Last Day for me

[Bender]

Well after trying to launch yesterday only to find the ramps frozen I asked around and found one inland lake that still was all open water. We went there this morning and it was cold, 13 degrees! No fish either, there was about 20-22' visibility in the lake as well. After 3 hours of that crap we decided to take our chances on the "hot pond" on Erie. The normal launch was frozen solid yesterday so we launched up a river to get out. The water is really shallow getting into this warm water discharge so you have to go pretty fast and stay on plane to get in. Also you have to know where you re going, which I didn't 100%. When you are running around 40 and the deepest you have seen for 1/2 mile is 3', it is skinny. My prop hit a little when it got under a foot but we made it through. I planned on sending that one in for work over the winter anyway.
As soon as we got in there we started snagging shad and carp. These shad average about 8-12" long. These things are loaded up so much in there that your crankbait hits them all the time.



Finally we got into some bass, but not many with size. We worked our way around and ended up at a spot I fished last week. We started off with small bass, then a couple nicer ones, then the sheephead (drum) moved in, then catfish, then my buddy hooked this monster fish! He fought it for at least 10 minutes on 8 pound line and a spinning reel. It weighed in right at 20 pounds. By this time it was getting pretty dark so we headed home with a successful last trip of the year.
Here's my best bass, 3 1/2#:


The carp:




And let me see if this video works of us trying to get out to the lake:

[MississippiBoy]

Man, you gotta be kidding me. You almost need a guy up front with a pole or mallet to break it up before the boat gets to it. That's hardcore.

[woody]

Bender, that's a good look'in bass you got there. pretty cool video too. WTG!

[freakyfish]

Looks like pretty soon you can just walk to your favorite hole.

[Wishing2BFishing]

And I thought it was cold in Pennsylvania. Does the ice damage the boat at all?

[MIbasser]

Looks like it was a fun last trip. Glad you made out and back safe. We got to see the way out into the lake, how was it coming back in?

[Basscrazie]

Originally Posted by MississippiBoy

Man, you gotta be kidding me. You almost need a guy up front with a pole or mallet to break it up before the boat gets to it. That's hardcore.

I agree.My hats off to you guys..That is wanting to fish.

[woody]

Dem guys from Michigan have had to learn to adapt to those Michigan Winters.

[Bender]

Originally Posted by MIbasser

Looks like it was a fun last trip. Glad you made out and back safe. We got to see the way out into the lake, how was it coming back in?

Dark! We waited too long and on Erie I could see well enough but going back up the river it was dark and we were breaking through a fresh skin of ice most of the way. There were 2 barges being loaded that we drove by so that was really weird being 50' away from those gargantuans.
I thought the ice was going to scratch the boat up but I cleaned everything last night as usual and there were no problems. The few other boats we saw were aluminum and they just went right through it while I idled.
Those walleye guys are the ones who are really nuts, one pro looking guy in a "wrapped" boat (I forget his sponsor) must have run way out into the lake.

[MIbasser]

Chris, just think only 5 more months and we can be back bass fishing!

[carolina-rig-01]

i broke ice just like that last winter in my new boat, i was affraid that it was going to scratch it up but didn't leave a single mark. great pics bender you are an animal!!!

[3dkicker]

Snagging gizzard shad on silver buddies on 4lb test and ultralight rods is a lot of fun!!!!! You should try it sometime.

[Jim80]

Nice bender , it was in the 40's here today and should be for most of the week so i am hoping a bit of the ice will melt so I can fish over the long weekend .

Jim