Well we were pretty optimistic this weekend, but it was a weekend away with the boys. It’s always fun trying to get holes drilled and the furnace started in below zero temps. After we got everything going and put new leaders on the reel we put them down and within 5 minutes BANG the first rattle reel goes off. I think we were a little anxious and he got off half way up. He had a gold jig with a small shiner. That fish came at 9:30 PM. Then after unloading the vehicle and getting the beds situated we had a beer and called it a night. I just turned the light off and about two minutes later a reel went off. My buddy yelled quit messing around, I was the only one by the rattle reel so I flipped the light on, we had about a 10 second daze before we could tell which one was going off. So ryan set the hook on this 28 and 1/2″ needless to say the trip was a success right there! First time ice fishing in our new house it was worth every penny.
Saturday we got up about 6:00 am after i heard a load noise and $@^@@%#%##@ ryan had tried setting his phone on the shelf and it hit nothing but his boot and the center of the hole. The day was slow, I managed a jumbo and rolled a couple more but they were very finike. We then had a bite to eat and some bottle bass. Around 7 the dinner bell started and the walleyes started hitting they didn’t stop until about 11:00. I set the hook on the first one at 7. He got off about half way up it was a good fish guessing a 25″ to 27″. Next my reel goes off again about a half hour later. This time I let him take it for awhile and just as I got ready to set the hook and he dropped it. Next, about an hour later my hole goes again so let him take it for about six revolutions then I set the hook. Wow, I could hardly move it, the head was bouncing all the way up. I know this fish is 28″ to 31″. I get him right below the hole he takes a run and gone. Now I am 0 for 3 and getting some bad looks from the other guys. So another hour goes by and once again mine goes off and this time if I don’t get it I will be done for the night I set the hook have him on waiting every head shake for him to get off. I told them it’s half the size of the last one I had on. It ended up being a nice 25″ so finally I connect. But the actions not over maybe another hour or so goes by and ryan’s real goes off he sets it hard and connects big again a 27″ along with his 28″ from the night before. So all in all I call it a success. We would starve if we were going for slot fish. Its 70% enjoying time with your friends and 30% fishing. We were using plain, red and glow crappie hooks with medium fatheads. Ryan did catch the 28″ on a shinner. There was no success on jigging or jigs on minnows. We had 10 to 12 foot leaders on the reels with 6# vanish.
As for the pictures, the first 3 are of ryans 28″, next are of his 27″, my 25″ and the 12″ perch. Finally the boys.
