Good Start to 2021

[BobB257]

Only had the afternoon today for this weekend.
Stoppend at the Fish Connection on RT 12 and got shiners and other supplies from Jack and the crew.
First stop at long pond was No Go.   One inch of new ice at the boat ramp.  Headed N to Avery.   Way to many people in the lot and on the ice for me.   Further North Patchaug had a number of groups fishing and looked solid but not my cup of tea.   
Thought about Glasgow but passed it up for Billings.   
I always am hesitant at Billings due to its reputation for strong springs.   
At the ramp a land owner told me they had a party the night before and it was good to go in the ramp area.   
I drilled as I went and found 3.5  to 4.5 inches out 40+ yds from the ramp.   The line of Black new ice around the islands was clear and I stayed well back from that, along the N West shore   
Set my tip ups and then started Jigging.   Nice LMB in second jig hole on a gold cast master with a minnow head on the hook.   Then a tip up went off.   Three Pickerel on the tip ups by the end of the day.  One really nice one and likely a personal best.   Last fish of the day was a very good Yellow Perch for the pan on the castmaster.   
All in all a great start for the season after last years lack of ice.
If you go out in SE CT with tomorrows snow use extreme CAUTION.   The snow will cover the thin new black ice and make it hard to tell when you are on an Edge of thicker material.   

[Rooster18]

Nice report Bob!  I live about a mile from Billings and have done very well there in the past.  Great spot for big bass!  I’m glad you wrote about the conditions and the ice.  It’s springs make it freeze very inconsistently and can be dangerous.  It’s not a place to fish blind as you can go from 6” to 1” in a step.   The ice is always very scratchy S of the island...Was there safe ice between the island and E shore?  Or weren’t you able to make it out that far?  I fished my favorite spot on the Voluntown/Griswold line today and did well.

[BobB257]

I learned Ice fishing the hard way.   Asking questions and drilling as I went. 
Giving folks honest info about Ice on local ponds is important and especially so with a snow storm that just covered up a bunch of spots that have only 1 inch of ice. 
As I mentioned in all my reports on specific ponds keep an eye on your thickness and don't assume because someone left tracks its good to go. 
The fishing was great for day one of 2021.   Esp after last year with no ice. 
Hope to get out a few more times to make 2021 a great year on the hard water.   

[Rooster18]

We did a coin toss Pachaug vs Billings today and ended up at Billings.  I will say I’m glad we bought the spud!  From the launch heading SSE we had a solid 7-8” of ice. Once we hit the first  island the ice started to thin.  We were on 3” there.  Any further to the E and the spud went through in one blow.  Our traps were setup just N of the first island on ice that ranged from 7-8” to 3-4”.  I will say it was the best day we had all season!  We iced numerous bass with the smallest maybe 14” and the largest taped was almost 19”.  Also numerous large pickerels from 15”-20” and a few Perch too.  My 12 year old son had a solid 6lb LMB to the hole but lost it.  He’s still learning how to handle big fish on a hand line!  We saw the fish numerous times and it was a solid 22-24” bass.  I’d hate to mention but  I’m glad it got off because he would want to keep it for a mount....When I was his age I got a 6lb bass through the ice on Dog Pond which I kept and mounted.  I proudly display that fish in my living room today, 30 plus years later! 

I’m thinking Billings will be done for the season after the next few days weather.  Ice is always sketchy there but what we were on will be dangerous after some rain and the above freezing temps.  Hopefully that place will freeze again someday within the next 5 yrs!

[Hooking]

I’d hate to mention but  I’m glad it got off because he would want to keep it for a mount....

Would your son consider measuring a trophy and getting a fiberglass replica? All the options on how the artists present those may intrigue him. Admittedly, I don’t know what those cost relative to traditional taxidermy, but when I read your dilemma I thought about that alternative.

