First casts of 2012

keithdog · 02-26-12, 04:51 PM

Well, it was only about a 45 minute outting but felt good, despite the strong 30mph winds blowing dirrectly into my face.

As you can see there is still plenty of ice out there yet. The vast majority of the lake is actually still covered in ice, but it's thinning fast. I would bet by next weekend the lake will be ice free. Would you believe a couple days ago there was a guy walking around on the ice with an auger about 40 yards out from shore? IDIOT! In fact, 5 guys in the past week locally have gone through the ice, with one fatality. Natures way of thinning oout the dumb ones I guess. Anyways, back to my brief outting. The wind was blowing so hard I could barely cast the jerk baits without backlash issues. Got a few nice casts when the wind would let up for a few seconds, but no takers today. Not a big suprise there. The bass don't really start to heat up here untill mid march. But I have caught bass durring brief mid winter partial thaws. It's always worth a try. And after several months of waitting, it felt wonderful to actually make a few casts. I was actually using the edges of the ice cover where it met open water as a breakline.

Hopefully, in a couple weeks I'll have to boat on the water and be able to get to some of my favorite areas on the lake. Oddly enough, this area where the tree lays down near the pier looks good but has never yielded a single fish for me. However, the opposite shore from this pier is my go to area after ice out. It's also where I go just before it freezes in the fall, and where I caught that 8 pound walleye last november. It's a shallow muddy bay on the west end of the lake, and it really attracts fish when the water temps are bitter cold.

MallenManson · 02-26-12, 06:02 PM

Dangit Keith! You should know better than to do this to a Northerner!
Lookin great bud! Had to feel incredible to throw some junk, even if there were no takers.
Good for you

rrw4258 · 02-26-12, 11:07 PM

Wow, can't believe you guys still have ice. We have been ice free for about 3 weeks now, and even then it was only about an inch or two at most. This has been the most enjoyable winter yet. Getting out and bass fishing (not catching so much) has been beneficial for the health...

LOL!

Ryan

MallenManson · 02-26-12, 11:11 PM

Really, rrw? we still have ice on a lot of areas around here!
Man! I can't wait till ice out!

rrw4258 · 02-27-12, 11:02 AM

Yeah Mallen it has been a great winter for me. No ice fishing what so ever (at least not if you're smart, there were a couple of guys out on like 2 inches a few weeks ago)

Ryan

WatterBoy · 02-27-12, 11:59 AM

Way to go, Keith! Glad to see you at least got out there to make a few casts! We still have plenty of ice around here and there is a winter storm watch for 6-12 inches of snow starting tomorrow. Still hoping it will go north of here and miss us. Average ice-out up on our lake isn't until the last week of April and I think the all-time record was set two years ago with ice-out in mid-April.

On a side note, a friend of mine from work sent me a picture last Friday of him wader fishing in 17 degree air temps. He and a buddy of his were fishing the Mississippi River a couple hours north of here and he had a real stout Smallie in the pic that was just over 19" and they were estimating at 4+ pounds.

bamabassman · 02-27-12, 08:08 PM

show off!! hahahaha!! glad oyu got out for a few casts keith.

Bassboss · 02-27-12, 08:17 PM

ALL READY?!?!

Trucks are still out on the ice here.

And we're spose to get anywhere from 8-10 inches of snow this week.

Despite me jealousy... I'm glad you where able to wet a line, hope the fishin's good for ya.

And is that bank directly across from the dock (this, is a pier

lol) doesn't happen to be a north shore does? If so, I'll bet my bottom dollar I know why that part is productive for ya.

keithdog · 02-27-12, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassboss

ALL READY?!?!

Trucks are still out on the ice here.

And we're spose to get anywhere from 8-10 inches of snow this week.

Despite me jealousy... I'm glad you where able to wet a line, hope the fishin's good for ya.

And is that bank directly across from the dock (this, is a pier

lol) doesn't happen to be a north shore does? If so, I'll bet my bottom dollar I know why that part is productive for ya.

The lake is still about 70 percent covered in ice. I had just a small portion to cast into. But the shore across from the "dock", is actually on the south side of this bay. All the open water is on the north side of the lake. But the south west corner of this bay is always the hot spot in this bay after ice out. Not what any experienced angler would expect, but hey, it's the truth.

