Decided to try the stocked rainbows again

[tjsa]

What a night, for some reason could not get to sleep at all, had a 2 hr. nap friday aft. and got up at 6 pm. Needed a coffee, and that probably did it to me. Went to bed at 9:30, and although I rested, I may have gotten 1 hrs. sleep at best. Alarm goes off at 5 am, bud shows up at 6 am, and off we go for the 2 hr. drive. 1/2 hr. walk in wearing our mustang Ice Ryder jackets because of the previous weeks melt, not needed fortunately. With the rain last sunday, and the temps going down to -10C, and highs near 0C, the lake was locked up pretty good. Still, had my ice picks around my neck, as I had a 50 lb. pack on me, towing my pulk.

There was 18 inches of ice, 3 inches on top solid, then a 6 inch slush layer, the rest solid. This lake had open holes on it the weekend before.

Got in just after 9 am and drilled holes, setting up lines, and before I could even drill my 2nd hole, my bud gets a hit. Ran over to help, but he lost the fish. Pulls the line up to check the bait, still there, drops it back down. I start my 2nd hole, and the fish is back within 30 seconds, and my camera is still in my pack on shore. He gets that one.

I still do not have my 2nd line set yet

 

 

Finally got my 2nd line set, and started getting gear, and wood together for the shore fire. My bud continues to drill more holes, I did not, just didn't want to after not getting much sleep. Hard to see, but it was blowing pretty good, around 20K out of the NW, and light snow coming down.

 

I was still concentrating on the shore fire stuff(I'm hungry, haven't eaten anything since 2 pm the day before), my bud breaks out the jigging rod, and yells got one. Grab the camera, and he has it out of the hole and unhooked before I get there, but a nice chunky one, released.

 

So, I go remove the blowing snow slush from my holes, walking back to shore to do more fire preparation, and what do you know, my stick starts bouncing(whooda thunk, lol).

Fish takes it good, and the fight is on. I had no chance of losing this fish unless the line broke, it was down the gullet.

 

I now have a fresh egg supply for steelhead season, if we get any rain. All the fish we have caught in the 2 trips here have been females for some reason.

 

Our 2 keepers so far, bookends really, but mine on the bottom is just a bit chunkier.

 

Back I go to shore, to prepare for the fire, and to get my jigging rod set up, and my bud hooks into another one on the set line.

Its a smaller one, different year class, released. Thats a Salmo Chubby Darter in its yap, chartreuse and silver in colour.

I am finally jigging now, and my bud gets ANOTHER ONE on, another smaller year class one.

 

I now miss a subtle hit, and the action slows for a bit, so we put the set lines back down, and start the sawing and chopping of wood. Almost get the fire started, and one of my buds set lines goes down. But, nothing there when we got to it.

Fire is started, and getting pretty good, I am attending to it and my bud jigs again, and hooks another one.

He keeps this one.

 

Fire is going, sausages are roasting, and one of my buds set lines goes down AGAIN!!!!

Coming out of the hole, another smaller year class fish.

The release.

 

All this happened between 9 am and 11 am, I missed another very hard hit that yanked my jigging rod tip right down to the ice, but another missed fish.

We cooked up some sausage on the fire, me roasting some small pork smokies, along with a couple of deer legion sausage, and kippered herring and sardines in their cans, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!! UUURRPP!!!

 

The wind was supposed to abate, it did, for about 15 minutes, , then came back up, swirling the snow around.

A snow "dust devil".

 

After 11 am, we only had one other hit, on my buds set line, fish took about 10 ft. of line, but let it go. It seemed to coincide with the breaking of the cloud cover, and the sun shone brightly. We stayed for another 1.5 hrs. yakkin, and cooking, cloud came back in, jigged some more, but nothing happened.

 

In all, we landed 6 fish, and missed about 5 or 6, we should have gotten in there sooner, the bite was definatly on early, similar to the last time we were there. Not gonna make that mistake again next year.

 

OK, time to pack up, made sure we had everything this time, as last time here, I dropped my OFC toque on the way out, and had to go back down the hill, and across most of the lake to retrieve it, .

Great, made it out with everything this time.

 

Off we go, get about 6 kms away, and decide to check out access to a stocked splake lake, and just as we are getting near it, a thought comes to my mind.

 

I ask my bud, did you put out the fire?

 

NO!!!....................was going to, but got caught up in packing up, same as me, I also was planning to do it, but got distracted with the packing up procedure

 

Darn, ummmmmm, we let it burn down, and it was barely smoldering,............................but, nah, it shouldn't go anywhere with the snow we have now................but????????

