Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations How did they get it thru the hole?

ice fishing flathead

Wow!! That is awesome on that little rod!! Some good video too!! Way to go guys great job!!

Congrats!

RC

I think my very old "Green Hornet #3" would have had a serious physical and mental breakdown under such conditions. Two pound test line on a cranky old reel, mounted to about a 24-inch green fiberglass rod from the early 60s. It works great with small bluegill and crappie



Dang, it is cold here. We got about 10 inches of snow yesterday. The good part is that it was really easy to plow because it was so darn cold. It only went down to 0 F degrees last night, but it has sure been windy. It has now made it all the way to +7 F, as of 1:00 PM. I have no idea of what the windchill might be.

It is too cold to go measure how much ice the ponds might have here. But, whatever they might be, I ain't going after any under-ice monsters.

It would be great if Cecil could get the job of mounting this thing -- and we could have an ice fishing article about it.

Thanks for posting.

Ken

That would be a good fight! This week has been awesome for me ice fishing also got 2 of my personal best 40in NP and a 13in YP! I let the pike go back and put the perch in my pond! Love ice fishing!!

I had one given to me once by a Wisconsin taxidermist that was in the 40 lb. range. Eventually I pitched it because I needed freezer space, they are PITA to mount, and It being for myself I didn't think it was worth it. Never been that impressed by catfish.

The head is impossible to skin out so it has to be cast. All the fins have to be cast fins due to the grease. And the skin has to be soaked in a solvent to remove the grease.

I've done some really big channel cats for customers but they were paying me. LOL

Good for you. I'll bet they can ice fish quite a ways south this year, but most likely the locals probably don't even want to try it. LOL We have some strip pits in central and southern Indiana that haven't froze over well the last few years. I'll bet they are this year!

Do you know any Baird's in Hicksville? My Uncle Larry Baird lives there. Not sure if Kenny his son does though. I know Hicksville isn't very big just like my town!

Your low and high pretty much matches ours here in Indiana right to the degree.

I look for someone getting nailed by an epic snowstorm this year before all is said and done. Not sure where but...

I hear that both Greene-Sullivan and Shakamak lakes have fishable ice...I'm about 25 miles northeast of there, and I've got the thickest ice I've seen in awhile. Measured 5" this morning on a couple of the ponds.

Hope to hit it real soon.

Sorry Cecil, don't no him but I'm new to this area just moved here in June! But give me time lol! The ice around here is all 8in or more, I even fished a 75acre and 30ft deep reservoir and it was that thick there. Don't see me going fishing for over a week with the very cold temps were getting and going to get!

That's funny you say that. When I first moved to my area every would say, "Do you know so and so?" etc. I'd always have to say , "no I'm not from this area." Now I know a few people but still not that many other than the few hundred customers I've had since I moved here.

Back in the 70's it was nothing to have good ice from December to the end of February around here. Also a snowstorms in March around High School sectional time. Once had a blizzard hit while we were watching a playoff in the gym. Got outside and it was, WTH!

Ken, who is that old guy out there? He really shouldn't be fishing alone...I hope you kept an eye on him. Not safe.

Cecil, I remember catching YP in IIRC late March that were just about ready to spawn. I was catching them in 3' to 4' of water over what used to be a bed of chara.

Open water? When? Recently? Or the 70's?

'70's, fishing thru about 6"-8" of ice. Air temp was above freezing, but there was still a bunch of ice on the lake. It was common then to have cars and trucks on the ice. I remember drilling thru about 36" of ice to fish one year. Dad shortened the handle on the spoon type auger so I could use it and it barely broke thru the ice. Another couple of inches and I would have run out of length on the handle.

This past springtime I was fishing one of our DNR's trophy bluegill lakes when my canoe was rammed by another canoe. It was a young game warden.

He started to give me grief because I wasn't wearing a life vest. I told him politely that was not the law in my size canoe. He gave me other grief. I basically told him to F-off,and told him that if I died while fishing -- that would be a perfect way to go!

I didn't get arrested or ticketed that day.

Sometimes it is good to be "mature" and also to know a lot of the senior DNR folks by being active in our state's aquaculture.

I haven't seen that young man since that day.

Anyway, I don't go out on the ice unless I know it is at least 6 inches thick. I think it was about 8-10 when that photo was taken.

I also had spikes (handles with nails in the ends-- not like the spikes used as bait) in my pockets, tied together with a rope behind my back.

But, thanks for the concern.

LOL - just joshin ya' Ken. Glad you're enjoying a good ice season this year.

Ken, concerning that young warden that rammed your canoe and gave you a ration of crap. You should have kicked that sob in the ice hole... ugh