NAW

Well, I haven't posted a report in a long time. So, I'm gunna spend a few minutes typing here. Fell free to skip my rambling, and just look at some pic of the season Crappie so far!!

2014 has been a rough year for me. Some of the guys here know my deal. I don't want to get in to the fine details. But basically, I decided to leave a very toxic relationship with my wife. Had to sell everything, and start from scratch. But I have a new girlfriend, and some blinding lights at the end of the tunnel!!

So enough with the old, and on with the new right.

A new ice fishing season that is!!!!

The weather has been funky this year. But I have a lake that's "local" which tents to lock up early, and ride out the warm crap. I went out 3 weeks ago, and there was 5.5" is some spots. Thinnest was 3.5". It was a solo trip, and I showed up at 11:30, fished for an hour, and went home with 2 slabs. I have only fished this lake a few times, but I have a really good feeling about it. So my plan was to hit it a few times this year early season, and really put some time in trying to find some spots.

I went back with Jeremy84, on Christmas eve. Fished the morning, in the rain. Left with 25 decent fish. Found out that my new girlfriend LOVES fresh pan fried Crappie. She actually asked if next time, she can just sit on the counter and eat them as they come out of the pan!! My kind of woman!!!!

Fishing in the rain was interesting. There was 4" of snow that melted fast, and lots of rain coming down. So the water was just pouring down the holes like a funnel, like a toilet bowl. White foam swirling around in the hole.. All the crap washing down the hole was causing interference on my fish finder. But we got in to some fun action, so it was well worth it! And a morning on the ice with Jeremy is always fun. He's a classy character to say the least!! Crazy enough, there was up to 7" of clear black ice in some spots. Thinnest was 5.5".

It was warm all week, and not good ice weather. I went back today with Livinisfishin (Jay). The ice took a beating. On average, it was 2" thinner. But still safe. We worked the schools all morning before figuring them out. I ended the day with 17 keepers, and a bunch threw back. It was a prefect day out there. The weather was great. And Jay was slammin the fish, and having a blast! It's always fun seeing big slabs being hoisted with ultra light rods.

There's only a few days now before the real fishing season starts. But I have enough crappie in the freezer for 3 meals, and my jigging itch has been officially scratched!!! I think my next outing will be an evening pickerel fish next weekend.

I few from my first outing, in the pan.

3 weeks ago. 4.5" solid black, Somewhere in Simcoe County

Re-stocking at Cabalas

The haul when I was out with Jeremy84 on Xmas Eve

Nothing big. But still with the old elblow lock pose.

The boy is growing like a weed!

Morning warmth

My tackle all rusted. So I spend 2 hours washing it. Bought a new waterproof tackle box to stop that from happening again.

The haul from this morning. The biggest was just shy of 11".

Couple pound of meat. Some for lunch tomorrow, and some for later this season.

One a side note. I bought a ice transducer for my humminbird 565. $120 at Cabalas. $90 at canadian tire. Exact same unit. Cabalas also does not carry waterproof tackle bins.... I am actually not happy with their fishing section at all.

Hopefully my next report will be some big old early season muskoka pickerel!!!

Wups... Douplicate reply.....

Don't be afraid to move around a bunch if your not marking much. I like the 30'depth.

Tis the season.

Every year, my fishing/hunting partner do a small gift exchange. That is the only fishing related gift I get. Every year, its something different. My favourite was a few years back, he made me a real slick gaff. Which bounced off the quad later that season....

I am interested in trying a Simcoe herring. I've had Nippising herring before, but wasn't a big fan.

The ones on Simcoe are long and skinny compared to the fatties on Nip.

Wicked!!

I am trying to plan my first trout outing for Jan 3 or 4th.

Posts like this make me eager!!

Wicked report man!!

Pics never do hills any justice. That one looked like a tough slug! But well worth it eh!

Yep! The season has begun!!

Glad you guys got out!

Some pics.

Just a few dink crappie. Then some snowman building in the back yard!!!

