1st trip of the year, 4-11-19
First, a little background for today's trip. Late this winter I bought a new sonar for ice fishing but it was not working correctly upon arrival. I sent it back and they sent me a new unit and new ice transducer. By the time I got it, the ice was no longer safe so I've been waiting for a chance to get out in the boat on the open water to try the new equipment to be sure it works correctly. I really didn't want to wait until winter and find out it didn't work.
So yesterday after work, I loaded up and headed to a pond that is open year round to fishing since they don't stock it with trout. Imagine my disappointment when I got to the launch and saw the whitecaps racing across the surface. I did launch and try to get out there in some deeper water but soon saw the futility of it and turned around and packed it in. Better safe than sorry.
Today was a much calmer day, with the temperature nudging 50 degrees. I loaded up and headed to a smaller pond with water deep enough to check things out with the new unit and 'ducer. I had the open water transducer hooked up to the new unit and it was working fine. Saw a few fish here and there so I hooked on a bass colored minnow tube and tossed it out behind as I headed to the deeper hole to test out the ice transducer. I really didn't expect much action this early in the season; water temperature was 51 degrees and the ice has only been gone perhaps 12-14 days. Imagine my surprise when my line loaded up within just a few seconds of tossing it out and getting back under way; first fish of the season-a small crappie of about 8". Released him and tossed the line back out and gave a stroke or 2 with the oars and hooked another.....and another......and another....!
Over the next 90 minutes I landed and released about 40 crappie, all 8-9" with 1 or 2 perhaps 10-11" long, all caught while slow trolling the single line. Every fish today was a crappie.
I also anchored up and changed over to the ice style transducer for 15 minutes or so and had lots of interest while tinkering with the settings to be sure that 'ducer was working correctly as well (it was, thankfully). Didn't hook and land any but lots of nudges and fish coming up to look things over and then head back down. Probably could have changed lures around but I was really there just to test things out. I didn't even have the camera with me as I didn't even really plan to fish, just tinker with the electronics.
Don't want to jinx it but maybe a sign of a good season to come? I hope so!
