Late-Ice Fishing, NY

Friday, March 23rd, 2007

Got the OK from the wife to take our son out icefishing in the evening after school on Friday. So, I headed down to the honey hole Friday morning at 9a to check and make sure we still had fishable and safe ice. The 100 yard dirt road to the ice was over 1/2 bare, the ice was safe to get onto and was over 14" thick, but there was open water at the point which made me weary. There was still 75-100 yards of fishable ice.

So, I drilled the 1st hole, set up the Pak Shack and drop my jigs down. As soon as it was about 2 feet from the bottom, a mark appears on the flasher and starts to move up from the bottom. With a little jiggle-jiggle, FISH ON!
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So, I drop back down for another looky see. No marks at all, then about 6 feet up above my jigs, a mark. Quickly I reeled up and with some jiggle and coaxing, another FISH ON!
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Then the hole went dead. I picked up the auger and drilled another 10 or so holes. That way I didn't have to bring the gas auger back down with me and my son later that afternoon. Planned to travel as light as possible with the lack of snow or ice for the drag down and back uphill.

I worked a few of the holes, to get just a few more fishies.
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I then needed to get home and get alittle sleep before my son came home from school. That way daddy was a little bit more pleasant and had the rest and strength to pull the gear back up and down the dirt road. My son and wife get home about the same time and I even had pizza in the oven ready, only minutes after they walk in the door. FISHIN' on the brain and limited time. So with some food in our tummy's, snacks in the pack, we headed down to the honey hole.

As we get to the parking spot, their was a truck there, bummer if he was fishing my holes, no auger with me this afternoon, light travel needed. Luckly the guy was walking out when we started to pull the gear out of the truck. I got to talking with this guy coming out. He told me the walk was rough coming out, no snow on the road. I replied with, "I know, I was there earlier this morning and drilled a bunch of holes so I didn't have to lug the gas auger in and out this evening." He replied, "Oh those were your's, thanks, I didn't have to start my gas auger up. Ran out of bait, and ended up using the dead ones and was still getting flags." That was great news to hear.

My son and I headed down the road and the ice was actually more solid on top and less watery this evening then this morning, great. Got all 6 tipups in the water and started to jig. The flags was slow and so was the jigging. We finally got a flag and headed over to it. With the line slowing pealling off, I pull the flag out and hand the line to my son, FISH ON!
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Not a bad crappie at all and a great smile, and a trip well worth it.
We sat back down and jigged and jigged and jigged. Nothing at all to show for our efforts in jigging up a few fish, bummer.
FLAG, we got there and the line was again slowing pealling off, great. I handed my son the line again and FISH ON! This time it would be a much better fish and my son's 1st walleye.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...032307_06a.jpg
Congrates to Christopher on his 1st walleye, a great catch for a 6 year old.

We would have only 1 more FLAG, but the fish came off as my son was pulling it in.
We fished from about 520p-7p and all fish were C&R'd.
Till next time.

Well, we made it out again today for a little ice therapy.
My 1st fish of the day.
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And 2nd fish of the day.
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Then 7 more crappie by the time Mike showed up. Had alittle problem with keys in the warming truck.
So I like Mike sit down in the captin's chair and give it a go, after all his work to get there.
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WTG Mike, we gut a few more in that spot before we moved to another hole. Then it was fish on again, and again. I know from 9a-1025a I gut and released 18 crappie and 2 gills.
Now here is a double your pleasure, crappie style.
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Stay tuned, may have a few trips left in me.
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Sounds like ya had a good outing with your son. Even caught some fish. Congrats on your first walleye...

nice fish

Way to go .Looks like some great fish.fun times & memories galore!