Ein Dinkenfest

[rivereddy]

Fished the causeway at Summit yesterday afternoon.  It took 34 cranks on my 5" Strikemaster to get through the ice.  I'd say it was more than
10" of fairly clear ice under an inch of frozen slush.  I drilled two holes.  One hole was a dud but the other took off right away.  I must have
drilled into a big school of young bluegills.  Action was non stop for about 45 minutes. None of them was over 5" long.  I debated with self
about moving but instead played with the "dunk the bobber" crowd before retreating and declaring victory.

The last two days, I have seen lots of sandhills headed north. 
Sap is running big time.  It won't be long till one will start thinking...

Spring has sprung
and a man's fancy
turns to...
walleyes

fish on,

rivereddy

[jr11888]

I was there yesterday only two gills caught in beaver came to causeway for evening bite. Lot of little ones but got these last hour of daylight.

[TeacherPreacher]

Good job Ed! Better then sitting in da house in front of the tube!
Teach

[zcm_82]

Good job Ed! Better then sitting in da house in front of the tube!
Teach

+1

I'd much rather have a dinkfest than a skunking, or puttering around at home.

[walleyeboater]

34 cranks?
Sounds like u need an auger upgrade.

[zcm_82]

Sounds about right to me... typically 2-4 rotations per inch with every Mora or Lazer I've ever had, depending on the ice.

[Hog Daddy]

I'm with Ed.  I was out on my roof cleaning out gutters this morning and saw 2 groups of sandhills flying over.  ( Ok, too much fishing , didn't get the gutters cleaned out last Fall  ).   I'm swithching gears down south here... thinking about ice out pre spawn walleyes.  Bracing for 2 inches of rain tomorrow.  Also, on my hand auger I usually get an inch of ice with 2 turns.... 8 turns means I'm probably on 4 inches.  Using that .... I would say around 20 turns for 10 inches.  Maybe you are just weak from hauling in all those ice fish?

HHD

[rivereddy]

How about a recalculation... I couldn't get a good measurement on the ice thickness because the marks I put on my
slush scoop stopped at 9". Ten was a conservative guess on my part. It was probably closer to a foot which is in line
with some of the predictions offered. Hog daddy you are correct - hoisting those 4 " gills can plumb tucker an old
geezer out.

Like the of a "thump" on a jig or the splash of a surface rise, (or seeing a jug go under), the twitch of a little
piece of balsa wood through the ice is a flat out thrill....

fish on,

rivereddy

[river_scum]

i was on a 10-1 dinkfest too today.  last week it was a much better size in the area.

[Lee1977]

i was on a 10-1 dinkfest too today.  last week it was a much better size in the area.

you left too soon, about an hour later the bigger ones moved in.

[river_scum]

you left too soon, about an hour later the bigger ones moved in.

sounds about right lee.  that lake been known for the 3:00 bite.  i could have stayed and fished too.  the old truck made it out without dinkgetters tow strap that time. i bet you had a big job cleaning by the time you got home.   you were on them in that inside corner there!