First day on the ice

[WayneChristie]

Well I braved the crazy winds and drifting snow this morning, headed to Enchant. I drilled a test hole near the shore and found at least 3 inches, so I ventured out about 25 or 30 feet. drilled a couple holes, set up my folding floor then popped up the new ice tent and screwed it down. No problem at all with the wind, I just held it down with my foot while I opened it up. The water was about 6 feet deep or so, the ice about 5 inches thick. The water was so clear I could see everything, it was awesome. I could keep my hook away from the smallest fish easily. Hooked them all by sight, the white maggots are great for that. I also tried Gulp redworms, the fish wouldnt even look at them. I have discovered that Im a much bigger fan of thick ice :D Good thing I did my business before I left home, the first couple times The ice cracked and heaved a bit I would have been in trouble :evilgrin: I guess anyone who fishes thinner ice with me had better have ear plugs or get used to hearing an F bomb, every time the ice booms :lol: I used a little perch jig, caught some on that with Gulp maggots, then tried a copper wireworm I tied last night, and right off hooked a nice pan size rainbow. I did have another one come for the bait, but the perch beat it to it. So there is at least one more trout in there. Final tally, 15 perch and one rainbow for the frying pan, and probably that many returned to the icy depths where they came from. It was a great trip, even tho the old Rolls Cnardly 4x4 had some trouble with the wind and a bit of carb icing by the time I made the 40 mile drive.
I dont usually keep fish, but I figured if I clean out some of these perch every time, maybe they will get a bit bigger. they need to get bigger believe me :lol:
http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy156/rollinghillbilly/Dec%206%2009/DSCF8109.jpg
http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy156/rollinghillbilly/Dec%206%2009/DSCF8110.jpg
http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy156/rollinghillbilly/Dec%206%2009/DSCF8117.jpg
http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy156/rollinghillbilly/Dec%206%2009/DSCF8119.jpg

[munyee4321]

Nicely done!!

Im jealouse waiting for next weekend to head out! Hopefully the wind dies down some

[hal53]

Nice looking tent...decent room inside????
that's an 8' 2 X4 by those fish....right:evilgrin::evilgrin::lol::lol:

[e40water12]

I nice tent and awsome catches.

[Walleyes]

Looks like fun..

[tchow]

Good job Wayne. Glad to see you made it out to Enchant.
BTW, if you get enough of those Perch, you can always make Perch Gumbo Soup..LOL

[pecker]

oooooo - i can't wait - go where i want to -- WITHOUT A BOAT. :love::wave:

[75ft Arborist]

Great idea!:) I never thought of building a wooden floor to throw down on the ice. Then putting a tent on top!

[WayneChristie]

Great idea!:) I never thought of building a wooden floor to throw down on the ice. Then putting a tent on top!

I was a little worried it might freeze to the ice, but not at all. got 1 inch styro underneath so my feet stayed nice and warm.
http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy156/rollinghillbilly/DSCF8121.jpg
man they were good, saving the trout for tomorrows supper.

[WayneChristie]

Nice looking tent...decent room inside????
that's an 8' 2 X4 by those fish....right:evilgrin::evilgrin::lol::lol:

its only 4 feet :D but what the heck at least I got out and caught something, its been a lot of years since I caught fish thru the ice. and thats my first ice trout ever. The floor space is 5 feet by 5 feet. lots of room even for 3 if you didnt have big chairs. Sure nice to fish out of that howling wind!!!

[hal53]

its only 4 feet :D but what the heck at least I got out and caught something, its been a lot of years since I caught fish thru the ice. and thats my first ice trout ever. The floor space is 5 feet by 5 feet. lots of room even for 3 if you didnt have big chairs. Sure nice to fish out of that howling wind!!!
very true...where did u find the tent....(only joking about the 2 X4)

[Badback]

Way to go Wayne....nice shanty also

[WayneChristie]

Picked up the shack at Cabellas
https://www.cabelas.ca/index.cfm?pageID=71&section=1188&section2=1294&section3=1500&ID=14912
200 bucks well spent I think. :D it is 75 by 75 but thats the distance between the hubs, the floor is 60 by 60

[hal53]

Picked up the shack at Cabellas
https://www.cabelas.ca/index.cfm?pageID=71&section=1188&section2=1294&section3=1500&ID=14912
200 bucks well spent I think. :D it is 75 by 75 but thats the distance between the hubs, the floor is 60 by 60
very well spent I would say...and, as luck would have it., Cabelas knows how to get stuff here!!!!, now just have to find a place to fish around here...been a lot of years, but the daughter wants to give èr a go

[DuckBrat]

When cooking this way do you have to skin them or do you just peel the edible flesh from them after they are cooked?

