01-15-2023, 10:12 PM
(01-15-2023, 05:32 AM)Jmorfish Wrote: Been a while since I had anything to report on fishing events (hey, it's been duck season, and just had to get that 1 last bird)..and for a couple weeks now our weather hasn't been conducive to a trek out on the ice...earlier in the week I just decided to look for myself, and hiked down the slope to check the edges...they were fine, very solid..but then we got rain and snow again..weather looked ok for today, so I just went, this time with gear...I figured getting there by 0730 would be ok for parking..Nope, not on this Saturday..all designated parking on the West, the highway side, were full, so my spot, like others before and after me, was the ditch side of the highway..I don't normally go on Saturdays, so maybe it's like this all the time..So yes, there were plenty of people scattered all around, but not many by the dam..ice was a solid 6", and several sno dogs were doing their thing..ingress/egress path was solidly packed for my location...Fishing was just okay for dozens of the dink perch, and only a few of the jumbos..water is up 3' from the last time I was here, about 2 weeks ago..today the perch would not hit a dead stick for me, no matter what I offered them, just the teasing, 'Up and down the ladder' action...My best set was white/red Demon jig with smaller eyeball..and I had limited success with half meal worm, wax worm, spikes, and cut perch belly...I think the slower bite today was because of heavy winds blowing in the next storm...grateful for my red ice shelter today...Guluk...
Good to hear the conditions have improved, too bad all the good spots for parking were taken. If you don't mind me asking ,why didn't you just drive into the park and walk out from one of the spots on that side of the lake?