Pinview Jan 14, 2017

[dubob]

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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]Decided to hit Pineview for the night bite yesterday (Sat, 1/14/17). We arrived at the Cemetery Point launch area with enclosed snowmobile trailer in tow at about 3:45 PM. The parking lot was only about 40% cleared and absolutely NO place to park a vehicle with a trailer attached except right at the gate into the lot area. I parked at the gate on the west side and left room for the vehicles behind my trailer with enough room to get out. Hope I didn’t get harsh words for doing so. When we got back around 9:00 PM, there was another truck/trailer park on the east side just outside the gate (in a no parking area) with snowmobile still on the trailer. Didn’t notice if there has a parking citation on the windshield. Hope not.[/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]Launched off the south side with almost no issues other than my track did break through the edge ice. But it kept going with no issues. Smooth ride all the way around the point and back east to tent city. Met the other 3 folks in our party and got set up in three tents. My depth was 48 fow and the other two were closer to 44.[/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]Fish started showing up in the Vex about 5:15PM and had three on the ice by 6. The biggest was 11”. I fished until 8:00 PM and only iced 2 more. The fish would come through on the Vex every 10 to 15 minutes or so, look at my presentation, and move on. Aaaarrrgghh![/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]The other 2 tents produced 7 and 28 crappies, so it wasn’t a total bust, but could have been better for at least 2 of us.[/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]I had forgotten what it can be like on weekends when visiting very popular waters – CROWDED. I won’t make that mistake again any time soon. Week days are much less crowded and parking is always easier.[/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]It’s a shame that a place that is as popular as Pineview isn’t managed for participation by keeping parking areas open year-round. Most, if not all, of the State Parks do an excellent job in this regard. Federal areas, not so much. Strawberry is an exception, but that is because of private money and interest – NOT because of any involvement of the Federal owner. Rant over; stepping down.[/#800000][/font]
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[wyoguy]

Sounds like some tuff going Bob, but at least you caught a few. I assume there was no slush issue, because you never mentioned it. We got to get together and wet our lines in the near future.
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[dubob]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]The slush was frozen to the point that you didn't break through either on foot or on a power sled.[/#800000][/font]
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[Springbuck]

The slush and edge issues were HORRIBLE Thursday night. Really nasty standing there in 7" of water all night. But it was getting colder, E en to the point that getting off the ice at 11: 30 pm was a different experience from getting on at 6:00.

I only caught 6 in that time, BTW. No sonar and was having issues with mobility in the slush and dark with gear.
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