MLK on DC with Parker

It was a cold morning!!  Famous last words, we won't need the tent today!  It was cold and the wind made it that much colder!!  Bluebird day though not a cloud in the sky.  Got a great sunrise.  Fishing wasn't quite as hot as Thursday but still caught 12.  We holed all 12 but lines would break just as we were lifting them out.  Parker had the hot holes today caught the majority of the fish.  I caught a couple and the last one.  Again the hot ticket was white tube jig and worm, a couple on the rat finky w/shrimp or wax worm.  Got one on the green paddle bug with a meal worm.  The worms!  Were frozen, Parker says, do we need worms?  No, I said......another famous line for the day.  We finally got them out of the container after I put them in my armpit for about an hour.  Other than it being a lot colder than anticipated it was a good day on DC.  Rainbow bay again out by the buoy’s.

Mud Creek II

Mud Creek was more productive today.  Wasn't even intending on going there.  Was going to meet up with Craig and Gary out in the narrows.  Got a late start and took even longer to get on the road.  Got to the lake around 8:30 and the marina was packed!!  Went back to Mud Creek figuring I would just go across from the north.  Started out through the bay got about 1/4 mile into and broke through slush buried the sled in ice and water, kept going and broke through again in short bit and figured if it was going to be that out across there, which Craig said he had broken through a number of times, I wasn't chancing it alone, stopped set up camp.  Got lines in the water and in about 10 minutes the first Cutt showed up hit the green paddle bug and meal worm. 

Got the second line with a white tube jig and worm and got a rainbow in about 15 minutes.  Nothing came along for the green the rest of the day.  The white tube and worm was productive.  Then I lost it as it got wrapped around my other line and snapped, fish are smart.  Re-tied and got it back in and it turned off.  Moved to a different location closer to the shore but produced nothing.  Had a couple more hits back at camp 1.  I watched another camp with snowmobiles going back in and they were breaking through the slush and almost rolled two of their sleds.  That is when I decided to go in, it was noon and it slowed way down.  Broke camp and went to pull in the poles and another big rainbow decided to join me topside, hit the pink ratfinky with shrimp.  It was about 20 inches, good girth.  That was a good one to end on!!  Beautiful day and lots of scouts in the bay.  I was not alone.  Didn't set the tent to nice of a day.

Rainbow Bay Solo

Today started off slow slept in and just hung out for a few.  Decided to go hit the ice about 8 am.  Went to Deer Creek in Rainbow Bay.  Got out on the ice about 9 and started to set camp.

Pulled the auger out of the sled the Choke switch fell in the bottom of the sled!  I thought oh great!!  But I did get it started and ran okay for not being able to control the choke.  Put in 2 holes and set up for a while there.  Only one other person in the Bay.  I sat there for probably a half hour seen nothing on the flasher.  Moved out beyond the buoy’s in deeper water and found them.  First hole produced in 5 minutes!!  That is when I figured out I left the bait bag at home.  No meals, wax nothing.  I thought again great!!  But I had a couple on other hooks and kept the hole going for 3-4 more and then they were gone.  Luckily the other guy on the ice, Dan Bell, was kind enough to give me a couple night crawlers.  He had a couple on top but not getting as many.  I told him the best investment I made was the flasher!   Went back put a piece of worm on and the fun got funner!  That is when things started going crazy they were hitting hard and fast.  White tube and worm was the ticket and choice of the day.  

 Fished until noon started breaking down camp and got to my last pole with the tube and worm and just as I was picking it up BAM!  A nice hit and fight ensued.  Got it out of the hole and it was the best of the day.  Sort a felt like it was saying have a great day come back soon!!  All bows like I say mainly planters but 3-4 were descent sized and the last was a sweet DC Bow football.  Bluebird day, no tent which was great.  Outside of the auger incident it was a perfect day, if I hadn’t left the bait home I would not have used worms, they have never worked for me before through the ice, glad Dan was there to bail me out and feed my addiction.  A cool dozen decked, didn't miss any today, I am figuring out the flasher and loving it!!

