Still "Hardwater tubin'"

[TubeDude]

[cool][#ff0000]I didn't want my fellow tubeaholics thinking I have abandoned my post, so thought I would copy and paste two ice fishing reports I put up on the Utah board in the last few days...from Friday and then Sunday. Two really different results.[/#ff0000]
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[#ff0000]2/24/06[/#ff0000]
[font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][#0000ff]Probably not much need to post this. I guess we were on Candid Camera all day. Hope you got my best side. Actually, I don't think I have one.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I think I was the designated driller this morning. First a couple of young men show up that thought they were going to get to fish off the PWC ramp in open water. They only got to toss a few Ocean's augers (rocks) out there and decided it was not feasible. They meekly asked TubeBabe and I how thick the ice was and if there were any holes from yesterday that were still open. One of them was about to pee down both legs he was so scared being out on the ice for the first time.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]TubeDude to the rescue. Drilled them a couple of holes off the ramp, where the trout action has been good and got them set up to fish for troutskis. Hope they did well. We left them an extra ice scoop to keep the holes cleaned out and they left it on our car when they left before we did.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We started in 50 feet of water and were seeing fish both near the bottom and about 18 feet. TubeBabe scored the first three fish. First a trout, then a perch, then another trout. I figured to give her a head start.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Another gentleman (I think) came over to ask if we had a tool he could use to change the blades on his hand auger. After he got them changed he proceded to make ice shavings a few feet away from us. The auger just wasn't "cutting it". When he asked how much I would charge to drill a couple of holes for him, I invited him over to where we were fishing and drilled a couple in the same zone TubeBabe had been getting her fish. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I had only a couple of bumps, in between drilling duty. When the fish went away on the sonar screen, I packed up and headed across the lake. Pretty stout hike for an old fat guy. I looked at the bank contours and tried to estimate where there might be a hump or breakline. I drilled one hole, dropped down and wham. Nice perch. Same on the next four drops. I yelled at TubeBabe to join me. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I Swiss cheesed the area and we stayed in that spot from about 9:30 AM to almost 4 PM. Almost constant action. Depth was from 25 feet to 38 feet. There was some structure on the bottom but TubeBabe only lost one rig and I got free from the two snags I had.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The past two trips to Rock Cliffs were slow by comparison. We had to fish in over 50 feet of water and the bite was slow and soft, on small stuff. Tough duty. Not today. Those fish were hammering our larger jigging spoons and bait bugs. I started using my 1/4 oz. fire tiger "perch urchin" and a piece of perch meat. Some of the strikes were vicious. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]When the bite on heavier stuff slowed down, I brought out my new "tiger jig", a fire tiger pattern bait bug. I caught most of my fish on that, with perch meat. Forget wax worms today. All I caught on waxies were a couple of chubs, a rainbow and some small perch. The bigger perch and trout wanted perch meat, lit up on the fire tiger jig.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Fishing in shallower water, the small perch could be released and dive to the bottom okay. No air bladder problems. I only kept about 30 to 35 of the 100 or so perch I caught, and TubeBabe probably kept another 25 or so. She probably caught the largest perch, at a little over 12".[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I lost a big rainbow, about 4 pounds, as I tried to slide it up on the ice. I also lost one brown before it got its head in the hole, and another while I was trying to get the lip gripper into its clamped jaws.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I did land three brown...chubs...all about 12". Those uglies ate those tiger jigs just like the trout and perch.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Ice conditions: 3" of snow over 4" of frozen slush over 8" of solid ice. It is going to be warm the next few days, but that ice ain't goin' south too soon. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The guys fishing nearer the ramps were catching lots of trout by dropping down about 15 to 20 feet, over deeper water. The trout went through constantly on the sonar.[/#0000ff]
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[#ff0000]2/28/06[/#ff0000]
[font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][#0000ff]There was a strong BFT showing in the congregation of the Hailstone chapel of the Church of the Seventh Day Angler. But, there was more praying than fishing being done. The fish were just not as playful today.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Pikeman and Da Bomb were just ahead of TubeBabe and I, as the first in the parking lot. They loaded up their wheeler and sled and headed for a pew far far away. We opted to return to the area we had been so blessed on Friday. Unfortunately, the fish had moved out. We only saw a few fish on sonar and fewer on our lines. The ones we did bring in were all smaller than our "throwbacks" of Friday.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]BFT member road showed up mid morning, after attending to home duties. Around noon Geezer came out on his snowmobile, with a couple of other folks, including a young lad. They set up camp, and we heard loud whoops from the boy as he scored a couple of perch. I heard from Geezer that the kid was enjoying watching the fish on the underwater camera more than fishing for them.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Sometime around two, as we were contemplating leaving the ice to the freshening cool breeze, Bigpapafish and his young boy Nathan came up and introduced themselves all around. Good to meet so many new faces. They headed east down the shore and we do not know how they did.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I managed to bring up over 30 perch, all small, and 4 rainbows. Kept two. TubeBabe caught quite a few small perch. We both landed huge chubs. Pikeman reported that his team also beat up on some huge chubs in the area they first fished.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We were going to leave by 2:30. At 2:29 TubeBabe's little ice stick bent double and she got busy. After a touch and go battle she iced a nice 20 inch brown. Got it on a new perch pattern roadrunner I had made the night before. It gave her top rod honors for the day....AGAIN.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Since Friday a big pressure ridge has opened up across the north end of the lake, east to west, beginning at the end of the long point to the northwest of the ramp. Might be careful if you run your machines out there.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]PWC ramp is still iced up. Stayed cool and a tad breezy today, but there is a big open spot out by the island now. Won't be long with the warm temps.[/#0000ff]
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[smallmouth89]

