boys, they seem to have a lot more fun when their not freezing their butts off.  But it does limit where we can fish.

[Sawtooth]

Its all a learning experience at this point.  I'm just going to try and hit as many lakes as possible to see what I'm comfortable with.  The other side of this is I just bought a side by side so trying to figure out where I could use it to pull all the gear.  I can definetly see both sides as far as a shelter and no shelter.  My main reason is for my boys, they seem to have a lot more fun when their not freezing their butts off.  But it does limit where we can fish.

With kids, catching and comfort have to be way up there.

If you didn't see this thread, check out how my grandson did at S. Delaney last week.  http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=324006.0