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Doug & a buddy, hit the ice, on Saturday;

Nice! Still waiting on the weather here. 🙄

I did get out a couple hours one morning a couple weeks ago, but that was a total fluke of a cold snap, and the ice was completely gone again within a couple days.



It will probably be another 3-4 weeks down here before we're solid... I'm on the very tail end of the ice belt, so when and how long we get ice is extremely variable year to year

Some nice slabs there. No hard water here yet.

Oh yeah, so good !!!

I love the transition from shanty to plate 🤤

My local water is starting to freeze, but it's going to be a bit yet.

Tell me more about how that walleye was prepared, please.

Hey Scott,

Dredged in seasoned corn starch, onion powder, sweet & smoked paprika.

Pan fried in a little sesame oil, blended with grape seed oil & a decent knob of butter.

Rice from rice cooker, water replaced with coconut milk.

Finished with green onions & thai sweet chili sauce.

That sounds really tasty. Thanks for the recipe.

I stepped onto my local lake this evening after work. It's too thin to fish, but I'm excited that it's frozen over.

I went to by some sweet chili sauce yesterday $4.95 a bottle, last year it was $2.20 a bottle, unbelievable!

Great on Chicken too.

Has ice fishing become an arms race by anyone else? The average ice fisherman has a ranger and an ice castle behind his HD or SD pickup to catch bluegills. I'm like, seriously? I still prefer a schooley on a bucket. Good luck to everyone

I use a DX portable to keep my hands/feet warm anytime it's real windy or below about 20°, but I haul it in the back of a hatchback car, and I use Schooleys for most of my gill fishing. Picture from last season in January.



I agree, though... in general the amount of gear people haul onto the ice has seems to have increased at an exponential rate since I was a kid.

No ice here atm, but we have a big long cold snap forecast starting Friday, so I should be pond hopping by the middle of next week.

I never seem to think of crappie as a fish you find "up north". I used to catch them regularly downstate in central Michigan, but they're hard to find up here. My dad and I caught the first and second crappie I've ever seen come out of my local water over labor day weekend this year. Heck, I didn't even know there were any in this lake.

Another delicious looking plate, pal!

What are you using to "batter" those fillets?

Fine dining as one would expect from your presentations.

Howdy Louis,

Walleye;
Dredged in seasoned corn starch, onion powder, sweet & smoked paprika.

Pan fried in a little sesame oil, blended with grape seed oil & a decent knob of butter.

Rice from rice cooker, water replaced with coconut milk.

Finished with green onions & thai sweet chili sauce.

Crappie;
Not this exact bag/product, but a bagged tempura batter mix I grabbed at Safeway, when grabbing the coen torts & avocados


Made with a really cold lager beer !

It was amazing !

Scott, yeah, they are non-native / invasive species that someone planted - pretty common now.

Being invasive, our MNR decided on "generous" bag limits, 10 on most lakes & 15 on a few !

Is there a size limit? Here in Michigan, there's no minimum size limit and the daily take is 25. None of our panfish - perch, bluegill, crappie, white bass, etc., have a minimum size limit.

My local water has a healthy population of bluegill and pumpkinseeds. Back in July I started trolling for them with ultralight equipment and caught some really nice ones including 3 pumpkinseeds and 1 'gill that qualified for master angler awards. Trolling for them in 3-5 feet of water has become my new favorite tactic for panfishing.

Great stuff and great eats! Very nice!

We're supposed to be having some really cold weather moving in (highs in the teens next week), looking forward to getting out on the ice!

No size limits here, for the crappie, either Scott.

Paul, I wish the Crappy's would bite in the summer.

We finally have safe ice on some lakes here in southern Wisconsin. My Dad with the biggest bluegill from today.

That's a really nice 'gill !!

Don't get them up here, yellow perch & black crappie, are our pan fish.

Nice Indeed!

they do in Iowa year aroung

Actually, they do up here to.

You just have to know where & how, as it's not like walleye fishing.

I got around and went ice fishing today. It was a gorgeous day and the fish were very willing to play.

New 2 99s: My partner and I hit the Clark Canyon Reservoir Friday before last and I caught just one fish but it was a firm fleshed dandy rainbow Trout of 20" and weighed just over 3 pounds. ice was 21" thick and it was 10 degrees below zero (high for that day). Partner caught a small Brown Trout which he put back then ended the day with a Rainbow twin of mine.
Thanks for sharing those great pictures by the way - making me hungry.

19352012: I am an amateur ice fisherman and have only been at it for 25 years now (go 3 - 4 times a year).
And the amazing electronics, fish finders and underwater cameras in use nowadays does get my attention. My fishing partner just bought another battery operated ice auger and it set him back $725.00 (no sales tax in Montana) we bungee it to a Honda 4x4 with all four wheels chained to get out to the ice shack - that is complete with a mini-bar, a mini-library, two propane powered heaters - one large and one small and a food and hot water heating mini-stove - and we sit on swiveling cushioned adjustable office chairs!
No bucket sitting for me anymore.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I stopped in the bait shop to pick up more Northland impulse mayflys which is a little plastic critter I was using for bait. Turns out they were discontinued a couple 3 years ago. The fish love them but I guess the fishermen didn't. I will have to find something else. Powerbait is made right in Spirit Lake and they should have something that works.

