With a truck broke down at the Clark’s house, I wasn’t sure a trip to the ice was going to be made this weekend until 3:30pm Friday when I got the call the truck was back in service 
Cost an arm but I got to keep the leg 
The first words out of my mouth after the good news to neutron and Mike C ….”put on your hiking boots, we are going to take a walk in the morning” 
We wanted to target gills so the call was made to hit what is considered a back water lake off Pool 8. This was Mike’s and neutron’s first trip to the place and I think they had fun 
I know they were not all biggun’s but, we caught 70 some fish a piece on a day long trip 
What makes this back water lake a great area is the abundance of small flats with 5-8fow dropping off sharply into 22fow, brush piles are to be found along with some good mud points at 12-18fow with slight current in areas. The lake is spring fed before making its way to the main channel which normally makes for good oxygen levels. We even noticed a lot of bubbles rising off the bottom with the MarCum’s.
Fishing in 8-17fow produced an abundance of gills first thing in the early AM. The flasher was loaded with fish in 17fow cruising from 6-10 feet below the ice. No 9 inch bulls but by keeping the baits high at 5 feet you could pull 8 inch gills out and away from the watch fobs, drop deeper and you were either robed or hooked onto 6inch gills. The bite was good but a spring bobber and line watching was the key to seeing your bait gently sucked in.
With the gills slowing down mid morning we moved into deeper water where holes were already made with the StrikMaster awaiting our arrival
Mike C had already iced a good crappie and caught a few dinks early morning before we pulled him away from the deep to play with a faster gill bite Moving back out into 22fow later in the day was a good call. The crappies were using the water column anywhere from 6-14 feet below the ice. They also would softly inhale the bait and if you didn’t detect the bite in time, it was spit out in a hurry. The crappies we landed on were running from 10inches to just shy of 12inches. It was not hard to weed out a few nicer specks to add with a few kept gills too top off a fish fry
It was a picture perfect day on the ice. The starting temp was 20 degrees which topped off at 30 degrees with an early calm wind picking up a bit during the afternoon.
The best gill baits for me were the 1/50oz Hot Orange Ratso tipped with a waxie and a 1/50oz Hot Orange Ratfinkee tipped with a sliver of Chartreuse Wedgee all from Custom Jigs & Spins.
The best crappie bait for me was a Fire Tiger Mini Mert from B Fish N Tackle tipped with a minnow head. I’m sure Mike C and neutron will chime in on what worked for them.
With some selective harvesting all three of us took home a nice mess of filets and had a blast playing catch and release. The day was fun filled with a good bite, great friends, and with a little work….a piece of ice all to ourselves
Good luck fishing people 
Bret
Here are some additional pictures. The first picture makes me sad
It is the first sign of spring rearing its ugly head. The areas with marsh grass exposed are starting to loose ice. It is unreal how fast this type of area can absorb heat and thaw ice even with the chilled nights we are still having. This is proof the days are getting longer 
I also heard robins in the area and just before first light the Cardinals were calling up a storm. I’m afraid to say it, but soon the hard water will be getting soft
Yep……I’m nuts
good lookin pan fish guys. i’ve never tried a mert tipped with a minnow head. Did you catch a bunch of fish with that bait? that sounds like a deadly combo for crappies. headin to the mississippi next weekend and can’t wait
I caught a good number on the mini mert.
I believe Mike C did his best on a Perch colored forage minnow tipped with a minnow head or a whole very small crappie minnow.
Looks like a lot of fun! Great report Bret!
Looks like the hike paid off
Good report on those “softer ice” panfish
Great report Buddy Bret.
We have had some very good days on the ice this winter but this was one of the best. 
The Doctors always say exercise is good so thanks Bret for thinking of our health and picking a spot with a 10 mile walk. 
Like Bret mentioned the gold/orange forage minnow was my best producer on the crappies and the Diamond jigs were the ticket for the gills. Early in the day Froggie was the hot ticket and late in the day Pink was a good producer for gills. The Froggie was a good producer on suspended crappie first thing in the morning tipped with a a waxie.
but it sure felt great spending a nice late winter day on the ice with good friends. 
Get out and enjoy it. 
You can see, hear and feel signs of spring slowly rearing it’s ugly head
Thanks for the great report!
Great report Bret.
It was a wonderful day on the ice. Spending the day with two good friends and catching lots of fish. 
The baits that were hot for me today were the orange and yellow Diamond Jig tipped with a waxie, for the gills. For the Crappies a pink Ratso jig with a Chartreuse paddle tail and a plain hook and minnow on a dead stick were the ticket.
Get out and enjoy this great time of year to be on the ice!
Great report Bret and congrats guys on a successful panfish bite!
It always makes it a little more special when you are fishing with good friends and have the ice all to yourself. 
nice fish. i hope i can get out a few times before the ice leaves us for until later this year.
Nuts you say!!! Well just know you’re not alone.
Great report as usual.
I still got hard water fever. Even after being in the boat a couple times on p4.
Great report, Bret!