This ice thing isn't so tough!

[CrappieKeith]

I forget the day but it's the last sat. of the month.
We have a good 6" of ice.The snow is coming down sideways.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h209/palisade1kid/08%20ice%20fishing/08iceseason032.jpg
Rick & I hit BSL this morning at 7.
There was no snow at the time.
The barometer was 30.27 and falling.We drilled holes along the mud bar
and instantly marked fish up to 6 foot off of the bottom which was so different from yesterday.
Yesterday they were pinned to the bottom or a foot off.
I knew it was going to be a better day ,however being BSL's bite is better with the sun the bite was still slow.Having fish higher was promising though.
I was thinking if we could stick it out until the pressure dropped ,but by the time it did the fish disappeared.
I worked many holes and hardly marked a one.
So anyways I get this email a few days ago from George.
He says I'd like some help understanding my Vexilar and I'd like to try your jig.Well I could not resist the opportunity to help a guy out.
About an hour after we got there George comes walking up.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h209/palisade1kid/08%20ice%20fishing/08iceseason033.jpg
a very amicable guy for sure.
It amazes me at how many great guys I've met through these online forums.
We spent a few minutes talking about reading the Vexilar and gain settings.
I rig him up with T.H.E. Jig and we proceed to fish.
I had a few smaller ones before he got there and then I tag this slab.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h209/palisade1kid/08%20ice%20fishing/08iceseason024.jpg
Soon after Scott say ya baby!
check out this one.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h209/palisade1kid/08%20ice%20fishing/08iceseason026.jpg
I was proud to see how he used what we had talked about and caught his 1st 13" slab on T.H.E. Jig.
You can see how finicky those fish were with the placement of the hook.
Mine had just a piece of skin up front.a loose drag kept me from pulling that one loose.
Here's George's mule ....see where T.H.E. Jig is.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h209/palisade1kid/08%20ice%20fishing/08iceseason027.jpg
A few minutes goes by and although the fish we were catching were about 5-6 feet from the bottom I see a flicker on the bottom.Ya just gotta love
a flasher.
So I drop down to it and after 3 seconds I lifted a foot.The signal separates from the bottom.OOOOO here it comes I'm thinking.I lifted another foot and the fish came up and barely popped my spring. I reared and once the fish got half way up it really started fighting.I loosened my drag a skosh more and worked this guy up my hole.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h209/palisade1kid/08%20ice%20fishing/08iceseason031.jpg
I had George shoot another pic for me.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h209/palisade1kid/08%20ice%20fishing/08iceseason029.jpg
We left at noon ,but by all accounts it was a great day and George was still catching fish.

[Schoe]

Nice fish Keith, makings of a fine meal. I haven't had a meal of Crappie for some time and it has been years for Walleye, but that will soon change.

Thanks for the photos and report, Schoe

[Soupy_1us]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Ice-Fish-House-Custom-Made-14x64-Steel-Frame_W0QQitemZ170173123237QQihZ007QQcategoryZ3615 2QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

You might as well go all the way....I know you'll be wanting one of these after you get back from your ice fishing trip ! :confused0024:

[Schoe]

Yeah Soupy, you are probably right, I probably should buy a ready made but I have been entertaining the idea of building my own. Perhaps by winter of 09 we will have Schoe's Ice Ark ready to tow up north, or down south. I know where there are some pontoons I can get my hands on !!!!! It could be built for either or. Schoe

[CrappieKeith]

I gotta see that!

[Schoe]

Me to Keith. I will have to make a drawing so I can see how ridiculous it would look. Hell, it might even work. Schoe

[CrappieKeith]

the main issue is mounting a drop down axel and pontoons.
Geterdun!

[Soupy_1us]

And you can camo it and use it for a deer blind in the off season.I like that idea...

Gofish... where's that picture of the pontoon you sent me..???

[Illinoisgiller]

Schoe, If you make a house of any size to use in IL. you will have to push it on the ice.lol Mike
Keith- Nice pictures!! good to see you are on them. Mike

[CrappieKeith]

Schoe, If you make a house of any size to use in IL. you will have to push it on the ice.lol Mike
Keith- Nice pictures!! good to see you are on them. Mike

all I need was ice....the rest is easy!
Those slabs can hardly resist T.H.E. Jig.:party0011:
Man do I love rearing on those mules in 24 feet of water with my 24" light action rod and ul reel.:party0045::party0045::party0045::party0045:: party0045::party0045::party0045:

[Screen]

Now it's not fair that you get all the ice but I guess the trade off is we have a longer open water season. How is it to have winter from Sept till June? LOL That is what my brother-in-law tells me. He lives in Plymouth, Mn.

Does T.H.E Jig cause you to use a bigger auger?

[Fishaholic]

man id love to have some ice to fish on.

[Screen]

On the Rock River? LOL LOL LOL LOL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lake Carlton north of Morrison should be good according to my son-in-law. Now all we need is some cold weather.

[CrappieKeith]

I love every day they let me fish.

[Screen]

Schoe and Keith need to invest in this if it will do?
2386

[jason454ci]

Looks like ya found the mother of all shanties there Bruce. Heck I might even go ice fishin if I had that. :icon_biggrin:

[CrappieKeith]

My boss is buying one .$10,000 it has everything including a biffy,sink,Sat.T.V.
It even comes with a guy to clean your fish.
http://www.icecastlefishhousesmfg.com/18_20_fishhouses.html

[Illinoisgiller]

Looks like that shack has it all. I wouldn't want some guy cleaning my fish though. Is it possible to upgrade to a LADY to clean fish. :icon_biggrin::icon_biggrin::icon_biggrin::icon_bi ggrin: Mike

[troutrageous1]

My boss is buying one .$10,000 it has everything including a biffy,sink,Sat.T.V.
It even comes with a guy to clean your fish.
http://www.icecastlefishhousesmfg.com/18_20_fishhouses.html

Just make sure he doesn't drop any lines down this hole!!!!:confused0068:
http://www.icecastlefishhousesmfg.com/fishhouses/biffie.jpg

[CrappieKeith]

Looks like that shack has it all. I wouldn't want some guy cleaning my fish though. Is it possible to upgrade to a LADY to clean fish. :icon_biggrin::icon_biggrin::icon_biggrin::icon_bi ggrin: Mike

The fish cleaner is ac/dc.
Who's want a woma anyway in a fish'n shack?
She'd have you removing your boots at the door.
The next thing you know she'd make you stop chew'n , fart'n and belch'n.