willow Slough January 27

[rivereddy]

Road warrior trip.

Left Indy around 3:00  walked out on the ice from the end of the parking lit farthest from the headquarters at 5:30. About 40 guys were out on 3.5-4.0 inches of pretty decent ice.  I set up in about 5 feet of water near some brush.  Nothing for about 35 minutes.  Once the sun went down, things got interesting.  I managed to put together a nice mess in about 30 minutes of fishing.  8 nice gills.  Total time on the ice about an hour then a 2+ hour drive back home  arrrrh

fish on,

rivereddy

[crappie66]

I am not sure I would put that much driving into fishing a place with young fish that haven't had enough time to grow, you know you aren't going to catch anything over 8 or 9 inches from the get go, and a low limit on panfish.

[Turkeyhunter10ga]

Well at least u got out and got a few to show for the effort.
Now its my turn, waiting for buddy to pick me up and head that way in about 30 - 45 mins, lets see what today brings . At least mine is only an hour drive there.

Crappie, sometime u just have to go for it. Since my closest and somewhat fav. lake is closed off because of restoration work being done there. So options are limited, either east 1/2 hr to Valpo chain or South to the Slough.

[rivereddy]

I picked the slough because I knew my way around there from duck hunting trips and because
I heard it had safe ice.... down in Indy we've got noting and Summit is in waves......

fish on.

rivereddy

[Edge]

"you know you aren't going to catch anything over 8 or 9 inches from the get go"

When did 8 or 9 inch fish become a waist of time? 

[Jeffro]

Good question/point Edge. I'd rather drive a bit and catch a bunch of 6-7" fish than sit on the recliner or, worse, do house chores!!!

Good fishin'...

[crappie66]

"you know you aren't going to catch anything over 8 or 9 inches from the get go"

When did 8 or 9 inch fish become a waist of time? 

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying its a waste of time, fishing is fishing, anytime is a good time to go.  I was just saying myself personally there are so many other options out there as to where to fish, that I wouldn't want to make such a long haul with only a couple fish in the place that could go over 8 inches.  In the next few years though, I am sure the place will be back on the map as one of the hottest places to catch a nice mess again. 

I have been getting on some nice messes of fish lately, but this year I am not giving much details on where until more places get iced up, so everybody isn't fishing the same handful of places.

[daffydone]

my buddie went out today, he said there was 5 inches of ice, he caught 8 gills 4 small 4 slabs.