Yesterday Nick, Jon Jones, and I spent the whole day on the ice. Weather report said high of 42 degrees with 18 mph winds from the SSE. Warm and windy but comfortable... We left Boone a little before before 7:00am and headed for hard water. The North boat ramp we parked at was already buzzing with people doing the same thing, and we were the early ones...We walked somewhere around 600 yards from the boat ramp. It remained in site of our camp. Arrival to our site was a little before 8:00am. We started by drilling some holes and checking for fish. 14-16 inches of good hard, but sheer ice in places. Nick was the first to find a fish, and a crappie was the prize. A few more, and a walleye later, Jones and I decided to work our way out from Nick.
It took a solid two hours before I finally found a fish. Nick at that point had several fish riddled about him. This unfortunately had attracted local attention. Some bearded guy pulled up to us and started badgering us about our success before he noticed Nick's pile. Once he saw the walleye it was game on. He left on his four-wheeler and returned with a shack and about five other people. Jones advised that we put all fish in a pail from here on out. After word spread that Nick had a hot hole we found our 'company' was closing the gaps amongst us. Nick and I talked to another guy whom was having difficulties finding fish, but it was proof that word spreads fast.
We actually continued to catch fish, even with people around us.
I started to accumulated a pile myself, which found their way into a hollow tree bole in the ice. Being there early, we never thought hard enough about being prepared. It was cloudy, cold, and windy. The wind was killing us. We had some liquids, and a box of swiss cake rolls, but by noon we were starving. Jon had some friends join us on the ice about noon, and they were ill-prepared and very poorly dressed for the occasion. At about 1:30 they decided to make a food run and were even willing to pick some up for us. Two McDoubles and a large fry when freezing cold is life changing.
Fishing with Jon Jones was comical. He went from hole to hole moving constantly, but he caught fish. Nick and I fished out of the same two holes for the majority of our day. We enjoyed the conversation and the company, and it drove Jones crazy. He eventually made his way over to our area to fish.
Nick again, produced and caught another walleye. It about threw Jones into fits.
I came prepared for 42 degrees and a little windy. Out of habit I grabbed and extra coat and a hat. I would be frozen to the ice without it. If it looks cold that is because it was.
Despite the cold it was a blast!
It was decided between Nick and I that we would risk the backlash from the Mrs' and fish until dark before heading home. It was an interesting spectacle to say the least, watching the lake before sundown. We had watched countless cars, trucks, etc drive out onto the ice, and hundreds of people within eyesight. Right about 5:00 they started filtering out. We waited as the evening bite is usually the hottest. We caught one fish collectively after 5:30pm. The bite was over and everyone else knew it. We collected camp and took a few pics of our haul before leaving.
We were freezing but happy. A few phone calls to the ladies and we were on our way back. I helped Nick clean most of the fish before I headed home myself. Lisa relieved me of my duties as she understood that like herself, Rachel spent the day alone in the apartment. Not only was Rachel not unhappy with me she was still working on a blanket project, and a vat of chili was on the stove. Greatest. Wife. Ever. We enjoyed sitting on the couch watching The Holiday, or more like Rachel watched the movie while I passed out next to her. Hehe...
She has continued to work on the blanket, for a silent auction for vet school, and sit by the fire clipping ends...
Hopefully I can do a better job of keeping things updated in the future.
Stay Tuned
No comments:
Post a Comment