It started with a quick PM a few weeks ago, “Wanna go fishing on the 7th?” Momentum gathered and we had a little group of fellas from IDO ready to spend the day on the ice. The captain for the day was Whitetip and the plan was to meet at Absolute PowerSports at 5:00 AM and head north to one of Whitetip’s honey holes.
We got our first holes drilled and tip-up’s set before day break. We set up on a nice spot that had two key elements working for it. There was heavy weedgrowth with a defined weedline that transitioned into sparse weeds and there was a sharp breakline. Whitetip was a like a veteran quarterback doing the two minute drill as he showed us how to lay out our holes on this spot. I was surprised to see the weeds looked rather healthy for the first week of February. I expected them to be completely dead.
We did not start to see action until around 8:00 AM. The early morning was filled with activity on the tip-up’s for pike and bass. The “go to” presentation for the walleyes was a chrome blue Jigging Rapala under Whitetip’s command. Hey, they don’t call him Whitetip because he’s the king of the catfish after all.
Late morning we had a stretch of 90 minutes where the pumpkinseed sunfish went on a feeding frenzy. After some experimentation, we found the perfect recipe to optimize the bite. Mark Steffes was quick to realize that keep your bait dead still was the key to entice a bite. We also found using a horizontal jig was out producing vertical jigs. Mark had great results with a Firetiger Mini Mert. I was a like a kid in a candy store jerking up those sunnies. Everytime I dropped my jig down the hole there was a red bar on my Marcum there to greet my offering. I caught a pumpkinseed that was 8.5” and I can’t remember the last time I caught a pumpkin seed that long.
It was great to see Mark’s enjoyment of this new Strikemaster Lazer. He was a long time owner of a competitor and claims he will never go back. The two things he kept talking about was the reduced weight and increased cutting speed.
Whitetip, thanks for letting me tag along. Mark/Kevin, it was great to hang out with you as always.
Sully
Great report Sully & a pleasure to see you again.Im glad we all could get together & hop in the awesum fishing barge to enjoy a day in the northwoods.I would also like to thank Mark for the great venison luncheon planned for us (too sweeeeeet!)
& 2K’s for all the character & BS you allways seem to bring along. 
It all made for quite an eventfull adventure!Flags,BS & jigs a flyin as the fish are usually allways biting somewhere in the northwoods. 
Until the next adventure abounds,which I would like to put you on lakes Y & Z that can be really golden. 
Best of luck fishing all! 
WHITE TIP
Great Report Sully! Looks like a good time had by all.
Sounds like a lot of fun.
Impressive gills!
Cool report Jason
8 1\2″ pumpkinseeds….nice
Is that certain lake predominately pumpkin seeds? Just curious as to what it takes to produce bigger fish like that 
Jeff, you ask a great question. My experience on Saturday showed the pumpkinseed population was much stronger, but there were bluegills mixed in. They were small though. Here is Whitetip modeling the size run of bluegills. I guess the bulls have to start as calves, eh?
Jason, Whitetip & Absolute it sure was alot of fun fishing with you guy’s on Saturday. Whitetip if you want some company when you hit lake Y & Z let me know. Also Jason where is the pic of Whitetips monster that he caught.
Jeff the bluegills that we did catch where all small, only the punkinseeds had any size to them.
Sully, I guess we posted at the same time.
Whitetip is right we need to call the DR. for the next trip. We need some too keep up with you on those eye’s.
Sorry Mark next time I will give you the bait of choice sooner!
Maybe you could just go ahead of me & mark them & I will follow up to catch them. 
Dropping the underwater camera down there were #’s of multiple species of fish!Just seemed that all species werent as actively biting as the pumpkin seeds. 
There were pike,bass,walleye,crappie,sunnies,perch & pumpkin seeds that showed their presance.Getting all species, of any real size,to go for our offerings on this body of water will have to come on another adventure.This body of water has 8′-10’water clarity with deep weed edges between 12′-15′,with sparse patches up to 20′.This is pretty common on alot of northern WI lakes having fairly clear waters.Finding areas that have these deep weed edges with a steep rock mixed dropoff or point,2 of them in our case, leading into a 25’deep bay that breaks into deep water can produce excellent results.Not much need for the Reel Weeds it seemed here. 
I hadnt fished this area in a couple years & at most would see a handfull of fisherman.On this particular day with mid 30 deg. temperatures we seemed to have drawn a crowd. 
Going scouting another area this weekend for a new adventure on a lake without a crowd.Somewhere in the northwoods.Best of luck fishing all! 
WHITE TIP