This should be fun. Temperature right now is 23 below. Forecast for tomorrow is 26 above. 1-3 inches of snow later tonight, winds 30 with gusts to 60.
Cold,clear, but nearly calm after work so I snuck in a short ice-fishing trip about a mile off shore for shee-fish. I promised my house-watcher in Soldotna some when I go down this weekend.
Caught 8, threw 4 smaller ones back, brought home 4 from about 14 to 20 lbs. Fished about 40 minutes, and got lucky on size - anything bigger wouldn't have fit through that 8" hole I found, already icing in around the top. I don't have an auger here, so have to depend on charity or finds.
Bigger fish were there- the couple fishing about 20 feet away had fresh 10 inch holes drilled and each had several 30 pounders on the ice, as well as a dozen or so smaller ones. The limit is 10, but no one pays that any mind.
I limit myself to 4 or 5. I found the first time that 7 is too many to butcher and vacuum pack at once. Tonight's were butchered and put out on the porch to partially freeze. Frozen or surface frozen makes vacuum packing much neater and less slimey. They have been out there again -vac-packed- for the last hour or so- should be frozen through by now and ready for the cooler.
Then bed for me. I'm gone.
