Open Water at Last

March 11th 2016 marked open water on a few select spots up here this year, and that is borderline unheard of. Historically, ice out has been just as early, but as a general rule this is spectacularly early. I took advantage of our warm-up and headed to my spot. There was only the shoreline out to about 100 yards that was open water, while the rest of the lake awaited strong winds to finish the job. My first cast of open water and I hit a good one. I fished relatively hard all winter, focusing more on pike than anything, but I neglected to catch a walleye anywhere near home. I caught a few with Paul and Adam on Poinsett, but they were not slot fish and back into the lake they went.
But this fish....This would prove to be my finest. A slow rolling, cold water walleye, slipped into my hands. At a little over 27 inches, and close or at the 8 pound mark, this is my largest walleye to date.

I fought myself as for what to do with this fish as I was walleye-less in my freezer, but a big fat female, borderline bursting with eggs, sated my moral dilemma. I slipped her back into the lake and watched her swim off to make more walleyes. I fished for 4 more hours that afternoon. I did find one little pike, but that was it.

Winter was hard on this spot and there was a fair amount of exposed timber to be snagged than last year. I was hoping to catch a few smaller walleyes for the stringer, but I rarely catch anything when I want them.

This was but merely the beginning of the open water season, and within a few days, the south winds had melted, or pushed all of the ice to the north end. Hopefully, I can find some walleyes again this year, and fill everyone's freezers.



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Spring has Arrived on the Prairie

Date on this one would have been 2/28-3/6


When spring finally decided to give us an appearance, I began my yearly attempt at shed hunting. Each evening I would watch the deer behind the house, mawing down on the indispensable quantity of corn and soybeans. I would make routine of doing the same thing each morning with the coming of daylight, and again in the afternoon if light was still poor before work. I knew that I would eventually spot a glowing spot amongst the grass or corn. One late Sunday morning, I did just that; bone. It was not but 80 yards behind the house with the pedicle pointed right at my window. I made haste, and snapped a few photos of the easiest shed I have ever found.

I had been watching this six point buck along with a few other nice bucks, one of which dropped its head gear much earlier than this one. Later I would find out these deer were traveling up to 3 miles each night to feed on the corn pile. Some nights were so brutal, they would only be able to feed for a few minutes before having to make their way for cover.


At that point I knew I needed to get out and actually find a shed the old fashioned way; putting on the miles. I walked several properties over the course of the next couple of weeks and came up empty each time. I walked some public properties that I deer hunted last fall, found some deer, but still no bone. Unfortunately, and in all honesty, rather distressing, I received an email from our Game Fish & Parks Dept. reminding all outdoorsman that shed hunting is prohibited on public properties in the state of South Dakota....I was blown away. Not only do I think this is beyond absurd, when I moved here, I went through the book time and time again. I DO NOT like to miss anything. I am not a law breaker. Thankfully, I found nothing, but I may be sending a letter to our legislators about this one...


Anyhow,
I then moved on to private property that I had hunted so much the fall before, and the landowner had no qualms with my presence on the property. I took the pup out and we again searched for bone. I have shed hunted properties across the great state of Iowa that puts most other areas to shame, but this property was the most pounded I had seen in a long time, if ever. I gridded this property for 3 hours to no avail. I was beyond the point of frustration. There were antlers to be found, but the diversity and quantity of waterfowl around this property was proving a worthy distraction. I eventually gave up the search for bone and made my way to one of the dugout berms.

There is where I laid with the pup for two more hours, watching the snow geese by the thousands, the rafts of redhead scatter off of the water only to swing around and plop right back into place, the swinging mallards, pintails, gadwalls, widgeons, and even a few teal, and for obvious reasons, my favorite, the deceptively fast and large canvasbacks. Because we were hidden so well, a flock of 20 or so buzzed mere feet above our heads and blasted their way into middle of the shallow bay. It may be spring, but I would love to get back out duck hunting again. There is something surreal about jumping a couple hundred ducks when we got up to leave, while to snow geese above took little notice whatsoever.

These small back bays were the first to thaw, and so brought the onslaught of waterfowl from the south. Before long, these lakes will start opening up, and I can get back to chasing gators or the mythical walleye.




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Last Go On Hard Water

The last Friday of February was the last chance I had to get out out on the ice and try and find a pike. When I got to my spot I drilled a few extra holes, but it was warm enough that I was able to fish out of a few holes someone else had drilled the day before. It was a spot I had fished before with Dad, Paul, Adam, and Cathy, so I sort of know the territory. This didn't prevent me from not pulling in a fish for the first two hours. I moved across the bay, drilled 5 holes and on the 6th I snapped off yet another blade on the auger...
Not only were there no fish there, but my auger was now out of commission. I packed up and headed back to my original spot and waited out a bite. I managed to catch a few perch, and even kept a couple before one of my flags finally went up.

 Nothing huge, but a pike none the less.
I fished for the next 4 hours before I caught another fish of any significance.
This was a much finer fish. As my trend stems, this fish was right at 30 inches.

