Pool 8 Report Feb. 25th

First it’s winter, then it’s not and then…well it thinks it’s winter once again. What an ice season we have had in the La Crosse area. For me the bite has been tough enough there are no bragging rights this year. A few fish fry’s have been finding there way to Sparta but it has been tough each trip trying to put a presentation together. Thanks to an assortment of Custom Jigs and Spins tackle along with live baits and plastics, the trips to the hard stuff haven’t been a total loss.

Saturday morning and not as early as I would have liked, the truck was heading for a community hole that normally puts out some quality pike this time of year. The toothy critters have been treating us well the last couple trips out in other areas so it was time to soak some bait closer to home. The thought pattern in the beaner was to hit the edge of a sand bar that drops from 3feet into 5-6fow, then jig just off it a ways for something to do while waiting for flags.

Running about 20 minutes behind time there was fear this area would be taken. When arriving I could see from a ways there was a crew on the ice, oh well, I’ll land where I can. Rounding the corner a grin came across the structure stretched across the front of the skull, called a face No one was even near the little bay. A community hole and everyone was tight in one area, must not be fish anywhere else

Getting out of the truck and quick stepping to the spot, the StrikeMaster was fired up and a dozen holes were popped. After a foot race with the flasher looking for an edge 2 holes were decided on for soaking shiners and one hole for setting up camp.

With tip ups set I noticed buddy’s Troy and Randy in the area and walked over to say hello, Good to see ya guys. They were fishing with a group of friends and they looked to be catching. This had me excited to get back and see what the LX-5 was marking in the area the Otter was set on. It appeared to be the same thing, a lot of smaller fish but some bigger fish were keeping the young ones company.

Like mentioned earlier…”every keeper this year has been worked for”. This trip was no different but it was a great learning experience. Do to water clarity it was possible to sight fish 5 feet down in 6fow. It didn’t take long to spot some healthy blue ears hanging below the school of tiny’s above. The smaller fish chased everything with a vengeance but if you could get below them, they wanted nothing to have with the parents below. The bigger fish on the other hand were very hard convincing they should eat the offering in front of them.

Watching there reaction was key to trigger the bite. Color after color was dropped only to have the keepers take the tail of a waxie or Gulp alive minnow and just hold it, never committing to the business end of the jig. If you pulled it away from them the darn finicky critters disappeared. With the back needing a break from standing over a hole, the butt was planted and the CJ&S arsenal was being eyed over. About the only color not dropped today was white, probably because white has been taking back seat this year. Why not, the White Black Gill Pill was placed and tipped with a waxie. Standing back up and dropping the bait past the fry the eyes kept tuned to the reaction of the bigger fish below. By this time it felt like the peepers were in the hole itself! Then bang, bait a jig were gone

Still no real bragging rights this day but another fry was in the bucket after being persistent. 9 keeper gills in all after a tin and a half of waxies and a few plastic minnows. For the tip ups…..3 runs to only be dropped within 20 feet. I would however personally like to thank this bass that made for fun. It’s always a good time sticking a predator on the light stuff!

So there you have it in a nut shell, a few ok days and a lot of trial days this year. It’s kind of like we were cheated a good winter in 2011-2012, what’s up with that. My hats off to the guys that have them dialed in

Good luck fishing people