 

Back into the lake we go, not really far, only a 15 minute drive and 10 minute walk in unladen by packs and such, but the fire season is officially in effect right now in this area, so we had better make sure. My bud says he will walk back in this time, takes a shovel with him, in and out in 20 minutes. The fire was indeed dead, like we thought it would be, but we had to be sure.

 

On our way back to town, we checked out access to a lake we have wanted to get into, a new cut is really close to it, sure enough, its only about 100 yds. to the lake, so we now have another lake to try this summer. With that detour, we got back at 6 pm, refilled the truck, split costs, and I finally got home around 6:30. Put all my gear away, and by 7 pm, am sipping on a beer, realizing I have been awake basically for 25 hrs. straight.

 

So, gotta log onto OFC to see whats happening, along with checking out the Masters tournament.

Logged into chat also, Nipissing came in, and we chatted for about an hour, he left, then a bleep comes over my speakers, and Ohiofisherman is there, but now, I am crashing big time, and only chatted with Paul for about 15 minutes. Had to go to bed.

 

After 8 hrs. of GLORIOUS DEEP SLEEP, I am finally able to make a post about yesterday,

[solopaddler]

Stocked or not those are some nice looking trout to catch through the ice, and a beautiful backdrop to boot. Way to go, great report!

[lew]

Thanks Tom, that was an excellent read, I always enjoy your stories from up there

 

I dunno how the heck you can concentrate on fish'n though with all those butterflies flying around

[mepps]

great job!

[Big Cliff]

That is criminal!

 

Can I come fish with you someday

 

I lived in Elliot Lake many years ago and experienced some of the best ice fishing ever in my life but I'm not sure it was quite up to those levels LOL.

 

Wonderful report, thanks for sharing!

[Bernie]

Hey Tom....Great fishing, great report!! Glad to see you finally got a little shuteye. After being out on the ice for the day I dont know how you managed to stay up that long.

[danc]

Sweet looking fish and a fantastic report Tom. Until your last report at this lake, I wasn't aware that there were stocked Rainbows in the area. They'd fill a frying pan nicely. Too bad you fell asleep so early last night though. You missed the best COPS episode of the year.

[tjsa]

Thanks Tom, that was an excellent read, I always enjoy your stories from up there

 

I dunno how the heck you can concentrate on fish'n though with all those butterflies flying around

 

the butterfly's are just a part of the image resizer program, no other choice unfortunately. I can change the copyright date, but the butterfly is there for good.

 

Unless Rick can tell me how to hack it, then I could use a trout, or walleye.

[tjsa]

Sweet looking fish and a fantastic report Tom. Until your last report at this lake, I wasn't aware that there were stocked Rainbows in the area. They'd fill a frying pan nicely. Too bad you fell asleep so early last night though. You missed the best COPS episode of the year.

 

I saw the first 20 minutes of COPS last night Dan, what happened??????

I was changing between the leafs game, COPS, and the re-run of the Masters on TSN, along with being in the chat room,

[irishfield]

Another beauty report Tom....a wonderful part of the Province you live in without a doubt!

 

As for sleep...it's overated! Especially before a fishing trip...

[The Urban Fisherman]

best report I've read in a while! THANKS

 

UF

[Spiel]

.....Super outing Tom and those are some great looking bows. Good on you and your Bud for going back and checking on the fire.

[Bojangles]

best COPS episode of the year

 

Officer: Have you ever been arrested for selling crack?

 

Crack dealer: No.

 

Officer: Have you ever been to jail for selling crack?

 

Crack dealer: Yeah.

[Whopper]

Good report Tom!

Thanks for sharing, now about all that ice..........

 

 

Whopper

Edited April 8, 2007 by Whopper

[GbayGiant]

Nice rose red cheeks on those ones, thanks for the report.

[fishindevil]

Thanks for the awsome report ....and those great pics. ..the colors on those rainbows are incredible...and they are really nice sized fish too,and im glad the fire was out,and that you didnt get skunked..thanks for sharing your trip with us....cheers

[Joey]

Holy rainbow Tom, what a great report.

 

Joey

[ccmtcanada]

Wow!!! Great report Tom! Some great looking colours on those fish there!

[Daplumma]

Good report Tom.You go there to fish or take pictures?

Joe

[Rattletrap2]

Great report Tom. Those are some fantastic looking trout. WTG!

[Clampet]

Kind of report I like.

Good pics taken.

The fish are very nice.

The wood on the campfire looks a little on a the green side.

Much smoke?

[Mike the Pike]

Great report Tom I really enjoyed that.Don't worry you should be able to use the boat by July that should be Ice out up there .Up in Northbay there were no signs of spring this weekend.

[canadian_copper]

beauty fish and report bro

[BryceBurzynski]

Nice report!

[Minnow]

Nice fish , great read!