This fish story starts last Sunday when my good bud and ex-boss Brad called me up asking if I wanted to go up to northern Minnesota and do some big water ice fishing….I had no choice but say yes 
Made the 6 hour drive Wednesday and we were on the lake first thing the next morning.
We picked a spot on a mud flat in 14ft of water,drilled a couple of dozen holes and we were off to the races…..
Started out using larger Kastmasters in Firetiger and Blue with a minnow head and immediately started catching fish!
We would bounce the lure hard on the bottom a couple of times and then pick it up and hold the lure still about 4″ up and they would smack it…..with the first dozen fish going over 10″ we figured (correctly)that it was gonna be a good day!
Later in the morning with things slowing down a bit I decided to change over to a CJ&S ‘s blue/nickel #10 Slip Dropper spoon……set the dropper length @ 6″ with a whole minnow.
The very first hole I dropped this in I felt the tap,tap,tap and set the hook….
At first I thought it felt like a heavy perch until it got about 6ft off the bottom…then the head shaking started and I had my hands full!!
Immediately I thought I had hooked a Pout…I found out quick that my drag was working well and soon had the head worked into the hole when my heart went into overdrive…It was a BIG Walleye…. 
Wanting to get her back into the water as quick as possible,I used my metal ice scoop with inches marked on the handle to measure her….My scoop goes to 19 1/2 ” and she was over that by about 6″ for a guesstimate of 24- 25″! A quick picture and safely back down she went….This was not my PB but darn close to it!
We left that day,which was a beauty BTW(over 40 degress with a calm wind) with over 30 nice fish,1 being over 12″ and the rest between 10″ and over.
The next day was cooler with a stiffer west wind but the fishing was still hot!
Tactic’s were a bit different though,we would drop the lure down on the bottom and just barely lift one end up and the fish would suck it right up….They came in about the same size as the day before…
This time I caught the big fish of the day at 12″
There is one thing for sure…I REALLY owe Brad big time for this trip 
a big memory for sure guy!!
Here is a couple of pictures…One being of Brad and his grandson BJ… and let me tell you this kid can FISH!
The first day we were out for over 10 hours and when me and Brad had loaded up the truck to get off before daylight disappeared he yelled over “grandpa the fish are still biting over here…can I stay a little longer”!
I’m willing to bet he put more fish in the bucket than me or Brad did 
Also the walleye I caught and 2 pictures showing the size of our perch….
What a GREAT time…..Cannot wait to do it again!!
I’ts cool when the kids out fish the grown ups 
