04-04-2013, 08:24 PM
After a VERY sparse number of ice fishing trips this Winter, I was really looking forward to heading to Deer Creek on Wed and see if my boat still floats, maybe get a few tugs at our lines - and most importantly some time with my son. I got my wish. Hopefully what follows is useful.
When we got to the island ramp about 11:30 the lake was as smooth as glass. Water temp averaged 49 for the day.
Talked to some folks just getting off the water that did well. A few large ones, and a bunch in the 12" range. The friendly fellow said black and red were the right colors, and he trolled just under 2 mph in the same area I'd intended to. I also talked to a frustrated tooner getting off the water and he said he got no love at all flinging his flies. I mentioned the other folks did well. "They had downriggers" he responded.
With this in mind, we rigged up and trolled over to the West side and found a half a dozen boats joining us. I picked up a footlong bow on a black rooster tail spinner. I picked up another fat 16 incher on the same shortly following, closer to the shore. It was the largest of the day. It was a nice fish, but as to the fisherman - I've seen better mugs on catfish... [:p]
[inline DCbow.jpg]
Catching was hit and miss along the West side for a couple hours, then the clouds darkened and it started to rain. Change in the action called for a change of plan, so we switched to white and our rods got bent some more. But when the sun came out again, we had to go back to black.
Later in the afternoon the sonar suggested the fish were moving deeper, so we switched to some black, white, and gold Raps. That worked. It's amazing how small fish will sometimes go for big lures! We spared them the indignity and settled for pictures of big mountains instead.[inline timp.jpg]
The fish were pretty spread out. But well to the North of the lake we picked up fish from 6"-10" on every pass in an area 100-200 yards off shore where the bottom was flat. As they say, "Go figure..."
I'd like to say that there was some consistency, but we caught fish anywhere in 15-30 feet of water and suspended in depths that of about that same amount. However, if we trolled at 1.5 mph it was like there were no fish in the lake, same thing at faster than 2.5 mph. But 2 mph was juuuust right! That is, as long as you were dragging your offerings at the right depth! It was simply a matter of moving around enough and experimenting. We never got a bite when we tried by the island.
I've heard from a number of folk that one of the Deer Creek quirks is to fish early or late in the day. But my experience proved again that it's simply a matter of finding where they are and what they want. That day, we were fortunate with our guesses. It wasn't the fastest action in the world, but I'll take what we got happily!
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When we got to the island ramp about 11:30 the lake was as smooth as glass. Water temp averaged 49 for the day.
Talked to some folks just getting off the water that did well. A few large ones, and a bunch in the 12" range. The friendly fellow said black and red were the right colors, and he trolled just under 2 mph in the same area I'd intended to. I also talked to a frustrated tooner getting off the water and he said he got no love at all flinging his flies. I mentioned the other folks did well. "They had downriggers" he responded.
With this in mind, we rigged up and trolled over to the West side and found a half a dozen boats joining us. I picked up a footlong bow on a black rooster tail spinner. I picked up another fat 16 incher on the same shortly following, closer to the shore. It was the largest of the day. It was a nice fish, but as to the fisherman - I've seen better mugs on catfish... [:p]
[inline DCbow.jpg]
Catching was hit and miss along the West side for a couple hours, then the clouds darkened and it started to rain. Change in the action called for a change of plan, so we switched to white and our rods got bent some more. But when the sun came out again, we had to go back to black.
Later in the afternoon the sonar suggested the fish were moving deeper, so we switched to some black, white, and gold Raps. That worked. It's amazing how small fish will sometimes go for big lures! We spared them the indignity and settled for pictures of big mountains instead.[inline timp.jpg]
The fish were pretty spread out. But well to the North of the lake we picked up fish from 6"-10" on every pass in an area 100-200 yards off shore where the bottom was flat. As they say, "Go figure..."
I'd like to say that there was some consistency, but we caught fish anywhere in 15-30 feet of water and suspended in depths that of about that same amount. However, if we trolled at 1.5 mph it was like there were no fish in the lake, same thing at faster than 2.5 mph. But 2 mph was juuuust right! That is, as long as you were dragging your offerings at the right depth! It was simply a matter of moving around enough and experimenting. We never got a bite when we tried by the island.
I've heard from a number of folk that one of the Deer Creek quirks is to fish early or late in the day. But my experience proved again that it's simply a matter of finding where they are and what they want. That day, we were fortunate with our guesses. It wasn't the fastest action in the world, but I'll take what we got happily!
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] DC seemed like the best option to catch SOMEthing, at least until other places get more "ready." And once in a while I do really well there. Like anywhere, the more familiar I get with a lake in different conditions, the better I do.
...) UL will only get better as it warms. One o' these days, I would love to have you show me the ropes at something "whiskery" up north. [
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