02-26-12, 04:51 PM	#1
keithdog BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: IN Posts: 8,308	First casts of 2012 Well, it was only about a 45 minute outting but felt good, despite the strong 30mph winds blowing dirrectly into my face. As you can see there is still plenty of ice out there yet. The vast majority of the lake is actually still covered in ice, but it's thinning fast. I would bet by next weekend the lake will be ice free. Would you believe a couple days ago there was a guy walking around on the ice with an auger about 40 yards out from shore? IDIOT! In fact, 5 guys in the past week locally have gone through the ice, with one fatality. Natures way of thinning oout the dumb ones I guess. Anyways, back to my brief outting. The wind was blowing so hard I could barely cast the jerk baits without backlash issues. Got a few nice casts when the wind would let up for a few seconds, but no takers today. Not a big suprise there. The bass don't really start to heat up here untill mid march. But I have caught bass durring brief mid winter partial thaws. It's always worth a try. And after several months of waitting, it felt wonderful to actually make a few casts. I was actually using the edges of the ice cover where it met open water as a breakline. Hopefully, in a couple weeks I'll have to boat on the water and be able to get to some of my favorite areas on the lake. Oddly enough, this area where the tree lays down near the pier looks good but has never yielded a single fish for me. However, the opposite shore from this pier is my go to area after ice out. It's also where I go just before it freezes in the fall, and where I caught that 8 pound walleye last november. It's a shallow muddy bay on the west end of the lake, and it really attracts fish when the water temps are bitter cold. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Just one more cast, and then some!

02-26-12, 06:02 PM	#2
MallenManson BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Beulah, Michigan Posts: 6,431	Dangit Keith! You should know better than to do this to a Northerner! Lookin great bud! Had to feel incredible to throw some junk, even if there were no takers. Good for you __________________ Bass fear me. Women pepperspray me.....

02-26-12, 11:07 PM	#3
rrw4258 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Bellevue, Ohio Posts: 2,338	Wow, can't believe you guys still have ice. We have been ice free for about 3 weeks now, and even then it was only about an inch or two at most. This has been the most enjoyable winter yet. Getting out and bass fishing (not catching so much) has been beneficial for the health... LOL! Ryan __________________ Never Give Up!

02-26-12, 11:11 PM	#4
MallenManson BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Beulah, Michigan Posts: 6,431	Really, rrw? we still have ice on a lot of areas around here! Man! I can't wait till ice out! __________________ Bass fear me. Women pepperspray me.....

02-27-12, 11:02 AM	#5
rrw4258 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Bellevue, Ohio Posts: 2,338	Yeah Mallen it has been a great winter for me. No ice fishing what so ever (at least not if you're smart, there were a couple of guys out on like 2 inches a few weeks ago) Ryan __________________ Never Give Up!

02-27-12, 11:59 AM	#6
WatterBoy BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Owatonna, MN Posts: 2,280	Way to go, Keith! Glad to see you at least got out there to make a few casts! We still have plenty of ice around here and there is a winter storm watch for 6-12 inches of snow starting tomorrow. Still hoping it will go north of here and miss us. Average ice-out up on our lake isn't until the last week of April and I think the all-time record was set two years ago with ice-out in mid-April. On a side note, a friend of mine from work sent me a picture last Friday of him wader fishing in 17 degree air temps. He and a buddy of his were fishing the Mississippi River a couple hours north of here and he had a real stout Smallie in the pic that was just over 19" and they were estimating at 4+ pounds.

02-27-12, 08:08 PM	#7
bamabassman BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: cedar bluff, alabama Posts: 15,292	show off!! hahahaha!! glad oyu got out for a few casts keith. __________________ so many lures, so little time.

02-27-12, 08:17 PM	#8
Bassboss BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Shawano, WI Posts: 7,761	ALL READY?!?! Trucks are still out on the ice here. And we're spose to get anywhere from 8-10 inches of snow this week. Despite me jealousy... I'm glad you where able to wet a line, hope the fishin's good for ya. And is that bank directly across from the dock (this, is a pier lol) doesn't happen to be a north shore does? If so, I'll bet my bottom dollar I know why that part is productive for ya. __________________ If you can't fix it with heavy squats or fish oil, you're probably going to die.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)