I ended my evening shortly before sundown and didn't know what to do with my perch, so I gave them to the gentlemen fishing in the same bay I was in. They were very appreciative tip-up fisherman like myself. They were keeping some of their pike, and were dumbfounded that I threw my pike back. At least there are some nice people out there still.

This would inevitably be the end to my hard-water season. We managed a lot of big fish, and our share of challenging days on the ice, but I can say even with the short winter, I am ready for open water.


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30's Club

Sunday morning we intended on getting out at a decent time, but it just didn't work out that way, as often happens. We decided to work our way back out onto Indian Springs, but Adam wanted to try a point out on the main lake, so we worked our way out onto the main lake. Paul and I walked most of the way out while Adam took Cathy and Andrew out first to get our spot and set-up. Cathy took but a few minutes to find a perch but it was a little slow for the morning.
The first fish was on a tip-up in less than 2 feet of water. When I got her to the hole, I had to turn her sideways to slip her up through the shallow water.

 

Another 31 inch fish that was a blast to pull through the ice! This never gets old!!!

We caught a few more pike that were just short of the 30 mark and slipped them back in. I found a couple of old holes from someone fishing in the tournament the day before, and was able to find a couple of perch, one decent one, and an absolute slob I lost at the hole. Adam eventually found the money fish, a perch over 12 inches. This one taped out to 13.75"

As I was over at my perch spot, I happened to look back and see Andrew hauling towards a tip-up. I just waited to go over there until he had it on the ice. When I saw him pull it out I knew it was a good fish so I ran over to take a pic.
Before I could even get there another tipper was up and I pulled in yet another, but it was a bit of dink, so back to Andrew's fish.

We finally found a fish over 31 inches, and at 33 inches, it was the largest pike of the weekend! We had pulled in a half dozen this weekend at or a hair above 30 inches, and this one really showed what difference a 33 is from a 30. We no more than slid the beast back into the lake when I see our deep water tipper up right next to the ice hut.
When I grabbed the line I knew this was not a snot rocket; this was a gator. When I got her to the hole, her head wouldn't come up, so I just waited for her to slide back a little and then up she came and I had my GATOR!!!

This fish was an 11 pound 12 ounce, 37 inch behemoth. I have waited all season for a fish of this magnitude, and it was with great pride that I also slid this fish back into the depths to eat giant perch and walleyes another day. Grow 3 more inches and I will be back for you...

I know not everyone reacts the same way, but Adam and Cathy can attest, I was shaking like a leaf after this one. All this has done is fuel my desire to find a bigger one, and I will eventually find that mythical 40-incher. So until then;


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Bay Hoppin' Pike

I had the opportunity to take advantage of another weekend of fantastic weather, and as you may have guessed, it was ice fishing. Dad came up Friday evening, and we had our things ready to go for the morning fish.
After a quick breakfast we headed out. There was a tournament on Indian Springs on Saturday, but we forged ahead, hoping we could find somewhere away from the thundering hoards. When we got on the lake, we headed in the opposite direction of the train of four-wheelers headed out into the main lake. As usual Dad and I set up our run of tip-ups. I want to thank Dad for letting me use his tip-ups and thank my Uncle Rick for the gear he has sent my way, including many tip-ups. I truly appreciate it!
It didn't take long before our first flag went up. Dad started us off with a great fish!

We hole-hopped most of the morning waiting for the next tipper, and we caught a few, but not a slew of them, and they were fair in size, but it sure beat getting skunked.

A little before noon Paul, Adam, Cathy, and their friend Andrew made their way out on the ice. Awhile back, Paul told Andrew that he would get him in on the ice fishing thing, so this was his first time out on the ice.
We set out more tip-ups and the waiting game began. Dad had some luck with a few small perch, so that was how we kept ourselves occupied. Most of the hits on tippers came in flushes, and we would go a hour at a time without a hit, and then have 2 or 3 in less than 5 minutes.
We were able to get Andrew on his first pike on hard water.

We continue to find a few, here and there, and the quality of fish was much better than it has been in the past.

With the advice of Dad, I changed the bait out on one of our tippers, as there was one particular fish that kept spitting out the giant, festering smelt I had on that hole. After a change to a lively sucker the wait was on. Dad ended up leaving early as he had an evening engagement back home, and he stopped in town to bail me out of a whipping cream related absence on my part. Unfortunately, he was probably not even to the pavement when I finally hooked up with the spitter pike.

 The craziest part apart pulling this fish out was the tiny pike and white teardrop jig buried in the teeth of his upper jaw. BONUS!

At 31 inches, it was one of the better one we had this season, and I will take these kinds of fish any day!

 Shortly after this fish we moved across the bay, closer to the boat ramp, as the perch were not really biting where we were, and there was another spot I wanted to try.

We found some perch when we first got there, and Paul was able to pull in a hog perch.

The new spot was producing as well, and again we found more good sized pike.

 

Just before the sun went down, Vet-bells went off in 2 feet of water, and was not spinning. I looked down the hole, and could see the pike laying on the bottom with my sucker in her mouth. In one swift yank, I had her in the ice!