Spent a couple of relaxing days, on the ice, over the break, with Doug & my buddy, Joe !

Colour me vert with envy Paul.

Had a big old warmup blow in the middle of last week and melt all our ice. I was fishing on 7" of ice 7 days ago.... all open water today. It's 62° right now.

Those are some nice walleyes. Bet they tasted great.

Mmmmm;



They sure did !

I’ve been surprised by the results we get using gulp alive. Waxies, and minnows.

I still haven't been icefishing this winter. I should have gone over Christmas, but didn't get a chance to. Now our ice is pretty questionable. I'm hoping that the cooler temps that have arrived will firm it back up for the weekend.

You could by a mold and make them yourself or start tying them up.

Wishing you good weather & luck, Scott !

Thank you. Looks like I should be able to get on the ice this weekend. 🙂

I miss going up to the Angle. Haven't been for a few years.Made it fifteen or so years in a row. The drive got to be too much in January

What flavor sauce 99…?

Osky

Thai sweet chili, Mate, with lemon juice added, to thin down a bit.

Got out yesterday for the first time this season. A buddy and I joined the tournament on the lake right near my house. Fishing was slow and pressure was high with 197 competitors on a 2,000 acre lake.

I ended up catching the 2nd place walleye, pretty much in the last moments of time we had left. We had to pack and race to the weigh-in, where I was surprised to find that my fish even placed.

It was a fun, but tiring day, with good company.

Sounds like a great day congrats on the walleye. 👍

Great stuff Scott !!!

Where is all your snow ?

Went to the hard shack again, with Joe & Judy.

Girls playing Crib between bites;



Bite was slow, but we managed 8 walleye.

Turned 'em into these;



Life, does not suck !

We've had 2 very big snows, but both times it melted off. The snowmobilers are crying. Thankfully I only use mine for fishing and there was enough scattered patches of snow on the ice to keep the sled cooled.

Zero ice by me! And up by my place in NE WI, shanties left out on the ice there was are sinking fast!

Finally getting on some ice, for the first time, tomorrow. Between the warmer weather, and all the life that's been happening, haven't been able to get out. But things have settled down and it's been cold! Place is primarily a panfish area with the occasional northern going through. Have my Strikemaster and Marcum batteries all charged up and propane bottles for the Buddy heater. Hoping for a nice fish fry this Friday!

Good luck today, Mate.

Stay safe & get after 'em !

We have to talk. If you don’t mind sharing the details some of those fish combos would be fun to do for my fly in groups this summer.

Osky

Finally got a 2nd round of fishable ice here starting Tuesday. The bite after work was solid, but it was a dinkathon. Yesterday afternoon was a lot slower, but the fish were better sized.

I'm hitting it again after work today, because looking ahead at the forecast the ice will be shot by Sunday or Monday. It's been a pretty lousy winter for ice down here.


Good luck out there today 👍

Any time Mate !

NICE !

Too cold for this old fella, but Doug went out on Saturday, 2 of them got their 20 Crappie, in 3 hours !



Pretty good size, too ! That's a size 12 snow boot.

Coulor me vert with envy Paul! An'Two Thumbs UP!!

Some nice slabs.

Got an invite to Doug's, last night, for crappie tacos n beer;





We raised him right !

I've only been out twice this winter. 😔

I just picked up a nice, used air cooled sled as an ice-fishing machine. Looking forward to getting out this weekend and using it and getting on some fish, hopefully crappie and maybe some walters.

Love my 550 fan !

We did okay, at least the ice was pretty good from this cold spell after the warm weather we've been having. Gill, some Crappie and some pretty good sized Perch came up through the ice. But it only lasted a couple days, got warm again. Made it out this past Monday and by the time we came in, the ice was like walking on a trampoline and I was hoping I wouldn't be field testing my flotation suit! I managed enough fish for a nice fish fry (working on pictures) but it looks like the ice fishing "season" is over around here for now, 40° and rain takes care of ice pretty fast.

Just let my 550 fan RMK go. Super sled, the guy is very happy with it.

Osky

Been pretty dry for me here in southern Wi but I was able to get this pike yesterday and made some tacos.

Right on Mate !

Pretty good day on the ice for Doug, Joe & I.

3 limits of crappie (30) & some bonus perch.

Good size too !

How thick is the ice Paul?

About 2' +, Richard.

I got out on Sunday with my buddy. We were targeting cisco in an 80' basin where we occasionally pick up a walleye. We both caught a bunch of cisco and he got a 22" walleye, while I lost a really nice walleye in the 26-28 inch range at the hole after bringinghim up from around75' down. What a heart breaker.

Bummer Scott, but a good day, on the cisco !

