02-19-2009, 04:29 AM
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] My father, son and myself arrived at Ririe about 9:15 a.m. intent on ice fishing. Road from main highway to reservoir was partially drifted over from Tuesday's snow storm from blowing snow overnight. Happened to take a pickup and was glad as my car would have high centered on the road. Straight out and due west about 100 yards was two groups of fisherman totalling about 8 fishermen. One group was in to a school of kokanee and landing several as we walked over to watch the action. They just about hall had their limits. Nice fat thick fish running about 10 to 11 inches with a small koke or two about 5 to 6" inches landed and returned. Counted about 25 fishermen scattered from the landing up to the dam and most fishing on the east side.
We headed up the lake and over to the west side and fished about 40 yards off shore. Very small bunches of kokanee coming through about every 45 minutes. Picked up a kokanee or two each time but seemed like fish moved through with lightening speed as action only last 45 seconds to two minutes and then fish were gone. This happened several times. Finally about 2:00 p.m. a big school came through with twenty minutes of action that was great. Using red and white rubber jigs and pink paddle bugs with a metal attracter (spoon with no hook 8" up ther line). I caught two kokes at the same time on a double jig spreader rig. That was awesome. We also caught one 8" fine-spotted Snake River cutthroat. Saw three bald eagles with one feeding on the ice and the other two gliding thru the air together. All total kept 16 nice fat kokanees and one trout between the three of us and let two other kokanee go and lost several more at the holes. Fished between 12 and 20 feet down for the kokes where the fishfinder marked them. No perch tho.
DeeCee
I ice fish not because I like the cold but because it is the only time of year I can impress my wife, by walking on water.
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We headed up the lake and over to the west side and fished about 40 yards off shore. Very small bunches of kokanee coming through about every 45 minutes. Picked up a kokanee or two each time but seemed like fish moved through with lightening speed as action only last 45 seconds to two minutes and then fish were gone. This happened several times. Finally about 2:00 p.m. a big school came through with twenty minutes of action that was great. Using red and white rubber jigs and pink paddle bugs with a metal attracter (spoon with no hook 8" up ther line). I caught two kokes at the same time on a double jig spreader rig. That was awesome. We also caught one 8" fine-spotted Snake River cutthroat. Saw three bald eagles with one feeding on the ice and the other two gliding thru the air together. All total kept 16 nice fat kokanees and one trout between the three of us and let two other kokanee go and lost several more at the holes. Fished between 12 and 20 feet down for the kokes where the fishfinder marked them. No perch tho.
DeeCee
I ice fish not because I like the cold but because it is the only time of year I can impress my wife, by walking on water.
[signature]