[WayneChristie]

I was happy with the delivery service too, since Im out in the boonies. That shack comes with 8 deluxe ice screws and rope too, never used them before but they werent too bad to put in at all. I think they were long enough to go right thru the ice, if Id wanted to. :D hurry up and freeze some more already :lol:

[hal53]

I was happy with the delivery service too, since Im out in the boonies. That shack comes with 8 deluxe ice screws and rope too, never used them before but they werent too bad to put in at all. I think they were long enough to go right thru the ice, if Id wanted to. :D hurry up and freeze some more already :lol:
X2 about the boonies, have u tried the place south of Youngstown on 884...been told it`s decent in the winter for Rainbows

[WayneChristie]

havent fished up that way yet, I have so many places close to home its hard to make a choice. Im thinking I should try for whites and pike next weekend, something more than 8 inch perch. well the trout was 11 but still :lol: The lake Im thinking of is less than 15 minutes from home, supposed to have big perch too. Only caught pike there in the summer. up to 20 pounds :D

[slingshotz]

I was happy with the delivery service too, since Im out in the boonies. That shack comes with 8 deluxe ice screws and rope too, never used them before but they werent too bad to put in at all. I think they were long enough to go right thru the ice, if Id wanted to. :D hurry up and freeze some more already :lol:

That looks like a nice tent Wayne, I wish Cabelas would open up a store up here. We had six inches of ice today at McGregor and my ice screws for the tent were about 6 inches too. It's freaky as hell screwing in the peg and seeing the big cracks spread out all around. I thought for sure water was gonna come streaming up from them and the tent would fall right through the middle. :lol:

[WayneChristie]

That looks like a nice tent Wayne, I wish Cabelas would open up a store up here. We had six inches of ice today at McGregor and my ice screws for the tent were about 6 inches too. It's freaky as hell screwing in the peg and seeing the big cracks spread out all around. I thought for sure water was gonna come streaming up from them and the tent would fall right through the middle. :lol:

glad I wasnt the only one feeling that way. figured when I had all 8 in the big block would break out and I would be floating. with the 2 8 inch holes too. good thing I had the 8 inch auger, that 8 inch perch might have come up sideways and got stuck :lol:
you get any fish ?

[fisherwoman]

Looks like you had a great time. Wish I didn't have to stay home and study for finals :( That thin ice would have bugged me too. I'm always worried about that. I'm gonna try that Enchant one of these days. Also I love your floor, that must be nice on a nasty winter day like today.
Those "pop up tents" like the one in the picture, are they really easier to set up than the old kind? Mine is an old one, inherited from my grandfather.

[noslack]

Great First Ice Report.

Way to slay them perch and a bonus trout to boot!

I still have yet to get a rainbow since moving here. Good for you!

[RedHeadedFisherman]

Well I braved the crazy winds and drifting snow this morning, headed to Enchant. I drilled a test hole near the shore and found at least 3 inches, so I ventured out about 25 or 30 feet. drilled a couple holes, set up my folding floor then popped up the new ice tent and screwed it down. No problem at all with the wind, I just held it down with my foot while I opened it up. The water was about 6 feet deep or so, the ice about 5 inches thick. The water was so clear I could see everything, it was awesome. I could keep my hook away from the smallest fish easily. Hooked them all by sight, the white maggots are great for that. I also tried Gulp redworms, the fish wouldnt even look at them. I have discovered that Im a much bigger fan of thick ice :D Good thing I did my business before I left home, the first couple times The ice cracked and heaved a bit I would have been in trouble :evilgrin: I guess anyone who fishes thinner ice with me had better have ear plugs or get used to hearing an F bomb, every time the ice booms :lol: I used a little perch jig, caught some on that with Gulp maggots, then tried a copper wireworm I tied last night, and right off hooked a nice pan size rainbow. I did have another one come for the bait, but the perch beat it to it. So there is at least one more trout in there. Final tally, 15 perch and one rainbow for the frying pan, and probably that many returned to the icy depths where they came from. It was a great trip, even tho the old Rolls Cnardly 4x4 had some trouble with the wind and a bit of carb icing by the time I made the 40 mile drive.
I dont usually keep fish, but I figured if I clean out some of these perch every time, maybe they will get a bit bigger. they need to get bigger believe me :lol:
nghillbilly/Dec%206%2009/DSCF8119.jpg[/IMG]

Way to go Whayne,. as much as i hate the cold. ( heart buy-pass, on blood thinerns), id wear my 40% below coat and sit with ya in the tent L))
i can clean fish.. you catch em.. um on second thought can we take turns :evilgrin::)))))) good jod man :D

[WayneChristie]

When cooking this way do you have to skin them or do you just peel the edible flesh from them after they are cooked?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjTlFwQb7D0
I tried this, not quite as easy with the small fish, but it works good.
The pop up tents really are easy to set up for sure, just pull out on the walls and ceiling and the poles snap in place, almost like an umbrella. I have a harder time folding it up than putting it up, but Im not used to it yet. they are great. I just marked and drilled my holes for the trapdoors in the floor, opened up the floor and the tent and then put the tent over the floor and screwed it to the ice, it was no problem even in the wind.

[Fishfinder]

Great pics and update as per usual WC! Was there anyone else out there or were u the lone soldier? Cheers.:)

[WayneChristie]

Great pics and update as per usual WC! Was there anyone else out there or were u the lone soldier? Cheers.:)

no one else as crazy as me :lol: but I was warm and cozy in the tent, once it was set up and the heater going it was great. didnt need gloves or a coat at all. Heading out again tomorrow, maybe try Scope, too cold to work so I may as well go fishing :D