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Hit Flaming Gorge with Wiperslayer1 today. It was extremely cold, yet it was hard to find any good ice, and there was wide open water almost everywhere. Found a bay that looked like the ice might be safe. Lots of stacked ice that had recently frozen. First tried about 63' of water without success. Worked our way out to about 74' of water and ice only about 3 inches thick. Ira started seeing fish on his finder, but I saw only a couple all day. Ira caught a small mack, lost two others, and missed a few other bites. Had I gotten one more bite I would have at least gotten a bite! I moved in line with Ira hoping that I would find some fish. After a short time I noticed water was coming up on the ice from my ice holes! I moved back over where I had started fishing earlier, where the ice was a little thicker. After fishing there for a short time there was a loud sound, and the shack shook. Got out to check the damage and where I had been fishing, my ice holes were now on an island of about 3' wide. If I had been near them when the pressure ridge happened I would have fallen through the ice! Found that we were now fishing on the other side of a major pressure ridge. Stayed a short time and headed out of there. The day wasn't a total loss for me, I managed to chip my front tooth while tightening a knot. while changing jigs! PS -- we were both grateful to have our ice shacks and heaters, it was bitter cold all day.
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Sounds like you guys had quite the adventure Kent! This cold bitter wind has been brutal to the ponds.
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I was hoping you guys would get into the big ones but your report sounds all to familiar. I was afraid the wind was going to be bad and we had not been able to find any good spots the last two trips. At least you picked a good time to move, before the big split in the ice. What did you have in your hand that would chip a tooth when you tightened a knot?
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Nothing in my hand, just pulling on the leader with my teeth broke off the tooth.
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I can verify the cold for you. We spent Sat and Sun in the Buckboard area. We only iced two fish in two days. It was the coldest and slowest ice fishing I have ever done. We only seen a few fish on our flashers as well. It was good to get out and ice fish some new water though. I would go back and try some other areas if I had a chance. The ice in the Squaw area looked pretty good and there was some guys with wheelers out there. We checked out the area just north of Anvil but the ice was pretty scary looking. It had been blown off and then re-froze. We werent brave enough to get that close. There were some other guys out deep in the Anvil area but they had walked out from the east side.
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Kent,
I don't want to sound like your mother....but please be careful on the ice. I would like to go sturgeon fishing with you again!!!
Rob
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Bob, I would like to go sturgeon fishing again with you also, wish we could get this ice melted so that we could get back up there. Wonder if there are sturgeon in heaven, or that other place?
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