 At 32 inches, this was a hefty fish, and the best on the day. These are the gators that are worth shredding fingers. 

Upon returning home, much later than I had anticipated, my dearest wife had a crock-pot of the most fantastic chili ready to dig into, AND a restaurant quality cheesecake in the fridge. I am a blessed man.

We feasted and proceeded to drop like flies until morning. Tomorrow is another day, and another chance at a gator.

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There is Never too Much Pike Slime

Valentine's Day weekend we had some more company for a weekend of ice fishing fun. Nick, Lisa, Michael Parker, and Ethan Shetler wanted in on the fish that we have been pulling through the ice up here. I never could have imagined we could do better than the weekend Josh and kids came up, but we were going to try. The week before, I did some flag overhauling so we could actually see when there was a tip-up.

 I may or may not have raided Rachel's scrap materials. We have from left to right: Typar, Vet-bells, Alien Bob, Iowa, Iowa State, and lady-bug. They will serve us well.
Saturday morning we ate a quick breakfast, and then headed out into the frigid cold in search of pike. It was -10 degrees when we left in the morning, but warmed up to a balmy 3 degrees by noon. To top that off it was rather windy, but we were a motley crew, and we don't give up that easily. We set up the tent, and rotated who was on deck for tip-ups. Again, we hammered the fish, but the cold made for pike-cicles for most of our pictures.
My goal was to put Ethan on some toothy critters as he has not caught many. The shear look of enjoyment made my day.

This was probably the funniest moment of any ice trip I have witnessed: Ethan watch taking his usual rounds to bust open frozen holes, checking tippers in the process, and he caught yet another one. After unhooking the fish, he took 5 or 6 attempts at getting the pike back in the lake without success. He then proceeded to pick it up and try to stab the fish back into the lake.

 This is one of my favorite pics as well: The fish is literally freezing to Nick's hands as the pic is being taken, and these were the faces both Michael and Ethan produced when I said to drop the face masks. It was windy, and horrendously cold.

While everyone was out of the tent tending to their rotation on the tippers, I managed to catch a great pike, on Dad's pieced-together rig with a bobber and a double fat-head. We listened, and he was right. IT WORKS!

Not Long after, we called it an afternoon and headed home for FOOD!!!
We feasted on grilled, Yes, grilled dove, duck, steak, twice baked potatoes, and for those that remained conscious long enough, a double wacked-out chocolate cake. After a day on the truly frozen tundra, we ate like it was going to be our last meal.

The next morning, we didn't dawdle and got out on the lake in decent time. We decided on Indian Springs again, as it was closer and there was a better possibility of a missed bag. We got the catching fish part out of our system the day before, this time we were looking for a little finesse or big.
We continued our streak of decent pike on the tip-up, and our size average was much better on this lake.

 We sent up the tent initially in the shallows, but Nick and went out deep scouting for more fish and Nick found some perch. We moved camp and it was a wise decision. Ethan caught a few toad perch, and Nick managed a slob as well in the tent.

 We were having success in the tents and out. Michael iced what would have been one of the largest of the trip, but it was a really skinny fish, and upon closer inspection, some mouth malformations were the root of the problem.

 As with most trips, all things come to an end, and Nick gave us the one more tipper and done and Ethan pulled in a good one to finish out their ice trip.

I was happy to see these guys again and we enjoyed every minute on the ice. These guys goofed around more than anyone else I know. It was nice to get out on the ice and fish with a group that don't take things too seriously. I have always had an issue with that, and it was a nice change of pace.

As Michael and I watched them pull out of the drive, I got pestered for the next half hour by Michael. Each evening we watch the deer behind the house and Michael was convinced there was a shed back there that he needed to check out. While watching my landlord finish up plowing the parking lot, Michael scooted around the corner and off he goes.

The kid just couldn't help himself. No it was not a giant, nor was it the 'antler' he thought he was looking at from our window, but it was out there nevertheless....


 Monday morning was President's Day and as a government employee, I had the day off and Michael stuck around for one last try at the fish.
 The morning was not exactly what you would call going through the motions. We got stuck in a sizeable snow drift on our way out, to which we spent half and hour just trying to dig out. Once out, I started drilling holes and it we got 3 holes before I hit frozen mud.... I then hauled ass back home for tools, to which point I STILL grabbed the wrong ones, and something to attempt to sharpen the blades while on the auger. We did eventually get our holes drilled, but I about broke my arms in the process.
Anyway, We caught fish, and that's what mattered.

We did manage to get video of the last pike, but there are a few PG expletives. Michael was a tad excited.

As much as we thought it was a good idea to spend the rest of the day fishing, Michael took the responsible route and decided it was time to get on the road. The last few days we have been so tired after fishing, it was best to get back not at midnight. This inevitably concluded a fantastic weekend filled with excessive amounts of slime, and an extra run for bait. What a terrible problem to have! I am glad everyone was able to make the trip, and I look forward to the next outing with these guys.



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