Season is over here... this winter has been freakishly warm. Local ice was all completely gone by the end of last week, and it has been in the 50s every day since Friday. ☹️

Last Saturday we had some Wisconsin surf n turf for dinner. Grilled up some venison back straps and a nice Northern we puled up through the ice in the Sturgeon Bay, WI area (sorry, no pictures, was too busy eatin!). No more ice here in NE IL, as zcm82 said, been warm, windy and rainy.

Got after them again, Saturday.

Joe & I only, so limit was 20. Way slower than last week, 20 took 4 hours.

Largest crappie was 13.5".

2 Bonus perch & 1 walleye.

I about got blowed off of Clark canyon resivoir in my otter lodge.

Only caught one burbot.

I saw a bunch of “ bugs” in the water.

A person next to my house caught 4 rainbows during the day.

He said 17 swam by

He claims the more you jig/ flash/ colors the more the fish scurry away.

6 pound test, plain hook, 1/4 a night crawler, no weight, no swivel.

Just leave it be.

I better bring a book to read if I go again.

Just think how small your tackle box could become?

Sunday was supposed to be the calmer of the 2 days over the past weekend. I determined that was a lie, but went out on my local lake anyway.

Gusts of 30+ made it rough to set up my hub, but the sunshine and 40⁰F temps made it more bearable. I didn't find any walleye or crappie, but did get a couple pike, including a PB that I failed to get pictures of before I released it.

I did get a fun picture of a pike staring at my underwater camera and another colorful pic of a smaller pike that got a mouthful of Rippin'Rap.

Yeah, it was windy !!!

About 3 hours in, I was ruing the decision to not put the sleigh tent up !!

In my defense, I figured we'd be done in 2 hours, like last weekend !

Joe, Doug & I headed out on Eagle lake, on Saturday, & we got 12 walleye (3 person limit);



Joe & I got 20 crappie (2 person limit), 3 walleye & a perch, on Sunday;



Tempura battered crappie;

Walleye and pike season ended last Wednesday, but my buddy and I hate to let go of a good thing, so we were out again today, chasing cisco. They're considered bait/forage fish by the state and trash by many fishermen, but we have a blast fishing for them, and they're not bad eating, being in the whitefish family.

Today I was trying out my first self-built custom rod, and I was happy to catch a bunch of fish on it. It handled the fish well, and it was fun to catch fish on the equivalent to a successful hunt with a gun or ammo you built yourself.

The short winter fishing season is winding down, but I think another trip or 2 can still be had, then it's time for the long rods.

Always fun catching fish on stuff you make. Even the small ones. Looks like the weather is holding out to still have ice for ya. No ice in my neck of the woods it was warmer last month for us. Just starting to get the gear ready for opening day of trout then to Muskie.

What region are you in SL?

I've never really targeted muskie, but I guess I should. There's plenty of opportunity around me for catching them.

We might get 1 more weekend on the ice, which is good, because I need to get some Sta-bil in the tank of my snowmobile and get it sloshed around before putting it away for the year.

I was hoping to do that today, but the wind is even worse today than it was yesterday. Hopefully I can get out next weekend and run the machine around a bit and maybe see if I can find the small population of crappie that inhabit this lake. That would put the icing on the 2022/2023 ice season.

From the NE side. I caught a pike threw the ice once it was a blast. Couldn’t imagine seeing a big Muskie coming through. Not really a big ice fisherman as I don’t own any gear. But I do get out with some buddies here and there only if we get some ice.

Just got back from cruising the Caribbean & Mexico !

Little cool here, lol !

Doug & a buddy, got a couple of dandies, while we were gone !!!





Little bit of wildlife, on the trail, going in;

Saturday;







Sunday;







It's good to be us !

When you say NE, is that New England or NE side of Michigan?

New recipe tried !

Deb made Parmesan crusted crappie fillets, man were they good !





Cheers;

I meant the North east side of the states. From PA.

Last kick of the cat, as walleye closes this week, till 3rd Saturday in May !







Been a real good ice season, for us !

I'd like to place a take-out order. 😀

Walleye opener is a week and a half away for me, and for once, I'm pretty much ready. The warm weather we had last week destroyed our ice within 3-4 days and I was able to get my boat out on Saturday. Water surface temps were already surprisingly high at 51-58 degrees. That's crazy for a lake that had safe ice a week before.

I spent a few hours poking around in the dark, spotting spawning walleyes in the shallows and just generally enjoying the last warm weather for a couple of weeks.

I hear you Scott, Thursday, prior to Easter, we still had 3 feet of snow in the yard.

By Easter Monday evening, I had grass showing.

Covered again now, got another foot Sunday/Monday.

Melting fast though.

Well be small boat/small lake for opener on the 20th.

Big boat, big water, a couple of weeks later.

Good luck, Mate !

Bump for Badger - Mostly Eagle Lake !!

Yes!!!

It was the second terrible winter in a row for ice down here. We only had walkable ice for about 10 days back in January during a cold snap where it was down below 0 for 3-4 days in a row.

I got out 8 times between 1/15 and 1/26. Caught a lot of fish, but they were mostly little dinker gills.

Doug & a couple of buddies, had a good day Saturday !







So, we're having fresh walleye tonight !!