Clarck/Taylor County Ice Conditions

Just a little report on the ice on a couple lakes in this area. Saturday afternoon I went to Mead Lake for some panfish. Three things were great, well four. The ice was very solid. Not thick, maybe 7-8 inches, but plenty good for my ATV and gear. Number Two the weather was pretty good. Upper 20’s and sun-nice. Third the fish went gangbusters for about an hour. Picked up several above average gills and some decent crappie. Fourth was the family was along to enjoy all this.

Today we went to Miller Dam in Taylor county. People are driving all over this lake yet. Not me, mind you, but lots of others. Ice was a solid 12-13 inches but the landings can be suspect. Wind howled terribly all day so I set up in the relative protection of an island. Fishing was dang good. Brought 15 home of which one crappie was just under 13 inches, and a gill at ten inches. A few others were close behind those too. Over all I have to give this weekend an A- …Tough to beat that!

Thanks for the report. Sounds like you had a blast. What techniques did you use to catch the fish?

Thanks, Bill

My best technique cannot be taught. It is, simply, luck! That’s right folks, luck. At least it seems like it at times. This whole season has been very good to me. I’m fishing lakes I have never been on and seem to hit the honey holes each time.

Something I find interesting this year is how high in the depths the fish have been roaming. I use to make my living finessing the little brutes right off the bottom. I wonder if I have always been missing the “high bite”? I have found that often times the fish are just a few feet under the ice and show up only if a jig is presented there long enough. Curiously these same fish tend to hit with agression too. If one is comming up from the depths and heading to the lure, rest assured a battle is about to begin.

Plan to hit Otter this weekend for sure and hopefully one other too. I’ll report back on the ice when I do.