[Rooster18]

To be honest, I’m not sure...I have 2 fish mounts and they are both natural skin.  Both are more than 20 yrs old and they look as good as the day I bought them home....Personally I like my mount to be the actual thing I’ve harvested, not a replica.  I have numerous deer mounts in my home and would not accept a mount with a bought skin.  I understand that with a deer the animal can still be consumed as all the taxidermist needs is the skin and antlers.  With fish it’s a different story as the fish itself is sacrificed for a trophy.

I’m more concerned about keeping my kid staying hooked/addicted to the outdoor sports right now.  To sacrifice a trophy fish for a mount isn’t really going to damage the fishery in my opinion.  I can count on my fingers the number of true trophy quality fish I’ve taken over the years.  I am a BIG advocate of catch and release but have no problem keeping fish for a meal either.  I do have a big problem with keeping fish/deer/birds/ or anything else for waste though. 

I think I would take a trophy fish for my son to mount.  If he is that proud of it the sacrifice is worth it to preserve his addiction to the sport!

What do others think?

[eiderz]

If I was going to have a skin mount done, I'd want to be sure the taxidermist was really good. I say that having seen some awful skin mounts. If the taxidermist uses premolded bodies, you only have to judge his painting skill. On the other hand, if he uses the actual fish to make a mold, that's a whole 'nother skill.

IMO, if it's legal it's entirely your choice whether you keep a fish. I'm old enough to remember when people were chastised for "wasting" fish by throwing them back. Don't let others opinion on C&R influence your decision to make your child happy. Keeping your wife happy with more fish on the wall is another discussion. 

[BobB257]

We did a coin toss Pachaug vs Billings today and ended up at Billings. 

Nice job getting out with your son.   You made a great memory that will last a lot longer than any fish that made it up out of the hole.   The one that got away is always a better story around a campfire.   It was an awesome day to be out

[buttlesdog]

I turn 50 this year, have fished religiously since I was 7. I have never mounted a fish and I have had some giants through the years. But I do have great pictures. Today, you can keep that moment forever on your phone, or print it out and have it framed, and still let that fish swim away and pass it's big fish genetics onto future offspring..

Some people feel that constant pull to the outdoors, some don't. Some leave it and come back, some never return. My point is, as his father,you are creating great moments and a great bond with him to you and the outdoors. I'm betting that has roots that will always be there. Get him a go pro, get him into digital preservation, easier to share, and with technology nowadays, easily kept forever. Just my .02.

[Rooster18]

Hi buttlesdog, you have made some good tips and I like the Go Pro idea.  I will certainly take that advice up....I am very close to your age, I’m 46.  The fish mounts I have are 25 plus years old and I still love having them displayed today. For myself I will not mount a fish that I catch.  For my son, or any other new angler it’s a different story.  Nothing beats a 3D mount.  Pictures can’t compare to a mount.

I used to bug my parents to mount a fish for me back when I was a kid.  Finally when I was in high school I saved up money to pay the taxidermist.  It is a very proud moment when you can continue to relive those memories of that day!

[Hooking]

Rooster, out of curiosity, what did it cost back in the day, and what do you think the same would cost today?  I have no frame of reference. Kind of like when people tell me what their tattoos cost.

[Rooster18]

Well,I haven’t broken down for tattoos yet.  I want to say I paid about $175-$200 for the 2 natural mounts I had done back in the early 1990’s. First is a 6lb LMB from Dod Pond and the second is a 25” brown trout from Hogback that was caught on a live smelt.  The brown I caught that day had the best markings which the taxidermist was able to preserve.  I have now caught bigger but am yet to catch a more colorful one.  I do have a 3rd which I traded for a bunch of hand tied flies.  That one is a 9” native brook trout that is mounted in a big deer shed.  It’s one of my favorite and sits on the desk in my office.

[Rooster18]

The bass and trout mounts were done by Tony from Northeast Taxidermy back when he started out in the old mill.  They still look as good as the day I bought them home.  I’ve since had several deer mounted by them and the cost is worth the result!