We did some scouting on Pool 4 backwaters busting ice with an old flat bottom. We ran into about 1/2″ of ice most places along with floating chunks in places duck hunters had launched recently.
There were some willing crappies and a handful of jumbo perch biting in both of the first 2 community spots we tried. The third spot was a giant flat that perch cruise in large schools…but we found nothing. It was tough to cover water here using a boat given the ice chunks. I’m certain there were a few around, they just weren’t accessible yet.
Given the fairly mild week around here we will likely try to do the same for a couple outings later this week. This has become our new near ice-up routine. I always smile when I see guys racing to a few community spots on 2″ of clear ice knowing we were there days earlier and hammered fish. Once the community spots fill up and ice is walkable, we pack on the hiking gear and push a long ways into the Pool 4 wilderness for better fish.