Hey Brian, I sold the golf and have an older awd ford escape. No issues running all the way down that road...! No more hitching rides with Terry!

well, to stick with Old Ironmakers theme! My spud pole got his cherry popped for this years Ice fishing season!!

Poked a few holes, caught enough crappie for a small snack.

I got invited to see the trews last minute. So I didn't leave the house until about 10..

Solid 4" of black ice. There was guys running sleds up there on the ice already!

Yep. Lots of snow!! maybe a wee tad to much snow in the last 24 hours.

I had about a foot of snow in my driveway last night.

I've got some free time Saturday morning (which is a rare thing). I was thinking about going to check some ice conditions. Southern Muskoka area.

This snow will not help things at all. But I've got some quiet back bays that are sheltered from the normal prevailing winds. They usually ice up early, and stays tight through the warm stuff.

Anyone else gunna go out for a poke this weekend? (in this area that is.. I know you northerners are already driving trucks on the ice...)

It's highly unlikely, but I may be able to creep out for some Crappies..

Oh ya, I was fishing on a miserable, cold, snowing day on a quiet lake that I have never seen anyone on in that area in the winter, ever... I iced a PB eye (for that lake).. And broke out in to a screaming happy dance, only to spin around to see a cross country skiier less than 50 yard away!!! So I showed him my fish!!

Oh boy, where do I start!

I backed in my 14' tinner. Went and parked, locked the car, came back to realize there was no Plug. I have never backed a trailer in to the water to fast in my life!! The plug was at my house, and the boat was full of water, so I un-hooked the trailer and left it at the launch to drain while I drove home to get the plug. I lived just around the corner from the launch...

I have also dropped my brand new LED mag light down the hole while ice fishing at night. Spend an hour trying to jig it up.. 20 FOW, so I could see the light on the entire time... (is that illegal??)

Trailered my sled up to go crappie fishing one cold winter day, and realized after pulling the sled off the trailer, that I forgot my winter boots at home, so I fished the entire day in running shoes. I wrapped a towel around my feet to keep warm.

I had latches on the inside and outside of my hut door. And the inside latch some how bounced in to the lock position when trailering behind my sled. So I had to lift my hut up, then carefully walk under the hut, line my body up with the hole in the floor, and slowly let it down on myself. Good thing my hut is light!

There's more, I just can't remember them all.

Man, your dog looks fit. I doubt he will ever turn in to one of the fat rolly polly labs if you keep up with the morning runs!

I can't paste the link here for some reason.

Just Google.. "Steel Panther" - "The best Christmas song ever"

Just a fantastic song about filling stockings!!

2014 has been a complete rollercoaster for me. I basically flipped my life upside-down. (Sold my car, Sold my house, Quit my job, Divorced my wife, and now I have some medical issues likely due to the ridiculous amount of stress I'm under.....)

But I did buy a kayak last year!! Of coarse I only fished out of it 2 times...

Next year I would really like to pick up a used quad for ice fishing. But that's wishful thinking considering my current situation.

Wicked report man!

I'll be out on some SAR missions my self soon! I heard there are some missing Crappies in Muskoka somewhere...

The fisher was less than 5' away from him! Shooting straight down the tree at the fishers face! It really was an rare occasion, and he made a great shot. A little sad though, but a great shot none the less!

Here's one of my neighbour holding one. He's 5-10 175lbs....

For a sense of scale.

Sorry for the crappy pic quality.

Photo bucket is blocked on my work computer.

My buddy had one at the base of his tree stand that wouldn't go away despite him yelling at it. It kept coming up the tree toward him. Then back down, then back up. Getting closer and closer each time.

So he poked it....

Sorry for the graphic pic. Hope it doesn't offend anyone.

I know it's illegal to kill a fisher. But this one was acting wild, and these little buggers got sharp teeth!!!!

That's what I thought too Sinker. Marten are smaller.

If my computer wasn't jammed up right now, and not able to access some of my photos, I would post a pic of me old neighbour holding a fisher so you can get a real sense of scale! They are actually pretty big.

The screaming noise the make.. Makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck! I used to hear them all the time when I lived in the bush.