I try to get out ice fishing four or five times a winter. I have grown to like it - and the social aspect of the ice fishing clan even appeals to my somewhat of a loner personality.
Well day before yesterday I was invited out by my main Elk Hunting partner for a day of fishing.
Well actually it only took a few hours and we had landed 20 fish (released 13 of them) including 18 Rainbow Trout, one Brown trout and one Fresh Water Ling (Burbot).
Normally I don't keep any fish I catch all year but the winter fish on this lake are every bit as delicious as Steelhead trout so I kept my limit of 3 fish choosing to keep the largest ones - which measured 21" to 22".
The highlight of the day though was my partner catching a 29" Rainbow that indeed looked like a Steelhead.
He was so tickled with it he intruded on the ice house next to ours and borrowed their "De-Liar" fish scale and weighed it - it came in at 5 pounds 9 ounces!
I mean that was a war getting that dandy big trout up through the ice hole.
We used mostly bait and maggots on tiny jigs to catch them - but I did catch 3 on a jigged Kast-Master (silver) in 10 1/2 feet of water.
Ice was 15" deep/thick so I felt somewhat at ease (safe).
Wife and I had baked Rainbow Trout for dinner tonight and it was excellent.
I can E-mail pictures to anyone interested.
Great way to spend the day!
Hope to get out another time or two this winter.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