Solo Trip to DC

Went out solo this morning into Rainbow bay.  The ice at the edge was not good and I broke through a couple times but finally found an okay place to get on the ice.  Once out on the hard deck it was 8 inches thick, no worries.  Got my first hole cut by 6:30ish and had the first fish on top in about 5 minutes.  I thought here we go, lock and load.  Had three topside before the sun hit camp.  After that it slowed down.  Got one more out of the hole and then around 10 am it shut off.  I had one more hit, a tap, and then BAM!  It took the whole rig just snapped 6lb test like nothing.  Oh well I know where it resides, LOL.  Good morning the fog rolled in right after I got on the ice made for a real cool look on the ice.  There were quite a few other people in the bay.  Nice to have DC frozen makes for quick easy trips.  The main marina is still wide open however, from sailboat beach to the Wallsburg inlet out around the island.

Horse Creek Bay

The White Abyss

 

Camp

Parker and I ventured into the Great White Abyss today and went into Horse Creek Bay.  It is about 3 miles from the marina.  It was snowy!  The roads going into the marina were pretty sketchy.  We loaded up and headed for the free territory and made camp.  We were the only ones in that area.  Glad the CanAm is running good.  We cut 3 holes and immediately were getting hits.  The hits were extremely soft.  Our flasher was working great and showing us when they were there.  I finally hooked up a small native, must have been out of the creek.  Again tons of hits but no hook ups or they were getting off before we decked them.  Parker finally landed a dusy!  We were both celebrating this one, he was a nice sized Cutthroat around 20-21 inches we figure.  Since Parker couldn't keep a hold of him long enough to measure or take pictures.....LOL.  We stayed another 30 minutes and no hits just turned off after that.  We went back to the marina got hot chocolate and was deciding to go back out or not.  Craig and Gary were in the narrows, claiming they were slaying them.  We decided to get a bite to eat...lol.  The food at the marina is good, fresh and large.  We decided then that Parker needed to head for home, we loaded up and made it for home the roads were much better than the morning.  Got home and had to clean and dry everything!!  The poor CanAm is going to take a while to clear out all the snow it collected.   Great day on the ice today and always good to catch a couple.

Is there anybody out there 

Parker sportin the beard

Small bow probably from the creek it was a native.

Day one @ Soldier Creek

 First day of fishing for 2014.  Started out thinking of hitting Currant Creek Res. but they have no easy access for old men with bad knees and ankles.  Beautiful ride up the canyon however!  I went back to Soldier Creek having never ice fished there.  I stopped in the first pullout along with a couple other vehicles and went into the first bay by the highway.  Drilled 2 holes and had a fish on in 3 minutes.  I thought WOO HOO it's gonna be fast and furious.  Nope just kidding, next one didn't hit for another half hour and I was looking at another place when it did hit, almost lost the pole.  It was a nice football sized Rainbow great colors and a hook jaw.  Stayed there for another hour and got a couple hits but nothing decked.  Moved to my other hole that I cut earlier and sunk my lines there, about a half hour went by and finally got a good hit and landed a bigger decent sized Cutt.  All were returned.  Camp one was in 5 ft. of water and the fish were 3 ft.  Camp two was in 25 ft. of water and the fish were suspended at about 12 ft.  The morning was overcast and breezy, but by midday the sun was out and it was a Bluebird Day!  The first little Bow was about 12 inches and tiny, the second was a nice male with great colors as mentioned, the third was a nice sized Cutthroat but definitely inside the slot.  Slow but a great day out in the sun. 

Mud Creek @ Strawberry

 Went into the Mud Creek bay today and got 3 right off the bat in the morning but by 9:30 it shut off.  I had my new flasher running and it worked great.  Didn't take long to figure how to make it work and it adjusted easily for the different depths.  I moved around after it shut down.  The fish were suspended again in 10-15 ft of water.  No one was really on fire in Mud Creek.  I followed a guy out that said he only fishes there and I didn't see him pull one in.   I don't know if I will venture back to Mud Creek.  But it was a little overcast mornin by noon the wind came up and I called it a day and headed home.  Great day none the less I was outside enjoying the day.