Tibblefork Reservoir

[doggonefishin]

I have ice fished Tibble several times and it can be a lot of fun. The "springs" though are a legitimate concern however. There are 2 that tend to appear in the same place each year. The first is right near the outflow and is probably not a spring at all, but a function of the dam outflow. The thin ice tends to extend out a good ways past what it looks like it should. You can go from safe ice to 1-2 inches, fast. The second bad one is near the North side of the dam and often will communicate with the small creek that dumps in there by the dam. I've seen tubers sled off the dam and get into thin ice real quickly.

If you are approaching the lake from the dam, (as we did when they let us sled there) go in from the middle of the dam and carefully drill test holes out a ways. Once you get into 6-7 ft of water safely, the fish will be there. Better yet, it is usually safer and easier to approach the lake from the middle of the lake and walk out from there. Usually, the ice in those areas is more uniform and safe. Tibble can be a fun place for kids, as they can tube, sled, ski, and fish but you have to use caution and be in control of the situation. (and if there are doubts, stay off it) Hope this helps.

I'll stay away from the whizzing match regarding the size of fish there, except to say that I did read one reliable report of one brown of 5 lbs being caught there. A rare piscivorous brown would not be surprising, but it should be realized that most fish there are small and rather skinny.
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