01-29-2016, 10:55 PM
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Got to the water just before dark at about 4:45 and the air temp was 13 degrees ((luckily there was no wind) and located an area that was over 41 FOW. The plan was to catch our limit and depart by 8:30 or 9 at the latest. Got holes drilled, set up and filled the tent, got our rods baited up with a myriad of glowing ice flies all tipped with waxies. Using our finders we dropped our lines down and waited for the bite or even nibble to begin. Finally at about 5:15 we each began to see an occasional fish, but no takers. We decided to eat dinner before we’d be too busy to do so, LOL. Closer to 6 Jil had one nibble but missed it. Jeff’s attention was now tuned in and he caught his.
Game on? After about an hour of Jeff catching one or two more, Jil decided it was time to change her set up. Jeff agreed and even offered to help her out (in case she might be inadvertently ‘scenting’ it). Both of us settled in again, and once again - Jil no bites or nibbles, Jeff catching a few more. Both were feeling this was ridicules so we swapped fishing holes – same results – Jil zero, Jeff a few more on the ice. Then we swapped rods. Again same results – Jil zero, Jeff a few missed bites he put a couple more on the ice. Jil continued to stare at the idle spring bobber, occasionally jigging it a bit while Jeff caught fish. Jeff even watched Jil’s spring bobber and sure enough she really wasn’t getting any nibbles. Like others have said there were so many fish down within 5ft of the bottom that you couldn’t even see your bait once you got it down there, there were also some about 10ft up as well. Finally, at 10:15, we packed it in. The walk back to the truck was a frigid 3 degrees, and luckily still no wind. When we got home, Jil de-scaled while Jeff filleted and once everything was in the freezer we called it a night.
No idea what may have been wrong. The only difference Jeff was using a very light weight and flexible rod while Jil’s was a little stiffer but even swapping rods/holes, it didn’t matter. It apparently was just not Jil’s night. But we’ll be back!
If anyone has an idea of something else we could have done; do let us know.
[font "Times New Roman"] Unti[/font]l next time...
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[font "Times New Roman"] [/font]
Got to the water just before dark at about 4:45 and the air temp was 13 degrees ((luckily there was no wind) and located an area that was over 41 FOW. The plan was to catch our limit and depart by 8:30 or 9 at the latest. Got holes drilled, set up and filled the tent, got our rods baited up with a myriad of glowing ice flies all tipped with waxies. Using our finders we dropped our lines down and waited for the bite or even nibble to begin. Finally at about 5:15 we each began to see an occasional fish, but no takers. We decided to eat dinner before we’d be too busy to do so, LOL. Closer to 6 Jil had one nibble but missed it. Jeff’s attention was now tuned in and he caught his.
Game on? After about an hour of Jeff catching one or two more, Jil decided it was time to change her set up. Jeff agreed and even offered to help her out (in case she might be inadvertently ‘scenting’ it). Both of us settled in again, and once again - Jil no bites or nibbles, Jeff catching a few more. Both were feeling this was ridicules so we swapped fishing holes – same results – Jil zero, Jeff a few more on the ice. Then we swapped rods. Again same results – Jil zero, Jeff a few missed bites he put a couple more on the ice. Jil continued to stare at the idle spring bobber, occasionally jigging it a bit while Jeff caught fish. Jeff even watched Jil’s spring bobber and sure enough she really wasn’t getting any nibbles. Like others have said there were so many fish down within 5ft of the bottom that you couldn’t even see your bait once you got it down there, there were also some about 10ft up as well. Finally, at 10:15, we packed it in. The walk back to the truck was a frigid 3 degrees, and luckily still no wind. When we got home, Jil de-scaled while Jeff filleted and once everything was in the freezer we called it a night.
No idea what may have been wrong. The only difference Jeff was using a very light weight and flexible rod while Jil’s was a little stiffer but even swapping rods/holes, it didn’t matter. It apparently was just not Jil’s night. But we’ll be back!
If anyone has an idea of something else we could have done; do let us know.
[font "Times New Roman"] Unti[/font]l next time...
[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"] [/font]