Pool 8 Ice Fishing Report 3/06/09

The weather watch was started on Monday and a decision was made to head for ice Friday instead of work, a bad day of fishing beats a great day at work but a great day of fishing, well….it makes a guy think why he has to work at all. Then it isn’t long and bills bring a guy right back to reality
With a morning temp of 35 Mike C and I headed out across an ice that was very slippery and holding some water on the top, creepers were a must to stay upright and the backside dry It was hard not to get in a hurry while thoughts of a hot bite progressively grew in are minds. Once arriving to the first spot hoping for crappies the StrikeMaster was producing the wonderful smell of 2 cycle gas being burned and a number of holes were drilled on a break line in 15-25fow.

The LX-5s revealed fish right off just as expected but, only one crappie made it top side after smacking a green/silver slender spoon tipped with a minnow head at the 8 foot mark. After trying a number of other baits with no results we made a move hoping to find more active fish. This move had us along the edge of a large lily pad flat still in 15-25fow. Are MarCums were still pulling marks but no takers while staying with crappie presentations. It wasn’t long and the game plan changed from specks to gills and the down size of baits and meat started to produce some nibbles. We did try the flat itself in 5-7fow only to find a number of 3inch fish and bait stealers. Staying in the deeper water was a key to finding some fish that would make for table fare

Mike C and I started to drop a number of baits trying to create a more aggressive bite. Lil Cecils, Mini Merts, Ratfinkees and Ratsos were all offered to the red marks below us only producing short strikes until the Gill Pill was placed just on top of the fish cruising through at 10 feet……bingo….the Gill Pill drove these fish into a feeding frenzy The hooks found home on a number of 6-7 inch fish with an occasional 7.5 inch gill. Now that we found the bait another move was made to a snag hanging in 18fow. This move put us on a steady bite of 7-7.5 inch gills with an 8 incher every now and then. The color was not as important as the bait style itself. White/Black, Frog and Clown Gill Pills were all inhaled by the greedy feeders below It wasn’t long and we were laughing while doing the Gill Pill commercial on the ice………”What seems to be the problem Pappy”….

With the temps soaring near 50 degrees there was no need to button up the shacks. This revealed to some keeping an eye on us, hook sets, one after another. Every now and then we would get some company only to leave after being frustrated with there bite. It was proof that the bite we were on was all about the Gill Pill on this day. The best bite was from 10AM until 2PM, just before the sun came out in full force.
For myself, dropping the bait to 6 feet to pull marks below and then a slow drop into the marks produced well. Mike, doing just the opposite dropping his bait to 10 feet and then making them chase up had him on a great bite too. After 2 and a 1/2 tins of waxies and both having a nice fish fry top side we packed up and headed back for the trucks for are ritual of a barley and play by play. The walk back was on a much softer top side ice and a little dryer as most pools started to soak in. Again we met some very nice dudes as they were headed out for the evening bite. It is fun after the day to just sit back and watch, or talk to people that enjoy the same hard water sport as we do. If you ever see two old farts sitting on the tail gate laughing and sippin’ suds make sure to say hello