Ice fishing on Georgian Bay.

[irishfield]

Had a PM from Krawler a few days back asking about ice conditions on the bay. Told him that I knew sleds where doing the Penetang Bay to Honey Harbour route safely... but.. "why don't we just check it out together"! Invited Terry to join us this morning.. but mother nature had other ideas and Terry turned around and headed home before getting too far North due to zero visibility on the 400 and salvaged his day with a trip to Simcoe.

 

I ran the roads from home and got down to the place that I'd picked out to meet Krawler, on the lake, about 8:20 and drilled my first hole. 3 feet.. what... is my Lowrance playing tricks again. Usually takes a bit to warm up and find bottom.. nope still reading 3 feet.. stick a shelter pole down.. yep 3 feet!

 

Move out a bit and find 27 feet... Krawler arrives about 8:55 and we drill a few more holes and get to the task at hand.

 

Not ten minutes later the finder has gone from a blank screen to a few fish being marked and FISH ON for Krawler.

 

 

Nice eye that we didn't even measure. Down the hole it went. Pretty sure it was in the 16" to 22" slot.

 

 

..and no I didn't "blur" the background... that was the visibility today !

 

 

Next up.. some huge perch each...

 

 

 

Screen just full of fish.. finicky fish..

 

 

Krawler coaxed another to bite.. hoping pickeral..but nope fish food.

 

 

Krawler had to go around 2 to pack up the cottage and get on down the 400 and I stuck it out for another hour and a half or so. Screen full of fish.. heater on...went thru just about everything in my tackle box and nadda.

 

 

Great day on the ice no matter how you look at it. We had planned on heading out into deep water for lakers (80 to 100 FOW), but considering we could barely see 300/400 feet... and all machine tracks were drifted in... we didn't feel up to taking the chance of finding thin ice while making our own new trail. We'll leave that for another, sunny, day.

 

FYI... LOTS of slush out there for anyone heading out.

[Terry]

good to see you guys made it out and got fish

[ciceri]

i thought that was you, i ripped by you guys a few times today. Out by that frozen ice.

Edited January 19, 2009 by Ciceri

[irishfield]

i thought that was you, i ripped by you guys a few times today. Out by that frozen ice.

 

 

You should have stopped in for a visit and to check the bite.... out by that frozen ice ! LOL

[ciceri]

i was actually thinking of trying that frozen ice yesterday, but i went riding instead, had to break motor in a bit.

[walleyemaster]

nice report wayne and nice fish....

[trapshooter]

Is that a chubby darter Wayne? I caught a whitie on one today.

Edited January 19, 2009 by BenBeattie

[irishfield]

In my perch's mouth Ben.. YES! My thought was the 'eyes were obviously eating perch... put on something that looks like a perch. Damn cannibals !

[Joey]

Great report Wayne. I've never fished G'bay.

 

3 Feet of water, hahahaha, that's classic.

 

Looks like you had the same visability we did.

 

Joey

[irishfield]

I've never fished G'bay.

 

Well we'll have to fix that. If not sooner a fall Musky hunt!

 

3 Feet of water, hahahaha, that's classic.

Would have been fine on a BROOKIE lake ! lol

[Joey]

Well we'll have to fix that. If not sooner a fall Musky hunt!

 

 

DEAL!!!

[Leecher]

Great report and pics Wayne

Looks like you guys had a good time out there considering the miserable weather

 

Thanks for sharing

Leechman

[BassAsin]

good report wayne! that potrable looks nice and warm even on a day like that!

[Sinker]

Good on ya's for getting out. It was a miserable day here. I would have gone too.......but that thing called work got in the way.......again!!!

 

Thanks for the report!

 

Sinker

[medmart]

Great report Wayne to bad the weather was not a bit better

[solopaddler]

Good job Wayne! Do many people ice fish that area?

[irishfield]

Mike LOTS of huts... but they all pretty much stick to the very inner bays where we get early ice. We were out a fair bit onto GBay.. didn't see anyone else using or towing a portable... but then again we could only see 400 feet at best ! LOL

[Moosebunk]

Cool Wayne. Surely there are days I wish I invested in a portable too. Could be out there now. Certainly are the only way to beat some of the weather we've had. Looks like ya did alright on a tougher bite day.

[Rich]

Good stuff! I have also never heard of people ice fishing G'Bay but always wondered what it would be like.

 

Might have to go give it a shot one time this winter.

[LeXXington]

Nice, just hate it when you know the fish are down there and laughing at you.

[camillj]

Looks like a good day out there Wayne

 

 

geesh I guess I havent been out on the bay chasing wallerals for wayyyy tooooo long ... I completely forgot there was a slot

 

I often wondered how the little village out off Waubashene was making out - on what I would have thought was scary ice (what with all the current coming out of Matchedash and Port Servern converging right there ) - I am guessing you were nowhere near them ?

[irishfield]

Looks like a good day out there Wayne

geesh I guess I havent been out on the bay chasing wallerals for wayyyy tooooo long ... I completely forgot there was a slot

 

I often wondered how the little village out off Waubashene was making out - on what I would have thought was scary ice (what with all the current coming out of Matchedash and Port Servern converging right there ) - I am guessing you were nowhere near them ?

 

No where near there Jon. I fly over that spot sometimes and shake my head when there are huts 50 feet from open water.....but apparently a pretty safe spot.... if you know where you are going of course.