When Opportunity Passes By

[Joey]

With the ice fishing season coming to a rapid end and knowing Paul is on call this weekend, we both asked and got the day off today to go fishing for whities and lakers. Neither of us had caught a whitie before, but after taking notes from Chuck and Shelley recently, we were very hopeful.

 

We were on the lake by 8 a.m. and I made note of the solunar tables in the Thursday paper. AM major was to start at 9:45. At 9:50 I had a fish on. It was a great battle too, this fish peeled line, a few times. I did manage to get her to the hole tho. We did not have a gaf but paul braved the water and stuck his hand down and grabbed it by the gill, even though the hook was right at the side of the lip and he could have easily gotten hooked himself.

 

So here she is, my first ever white :thumbsup:

 

 

Paul had at least 15 fish on....... and then off all day. He was getting very discouraged. I was in my hut staying warm when he had yelled fish on and actually had it on for quite some time. I went over to inspect and he had it right at the hole, then the hook got stuck in the ice and it was fish off. It was quite sad really

 

I went back to my hut and decided to change lures. After I tied on I was letting the lure go down to the bottom and was almost there and I notice this whitie slowly swimming by at the bottom of my hole. Damned suspended fish, it was obscuring my view I flipped out, whipped up my sleeve and by instinct grabbed it by the tail. It was slippery and tried to give me the slip and at one point I only had the thinest part of the tail in between my finger and thumb, but pulled back quickly, grabbed it by the tail and hoisted her out. I was flabbergasted. I had bare handed caught a whitie in 80 FOW

 

I yelled out, "Hey Paul, I think I just caught your lost fish, by hand." Paul could only chuckle about it for the rest of the afternoon and said only I could pull something like that off. Unfortunately, my whole arm was now soaked and my hat also fell into the water in my unbridled enthusiasm. No sweat, just cranked up the Mr. Heater and draped my sweatshirt sleeve over the chair and let it dry.

 

Paul ended up finally getting his first whitie also a short time later and we were really glad we decided to take the day off and go fishing.

 

At around 3 p.m. I informed him we had to go as I was to be at my mom's for dinner tonight and he says "Oh, just one more fish." And then went oh well and started reeling in fast to get packed up. Well, halfway up the hole his rod bends over and its fish on. We assumed it was a laker and we were right. Now only Paul could pull that off

 

Here are Paul's two fish for the day.

 

 

 

My other whitie

 

 

Our "took the day off" catches of the day.

 

 

Cheers,

 

Joey

Edited March 7, 2008 by Joey

[fatherof3]

great report,congrats on the fish

[TJQ]

Awesome good for you baby!!! (paul too... sort of...)

[ChrisK]

Nice mess of fish Joey !!

Looks like you and Paul had a great day for it...

 

Cheers !!

[huntervasili]

WTG to ya both Joey and Paul!

[danc]

Too cool Joey. Great report and story!!

[medmart]

Great report joey congrats to you and paul on your first white fish nice way to spend the day

 

rob

[Greencoachdog]

OMG!!! Grabbed it by the dang' tail!!! Unbelievable!!!

 

Great report and pics!!! Congrats to you and Paul on your first Whitefish!

 

That's one of the best looking Lakers I've seen come out of Simcoe, nice and fat!

 

I call the reeling up fast from the bottom like Paul did the "Sucker Punch", it works well on Red Snappers while deep sea fishing.

 

 

 

 

Grabbed it by the tail!

[Bernie]

Hey Joey way to go! Bare handing a fish? Is that legal? Looked like a great day to be out on the lake!

[fishnsled]

What a great day off!!! Congrats to the both of you!

[Chuck Best]

WTG.....Now that you both have caught decent fish through the ice,the rest will be easy......and now you've opened your own can of worms....lol....TC and tight lines......Chuck.....

[Mike the Pike]

WTG Joey and Paul nice looking bunch of fish and you both look so happy.

 

Now don't forget the Gaff next time it prevents wet arm

 

[Spiel]

....Rats, if'n I hadn't been working I know you would have taken me. Nice job on the fishies.

[Roy]

Some really fine looking fish there guys. The weather didn't look too bad there either. By the tail you say? Why does that not surprise me....

Glad you were both able to get the day and enjoy it together.

[Dano]

Wow, noodling whities, girl, you are something else! Great report Joey, congrats on your first whities...

[Terry]

WOW

sounds like a heck of a day

 

Paul catching fish on the ice......the gods were being kind that day...LOL

 

 

nice going guys

[Big Cliff]

Wonderful report! So glad to see you both got fish and enjoyed your day off.

[ccmtcanada]

What a great report! Congrats Joey (yeah, and Tybo too). Sounded like a very eventful and fun day. Catching a fish by hand...that would have been a sight to see! Your reports this winter almost makes me want to ice fish more....almost.....LOL Great job out there...thanks for yet another great report.

[b2kptbo]

Beauty report, nice haul...

[John]

Great report Joey, thanks...

[Headhunter]

Congrats Joey and Paul! You guys put your time in and you were handsomely rewarded! Paul owes you lunch!

HH

[snag]

Hey Joey,

 

Can i have your gear?

 

You clearly don't need it!

[douG]

What Snag said. What are you doing wasting that $ on tackle?

 

Great story, Joanne, congrats to you and Paul.

[Roy]

Just never turn your back on Joanne 'Eagle Claw' Cambridge.

[mattyk]

Thanks for the report!