Yep, that's the only option available up here in Ontario, Canada. Maybe I should relocate to Ontario, California. My flyfishing companion has traded his long rods for those little 2 foot jobs with the mini coffee grinders on them. He's getting perch, pike and walleye through the ice up at his brother's place in North Bay, Ontario. I may have to join him soon but I don't have one of those expensive floatation/survival suits. Maybe I should sit in my Fat Cat at the edge of the hole. If the ice gives way my neoprenes and tube should help me survive. (Come to think of it who needs a survival suit?) If you look at this in a positive light I'd be helping to " break the ice" for fellow tubers.
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[JapanRon]

Hi there TubeDude,

Great report. I'm becoming more intrigued with this ice fishing thing. Saw a couple of programs on it and think it might be a fun thing to do as long as you were dressed right and had you along to drill the holes! []

Seeing their fishfinders reminded me I had one of the first model Fish-lo-cators that LLowarnce ever made. Sold it 39 years ago!

Seriously ... those little special tips on the rods are very familiar as they use a similar system in Japan. The have some rod models with three different tips they can use depending on the bobber they use.

Some of their specialty rigs are built for 10 oz test line and go all the way up to 2 pound test.

Anywho ...... great job on those little perchys.

JapanRon
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[johan-p]

great report tube dude

i was thinking that it was here cold but if i see you ''wow''
because of the weather here i did less fishing
the last time was 2 weeks ago, it was a great day
i catch this big male trout witch was 1 of the 9 fish


i hope spring come soon here
i cant wait to go fishing whit the pontoon again

johan

***added pic for you***T2
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[smallmouth89]

Nice one Johan,
Are you from the Netherlands? Is that a brackish water rainbow?
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[johan-p]

yes you are all the way right
brackish water rainbow from the netherlands ''oostvoornsemeer''
the most awesome place to fish for big trout over here

for me its a two hour car drive but i love the place and try to get there two times a month

this one i catch last summer a big brownie from the same water

johan
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Those are beautiful fish, my friend. It would seem to be worth the long drive.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Hopefully it will not be too long until you can take your pontoon out to play again.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Thanks for sharing your pictures.[/#0000ff]
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[smallmouth89]

Johan,

My wife's parents are Dutch. I guess if I ever make it over there I will have to pack my flyrod. Those are very nice fish.

Tube,

What do you think of my "icebreaking strategy"? Do you do something like that to bridge the gap between the hard and soft water seasons?
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[tubeN2]

That's a nice fish bro. It must have put up a good fight.

I added the picture into your post for you. I hope you don't mind.[cool]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Define "strategy", and tell me how it differs from "desperation".[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Man, the silly stuff we come up with while waiting for soft water. I guess I am worser. I actually go out on that stuff and chant for warm weather.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Good thinking, though.[/#0000ff]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Our heartfelt condolences. We all feel your pain...double pain. Not only must you suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous weather, you get hit in the budget for something you would really rather not have to buy. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Life sometimes seems unfair...but considering the alternative....[/#0000ff]
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[tubeN2]

I won't rub anything in bro. It is wierd how it works from one area to another. Just before the rains started here in so Cal, I had to fork out some dough to get my AC working again.

I know your pain. Yours is cold pain, mine is heat pain.[unsure]
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[smallmouth89]

[size 1][#0000ff]Life sometimes seems unfair...but considering the alternative....[/#0000ff] [/size]

Amen to that sentiment. Right now I'm sitting in the basement on the computer listening to a furnace that has chosen that alternative. He's still groaning away but he's 20 years old and is just waiting for the "grim reaper" to show up and make the official announcement. They tell me they have a 24 hour callback policy. I hope they get here before this stubborn piece of machinery decides to expire before help arrives. It's damn cold outside!
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