Unfortunately it had more to do with those gentle breezes today than fish.
The cold didn't help matters. I didn't have a thermometer with us, but found out later that it was 3 degrees when we arrived
Hit Winchester this morning with spanky1 and SaxMatt to ring in the new year.
We headed out across the frozen tundra about 7:30 so we could see what shape the ice is in. At the launch there was a good 5-6" of ice. The goal was to try and get sheltered along the western shore somewhere near the stumps, but the ice still isn't ready so we hung a left and went into the cove.
We set up in the middle and drilled out from there, working center to the shores. With the shifting, spiraling winds, Matt and I seemed to get the most wind flags. spanker fared better. I finally got sick of resetting one of my tipups, knowing i'd see it spinning when i had a customer. And not a minute later, i had a customer. Which turned out to be my only customer of the day. Certainly nothing to brag at, but my PB pike is now around 18-20 inches.
SaxMatt landed a few pickerel i believe, mostly in the edge structure i think. And i think spanky got the Winchester skunk. We finally called it quits after 2PM.
Other than that, we had a good time BS'ing, having a couple beers (drink em' quick or they freeze!) and cough medicine, and i broke out my bottle of Ice Hole schnapps and we all did a shot. I'm not a mint schnapps fan, but this stuff is smooth.
I had my little Frabill with me, but spanky's hut was home today. Normally i don't have a problem with CT cold, but i certainly ducked in there a few times to thaw my gloves and hands. Watching the snowdevils racing down the lake and around us was cool.
It was great meeting you SaxMatt, good luck with the rest of the weekend!
As for the ice. We left the launch and headed a little NW walking towards the point on the western shore just north of the cove opening. As i said, the launch had a healthy 5-6", and that worked down to 5 and 4 as we got at the opening area of the cove. We didn't get much further. As we approached the point, the ice quickly degraded down to 2". So at that point we turned around and headed in the cove.
Walking off the launch, there's no way i'm going norrth up the middle of that lake either.
Can't say for sure with the blowing snow, but it almost looked like there was a small patch of open water maybe 3/4 up the lake on the eastern side. Or maybe just a larger area that got blown clean over black ice.
