02-01-2015, 05:53 PM
Was helping my son take a Boy Scout troop fishing. All first timers so we headed to Fish where I knew they could catch some perch and maybe a trout or two. Headed for the north end and got a bit of a surprise - pressure ridges running all over. Lucky for us the east west ridge was running at 25 to 30 ft depths so we able to get to the magic zone of 20 ft but the combination of new snow and water seeping from the ridges turned it a slush fest. Felt like the Berry. Had a couple of inches of water mixed with the snow all day. But with temps in the 40s and no wind, more than happy to deal with slush.
We only caught about 50 perch. Looks like last week's event did a number on them. The trout were willing and plentiful. All the scouts were able to land some trout after a bit of instruction. Almost all rainbows and quite a few nice ones. We used paddlebugs or just plain jigs tipped with either waxies or crawlers. Trout were coming in from 15 ft to the bottom. We left around two which was too early as far as the scouts were concerned. They were asking us if the could go again later this month so I'd call the day a success.
Pressure ridges kept me from trying for lakers. Another party came out shortly after us and were checking the ridge when one them broke thru chest deep. They got him out safe but soaked. I did check Bowery and Twin Creeks and the ice was sound and no slush. A couple of cold days should solve the slush issue on the north end.
[signature]
We only caught about 50 perch. Looks like last week's event did a number on them. The trout were willing and plentiful. All the scouts were able to land some trout after a bit of instruction. Almost all rainbows and quite a few nice ones. We used paddlebugs or just plain jigs tipped with either waxies or crawlers. Trout were coming in from 15 ft to the bottom. We left around two which was too early as far as the scouts were concerned. They were asking us if the could go again later this month so I'd call the day a success.
Pressure ridges kept me from trying for lakers. Another party came out shortly after us and were checking the ridge when one them broke thru chest deep. They got him out safe but soaked. I did check Bowery and Twin Creeks and the ice was sound and no slush. A couple of cold days should solve the slush issue on the north end.
[signature]
