Panhandle Reports

[SnipeHntr]

Went to Smith all day on Sunday.  Fished near the south side of the lake in anywhere from 4'-6'.  Caught massive quantities of perch that were way too small, only about 4" long, and then caught a few decent gills (kept 5).  Caught two gills that were Master Angler Awards, one was 11" and the other 11.5", and both weighed about 1.5 lbs.  Also lost a couple of pike on tip ups . . . stupid me, no steel leaders!

Wish we could have found some bigger perch out there . . . anyone have any pointers?

[kemp14]

What we you using to catch your fish? Minnows? Wax Worms?

[Sorny]

Anyone been to the Valentine Refuge?  We are trying to plan a trip for next week and need some reports for thier and Merit.  We have never fished it through the ice and only one of us has been there in the summer.  Any help would be appriciated.
Sorny

[SnipeHntr]

Using all sorts of bait.  The gills were on wax worms, or a chunk of crawler, and the perch on everything.  Some of those little guys were trying to eat minnows that were almost as big as they were.  The nicer fish were caught on a colored hook with a bead above it, and some sort of bait.  Over all the day wasn't really great, but those two big gills made up for a lot.

[kemp14]

Hey thanks. Im thinkin about makin a trip up there friday cause it may be the last time i get out this year.

[hawgerdawger]

A Nebraska Bow from yesterday.

Man, dc, that is a nice chunk of fish ya got there!

Went to Box Butte on Sunday and had a lot of fun harrassing the pike.  Brought home a few decent ones to make my first attempt at removing the y bones. Haven't fried 'em up yet, so the jury's still out on how well I did.

Here's my son showing me how it's done with his first-ever slimer ...

[TMFLDEM]

good pic, thanks for sharing. Looks like fun was had by all. Except maybe the attempt at the y-bones . It took me a couple times to get that down.

[walleye4]

Great pic man!  I can't wait til my kids will go with me!   

[Sandbilly]

Way to go hawgerdawger.

Going to have an ice fishing partner for life there.

dc

[SnipeHntr]

Not really a Panhandle report, but close enough.  Went out to Ogalalla on Saturday from aobut 8 till 3.  Only caught 3 small perch after looking for them all day.  Drilled about 60 holes looking for them . . . maybe we should have qit being stubborn and went and fished where everyone else was but it didnt look like they were having too good of luck either.  All of my fish were caught on a small spoon tipped with a minnow head.  Might try to give it one more try somplace this weekend before the season melts away.

[LtlPhl]

Fished a sandpit at Ogallala yesterday and today.Had a total of 30 keeper bluegills in 2 days.Not real fast and furious but some really nice fish(All over 7").Ice is going fast and will have to be creative to get on in the morning.I am hoping to get to the cooler weather over the weekend and stretch a few more days out of it.There is still 12"but it gets really soft in the afternoon.Good luck and be safe getting these last few trips in.

[SnipeHntr]

Hopefully the 2007 seaason will be starting soon!  Does sanyone know if there is any ice yet on Smith up by Alliance, or Little Smith on the refuge?  My duck and goose season is starting to be less then spectacular and I am ready to search for some perch!

[SnipeHntr]

Fished at Bridgeport this afternoon and caught 6 stocker trout.  Missed something that took one of my jigginhg poles down the hole with it!  Oh well, at least it wasn't an expensive one!

Ice was from 3"-5" on the east sides of the pits, about half cloudy and half good clear ice.  Make sure you drill plenty of holes because it gets sketchy in a hurry on some of those little pits

[walleye4]

Not really a Panhandle report, but close enough.  Went out to Ogalalla on Saturday from aobut 8 till 3.  Only caught 3 small perch after looking for them all day.  Drilled about 60 holes looking for them . . . maybe we should have qit being stubborn and went and fished where everyone else was but it didnt look like they were having too good of luck either.  All of my fish were caught on a small spoon tipped with a minnow head.  Might try to give it one more try somplace this weekend before the season melts away.

Were you on the little lake or a small pit somewhere.  If you were on the little lake, hows the ice there?

[SnipeHntr]

Sorry, that Ogallala report was from last year.  I haven't made it over that way yet to check on it.  LtlPhl usually has a good idea of whats happening in that area if he has made it out of the goose pit yet.  Hopfully will make it up to Smith on the Refuge tomorrow.