Gorge ice update.

[POk3s]

what I dint understand is why they didn't want to eat the bait on my hook.

Does that really suprise you while fishing??? 

Same thing with the swivel thing....they're not interested in a nice jib or piece of sucker meat yet they'll chase a 3 millimeter long piece of copper colored medal all day long. amazing how that kind of stuff happens lol.

I'm just gonna glue a split shock sinker, a swivel, and a hook together and see what happens. Will probably get more hits!

[bbkyle35]

I've had the fish be more interested in my hardware before as well. Was fishing with streamers and only had floating line so I had to use a bunch of splitshots to get down deeper. Watched several trout try to suck in the splitshots and completely ignore the fly.

[WYIfish]

I've had the fish be more interested in my hardware before as well. Was fishing with streamers and only had floating line so I had to use a bunch of splitshots to get down deeper. Watched several trout try to suck in the splitshots and completely ignore the fly.

Maybe we have discovered a mineral deficency here, they lack lead.  Sort of like people who eat dirt.

[HARDTOP]

I hit the gorge on Saturday with wyo700 and we marked tons of fish with no luck on my part.....I threw everything I had at them from large tube jigs tipped with sucker meat to tiny crapie glow jigs with wax worms and everything in between, every color, bare and tipped with all kinds of stuff with no luck at all.  I ended up staying until 6 and between 5 and 6 I marked tons of fish all of which chased whatever I had up and down but just wouldn't take anything, even deadsticking didn't work.  As I was packing up I dropped the rest of my sucker fillet down my hole and waited around to see what happened as I watched my depth finder.  About 2 minutes went by and then the feeding frenzy began.  I couldn't believe all the fish that showed up to feast, what I dint understand is why they didn't want to eat the bait on my hook.

I also fished the gorge Friday - sunday marked lots of fish only caught 3 pups but I did catch a burbet on the south side of big bend along the cliffs with 9 perfect 1 inch square chunks of sucker meat in him maybe that's where you dropped bait ended up 

[WYIfish]

I fished Buckboard area this morning early.

Marked about 40 fish from 6:45 until 8 AM.  Caught one missed two others.  Marked half a dozen between 8 AM and 1:30 PM.  It was 52 degrees and sprinkling when I left. 
Ice is good yet...but could change fast.  Shore crossing was real good.  It was 15 degrees when I got there. That will help some. I could see in my holes that the clear ice is starting to go milky in the top 1/3.  Good news is the ice dipper is retired by 10 AM.

In the early morning the ice was booming yet.  ......a hollow echo of the last of the season's ice.

It would be a good time to throw a plank in for shore line traversing soon.

See you on the ice, or not!

[WYIfish]

Fished this afternoon, still good ice at Buckboard.  It may be "iffy" sooner than later.  Next week the temps will be better or worse.  Fish if you can soon.
Oh, two of us got five, marked zillions.  Friend lost a larger one that took line until it threw the hook.

Fish for dinner!

[WYIfish]

Here's a link to last year's ice out page of mine.  February 21 and 22 2009.  First picture shows Big Bend from the East side of the gorge.

http://freemansfossilsales.com/feb09ice.aspx

Yes, I do get skunked sometimes!

Fish while you can, see you on the bank.

[wyo700]

went out for probably my last trip on FG today.  went down by confluence to try a little rainbow fishing with the wife.  the wind was blowing as soon as we got there so we put the shanty up right away.  there was still about 20 inches of ice but you could tell the ice is starting go bad.  the auger went through really quickly.  we only caught one bow today that my wife caught but was a good one just a hair under 21 inches.  i have had a great season on the ice and will be looking forward to next.  i hope everyone else had a good season and for those who will continue on ice be very carefull out there ice conditions are changing quickly.  tight lines and good luck.

[MountainMan]

I broke down today. Pulled the boat out of the garage, shampooed the carpet and shined 'er up with a little Armor All.

[Baiter]

I fished about a mile north of anvil boat ramp today.  Ice was ten inches but was gettin a little soft.  Caught 4 with one about 8lbs., fished in about 50 fow so I could use my underwater camera(It only has 50ft. of cable) and see what the fish were doin when they came in.  I saw some hogs come in and check things out but wouldn't take.  Even though they wouldn't bite, seeing them on the camera got the blood pumpin a little harder at the possibility. 

On another note i was walking back to the truck when I was done fishing and was about a half-mile from shore when I went through the ice.  Didn't go all the way under but got my legs wet.  My buddy was walking right next to me and he freaked out more than I did.  There was a "manHole" sized area that must have never froze properly because there was no tracks or previous holes there that I could see.  It was kinda scary.  Probably my last trip of the season to the gorge unless it is to hit some of the bays for rainbows.  Headin to Deadwood next week so my ice season is most likely over.  Guess its time to break out the fly rod and get ready for the pre-spawn boes on the green and platte rivers.

Tight Lines

Baiter

[WYIfish]

I fished my "secret spot" off of "Breeze Hill" today. I will not fish there on the ice again until next fall.  The ice was ok BUT, drilling a few holes 1/2 way through to the bottom of the ice and waiting a moment showed water trickling in through the cracks in the ice.  Very iffy for even one more day on that bay. The water temp. just below the ice was 35.6 and most of the winter that same temp marker was 32.8-33.9.  

Yes, I did get skunked a third time for the season ( I did get a couple of ling bites) .............out of 42 trips to the ice this winter.   

Poll:  Who fished how many days this winter on the ice?

I did not go out on the ice at Big Fire Hole but it looked real bad along the edges with puddles quite common.

[wyo700]

i think i probably made 30 trips to the ice this winter all of them on the flaming gorge.  i only got skunked one time, so it was a great ice season for me.
 

[WYLINGIT]

I made around 15 or 20 trips I dont exactly mark each trip on a calander. Only skunked once that I can think of. Most of the time was out fishing buddies and thats all that mattered to me. Ling fishing was still good as of a week ago @ firehole all coyote and crow bait though. Little uns. Pulled the little green 14ft out started preping for OW Trying to figure out how to catch the ling OW Have some Ideas but have to try them will let you know of progress. The Hole @ Brennigars seemed to be expanding. Till our paths cross A jerk on one end waiting for a jerk on the other! Tight lines...

[wyobrink]

4 days and not nearly enough.  Love catching the lakers, great to eat, and some excellent winter weather this year.  Open water should bring some good fishing though.  Bought a 20' pontoon boat last summer and plan to dry dock it in Manila for summer.  Can't complain too bad, did a lot of fishing in other (closer) waters this winter.