Rainbow Ice Report

[Jet]

Seeing as no one is posting any ice fishing reports , (except for Limey and Dave of course!), I figured I'd step up and help get this hardwater season started.

 

Joking aside, I've been hitting the ice since early December and this year has already eclipsed what I accomplished all of last season. Learning new water (and a new province) has taken a lot of miles and legwork but as we all know, that's how you earn the big pay-off.

 

Last year I tried and tried to land a Bull Trout through the ice. I did but it measured all of 25 cm. For those who know me I love ice fishing for Lake Trout (it's tied with Steelhead) and while landing Cutthroats through the ice is fun, it doesn't even compare.

 

So this time I put away the mealworms and went all out all day with jigging spoons. On my first trip I banged out a 5lb Bully in just 12 feet of water. No picture unfortunately so I went back to try and do it again.

 

The Bulls were plentiful with many smaller guys smashing the spoons like this one.

 

 

 

 

My friends son watched from the livingroom window as I ventured out day after day during the Xmas break and the curiosity got the best of him. When I got back one evening this 11-year-old insisted that I take him next time out. Why wait! We set out after dinner to try our luck at night. Seems like these BC trout don't bite too well at night; my finder drew blanks for three hours. But my buddy Weston stuck it out until his eyes got too heavy.

 

 

 

 

The next day he was up at 7:30 a.m. asking his mom if he could go wake me up! Having partied quite hard with the family that night she gave me mercy and made him let me sleep in. We didn't hit the ice until 11:30 a.m. but this time the timing was perfect.

 

Straight off I lost about 3 fish in the first hour. I was concentrating hard to get a fish to keep his attention, but he didn't need it. He fished away lifting the spoon high up and letting it flutter back down over and over. Like most kids he loves to talk and was chatting away when suddenly his story cut short and he was staring straight down. Excitement took over his every word as a Bullie started peeling drag. He learned quickly not to reel against an angry fish and after about four minutes up came his biggest fish ever!

 

 

 

We would go on to miss a few more and I'd land another just a bit smaller. He looked cold as the sun was setting so I told him we can go in anytime he wants. Determined he replied, "30 more minutes." Good thing he did because after 20 minutes a line appeared for a split second on my sonar, raced up and smashed my spoon. While Weston didn't land it, you couldn't tell by looking and right there a new angler was born.

 

 

 

 

 

Both fish helped feed a posse of 12 that night, including his grandparent who were visiting from Ohio. It was truly an amazing day.

 

 

With New Years falling on the weekend I found myself with another day away from the business. So I decided to venture out to a lake that skunked me for all 5 trip I made last season. It holds the legendary strain of Gerrard Rainbows with rumours of 10 pounders lurking beneath the ice. While I didn't get quite that close I did go 8 for 9 and lost many more simply not paying attention to my rod.

 

 

A 360 degree view of my hole.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There I sat in 56.6 feet of water, a very foreign situation for a guy used to fishing for rainbows in the rivers. Most info I found on the Internet suggested shallow water for ice bows and I did that a lot last season with no luck. So I looked around at where other anglers set up and drilled up along the same line. I wasn't sure if I should fish shallow, in the middle or right off bottom. So I watched this one guy off in the distance who just seemed to be catching while no one else was. I got a hit only 20 feet below and thought perhaps that was the right depth. But that mystery angler was letting it go right down to the bottom and every fish he hooked took a good while to reel up.

 

So I put my faith fishing 2 feet off bottom and after 15 minutes the sonar light up. These bows bite lightly. You just leave your rod, wait for the nudge and set the hook. My first fish of the day ended up being a beautiful 54 cm.

 

 

 

And another angle.

 

 

Many more would follow with tug of wars that Rainbows are known for. Hooked at nearly 60 feet down, they often come up easily but when they see the hole they go buck wild ripping line for all they're worth. Some fish I'd think I lost, only to realize it had blasted upward faster than I could reel! Here are a few choice shots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And one for the dinner plate. To my surprise the meat was more orange than the salmon I serve at my restaurant!

 

 

The fishing was amazing and I learned first-hand about one of the main reasons why. I got checked three times by plain-clothed COs and once more on my way home at a roadside stop. It was great to see and I can't wait to go back next week!

 

 

Here's a short video to finish this report.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/84HGb2tP_RQ?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

 

Thanks for reading!

Edited January 5, 2012 by Jet

[Live2fish85]

I envy you. Not only are those fish amazing looking the scenery is even more amazing.

[spincast]

Another great report Jet, thanks. Awesome Christmas present for the lad, good on ya. As Live2Fish85 said - fantastic scenery and some sweet fish there.

[turtle]

Now I know another dream place to fish. Awesome scenery!

[denisk]

awesome stuff

[danbouck]

A 360 degree view of my hole.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jer]

Just looking at the pictures, from the first to the second, you'd think you left the poor lad sleeping out on the ice all night.

 

Beautiful scenery to be on the ice.

[lew]

With scenery like that, it'd still be a great day even if you skunked

 

Really a beautiful place !!

[asdve23rveavwa]

What an awesome post to start my day!!! Thanks, Jet. Truly beautiful out there!!!

[Rustic-Fisher]

One of the best ice reports I've read. Awesome fish !!

[BillM]

That view is worth the price of admission!!!

[EC1]

:clapping:

Great job there buddy! That rainbow sure pulled a lot of drag!

[4x4bassin]

Great report , that is some great landscape don't you think

[carll2]

awesome pics and fish!! reminds me of last year when i was out snowmobiling in the trout lake area...keep em coming

[kickingfrog]

I enjoy all the fishing reports that people take the time to put together. But it is the unique ones like this, in places that I may never get to, that I really savour.

 

Thanks.

[Rod Caster]

Those were some great runs in that video and the background is jaw-dropping beautiful.

 

I can only imagine what you did with the trout for dinner... mmmmmm

[msp]

your living in paradise. nice fish and pics

[asdve23rveavwa]

Just watched the video, again, hooked the Playbook up to the tv. Even more awesome than the first time!!

[MJL]

SWEET!

 

The last few days I've been watching the old vids we took before you moved (actually mostly the ones you took.LOL)...Definitely getting pumped for the hardwater season...I got me some new toys to try out this season

[mike rousseau]

Awesome colors on those fish...

[Leecher]

Wicked report Jet The scenery is breath taking

and the colours on those rainbows... awesome

[Sharkbait22]

Well done. Those bows are beautiful and thrilling. One day I will retire and relocate, and not soon enough.

[BassAsin]

Jet,

 

 

easy , i've been on the ice since early december too just hiding in the shadows though. lol

 

Congrats on some beuty fish and figuring out the bows.

 

scenery, fish and all other pics aside, my fav is the one of Weston holding that bull on the stick, the smile on his face is enough to bring back some memories of my dad and i that define who i am today, Thanks for gettin another outdoorsman hooked on fishing, it is awesome to see.

 

Matt.

[SirCranksalot]

I know some folks here are opposed to showing backgrounds, but I think I can say w/o much fear of contradiction that's not in Ontario at all!!

[jat]

Nice colors and those runs were crazy........good stuff