Blown out

[waterbeater]

My brother and I went out this morning and gave up about noon. We were fishing prairie stock dams for perch, crappie, and bass. We had our insulated house set up on the ice with good heat. No football or racing on the tube so we had a whole day planned. We didn't even mark a fish all morning. I've never had worse luck. The wind is blowing about 30mph and snowing right along. Darn front must be messing up the fishing. Has anyone else out here had any luck with the front passing through?

[druthrbfishn]

Waterbeater, have you been fishing lately? I don't think there has been anyone out in western SD fishing, if they have they have been darn quiet about it. Went to the Stock Show the last 2 weekends so haven't been out. Is  there decent water in your dams? They are low in Ziebach County.

[waterbeater]

druthrbfishn,
I was out last Sat. Kind of slow till 4:00 then we had our hands full for and hour or so. I just got an underwater camera put together and spent a lot of time watching the perch and crappie react to my different jigging. Awsome! I caught my best perch to date, 15" and weighed 2 pounds on the nose. Made my whole week. I didn't clean it. She's in the freezer. I am asking around about a taxidermist. Do you have any recomendations?  I've never had a fish mounted.
I went to the Stock Show on Tues. for the Ranch Rodeo. Good time. How was your trip there?
About the stock dams, most are in poor shape. I think I lost a couple of my trout dams. I have a few dams that are spring fed and are running out the spillways though and the fishing has been great. Where have you been fishing in Ziebach? Any luck?
Keep posting. It's nice to hear from another West River angler.
Les Shaw

[druthrbfishn]

Waterbeater,
Nice perch !! There is a taxidermist in Philip that does good work, or so I've heard. I will find his name for you.
The stock show was good, especially the short round on Sunday, all the good bucking horses were out for the OLN TV show.
I have fished some dams northwest of Dupree, north of Eagle Butte, and the Lantry Dam this winter, not much luck anywhere. Lantry was a good spot but not much water, I doubt it will survive the winter.
I fished Shadehill early last summer, good walleyes early then it slowed down.

[waterbeater]

I forgot about the one in Philip. Is his name Hansen? 2 people have recomended Rainbow taxidermy in Black Hawk. He gets $7.50 an inch and $30 for the driftwood.

[druthrbfishn]

Yes, Hansen is the name. You know that perch would have made two nice fillets.  No, seriously that would be a nice one mount.
My son lives in Blackhawk and we are going fishing Sunday. Any ideas in that area other than Orman?
I bought an Otter magnum house and sled, a 2003 house with the 2004 square frame and it doesn't fit the sled or the frame well. Reeds are sending me the 2004 house at a discounted price. I guess I will just have to set on a bucket Saturday, just like I have for thirty years !!

[waterbeater]

Not many ideas here, just the standards. Bear Butte, Orman,Newel Lake, and no one seems to be catching anything at the golf course. Never fished it but when golfing up there it sure looks like good water. Have you ever fished Sheridan? I've always wanted to try their tournament but haven't yet. I think it was last weekend. I talk to the kid in the ice fishing dept. at Scheels quite often and he always has good luck there with perch and rainbows, but it must get crowded because everyone that icefishes has fished it. I've never fished a tournament before have you? I guess I'm a little unsure how well I could match up. I don't have a vex so would probably get my but kicked on strange water.
I bet you're going to love that Magnum house. I went the cheap route and got a eskimo QF2 last year. But to tell you the truth, it's built heavy enough for me. I'm pretty easy on equipment and try to take care of my stuff.
Sometime we'll have to hook up and I'll show you a couple of my top secret spots. I live 2 miles west of White Owl. This weekend is out though. One word "DAYTONA" The biggest week of the year. Speed channel has 70 hours of Nascar coverage this week. Heaven. Not a lot of extra work getting done around here this week though. Good luck fishing with your son. Let me know where and how you did. Sounds like the ice might be a little wet this weekend so be safe.
Les Shaw