Clampet Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 Saturday Jan 20 2007 10:00 Am went out and verified that there was between 3" to 5" of clear blue ice on the Sturgeon River on Minihaha Bay, which is close to our OFC site owner TJ's home! Because it was -22 C, we decided to wait till 3:30 PM b4 going back to fish. This way we would avoid standing around all day advertising our presence to other would be ice anglers, and also spare our fingers and toes from the fridgid temps. I'l tell ya, it was difficult for me to be patient that long. I just wanted to get out there, but waiting made sense. So we headed out. Here is a pic of the open river in the background, under the train tressle, look familiar TJ? Chopping a hole through 4" of ice was very easy with a standard ice chisel. We also used an 8" auger, which required 12-13 turns of the handle to bore through While there we were entertained by some cowboy coming up the open river with one of them fan boats, who proceeded to propel himself onto the ice and head for the boat ramp where 3 hopefull anglers were waiting. Unfortunately the jet boat got stuck when it got close to the landing. It took them till dark to get unstuck, and make his way back from whence he came. . Me: Between the 3 of us, I was the only one who caught our only Walleye for the afternoon, a nice 15.75' er, that was exactly below the slot size (16 inches). My buds were glad that I caught it, since I travelled so far. . Well, that's it. Have to say it was pretty exciting to see my friend Peter Potvin tied around the waste with a rope, with Charly Desbois walking 20 feet behind him, while Peter checked the ice with the ice spud every 10 feet or so. I brought up the rear . Interesting, too, was the fact that the ice got thinner halfway to our destination (2.5") because of the river current in Minihaha Bay. By the time we got to wher we fished, the ice was about 4-5 ". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccmtcanada Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 Great report! It's nice to see some fishies this time of year. Sounds like you guys had a blast out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishindevil Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 way to go clampet,and friends ,thats the kind of report we have been waiting to see,looks like a winter wonderland up there,very nice scenery pics, and im glad you got a nice keeper,that walleye will sure be tasty..thanks for the great ice fishin report. cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carp Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 Thanks for the report and pics Clampet. Nice that you got out, but walking on 2.5 inches of ice is just a wee bit too adventurous for my liking. I actually don't venture out on foot unless there's at least 5/6 inches and I usually follow someone who is heavier than me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceguy Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 Nice Pic's. Love the wintery looking sunshine in the photo's. The only good thing about thin ice is the hand augering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clampet Posted January 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 Thanks for the report and pics Clampet. Nice that you got out, but walking on 2.5 inches of ice is just a wee bit too adventurous for my liking. I actually don't venture out on foot unless there's at least 5/6 inches and I usually follow someone who is heavier than me. I hear ya Carp. I really don't care to take them kind of risks, but my friends are more into the scene since they live up there. I can remember years ago being in a truck on 8", and on 4" with a Yamaha ET 250 snowmobile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJQ Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 Nice fish... You must have been the guys that I looked down from the bridge at at when I drove by and warned my kids not to ever immitate. A week before.. they were slaying the pickeral... from boats... theres alot of current in there. I worked for a summer at the marina at the dock when I was a kid (when we had one there). My brother in laws brother fell off that railway bridge and died in there... and one of my best friends younger brother died when he got caught in the undertow right up river from those pictures... personally I avoid that area like the plague... I'm glad to see you didn't got to close to the edge.. ice thickness is tricky there because of the current from the dam.. I've seen guys 20-30' from the edge last year.. I won't be on the water up here for at least another week... I remember the day you were out though. nice and cold!! Tell Charly I said hi!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clampet Posted January 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 My brother in laws brother fell off that railway bridge and died in there... and one of my best friends younger brother died when he got caught in the undertow right up river from those pictures... Tell Charly I said hi!! TJ I did not know about that mishap, I am sorry to hear that. I just got off the phone with Charly, and they went back today and got three more Pickerel, about the same size, 14-15". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike the Pike Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 Nice to see it getting started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattyk Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 nice report and cool pics. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snag Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 Nice one Clampet! I must say you look nothing like your avatar though! How'd that beauty taste? Great pics too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerritt Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 (edited) nice report thanks for sharing man!!.... hey notice the fan boat says "rescue" on it ?? also has the federal government badge sounds like they were the ones in need of rescue! LOL Gerritt. Edited January 22, 2007 by Gerritt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joey Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 Thanks for the report. Nice to see, although that ice is not quite thick enough for me just yet. Soon tho Joey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clampet Posted January 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 Joey, B4 returning, I brought my wife there since it was very accessible. She is very fearfull of water, but I coaxed her out onto the ice for a short walk so she could see where we checked the ice thickness. Of coarse by then those holes had frozen over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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