Any hard water freaks here?

[LittleLakePhil]

Yep.....rather be on ice than in a boat. Hasn't been the best year for me this year. Lots of panfish but the late ice has hampered the season somewhat.
I've caught a few big northern but I don't keep them.
Small walleye....hopefully if I get down to Bay De Noc I can get a few lunker eyes.

 

[3forfree]

our ice here on saginaw bay is starting to form again, but were're going to get temps in the 40's this weekend and a sw wind that will probably blow the ice out again.

 

[Ole and Lena]

Well, the late ice and unusually busy winter work schedule kind of took a bite out of my season this year. Snowmobile broke down and scuttled my annual trout fishing trip at the edge of the BWCA. Just no luck this year!

Been catching some nice panfish and some pike locally, but haven't been out enough to do it justice though. Looks like it's going to be an early late ice season. Hoping for early road restrictions so I get a break from work and get some serious panfish and tulibee action in.

Did learn a nice auger cheat this year. My Strikemaster broke down at the worst time of year, right around Christmas. Nothing on sale then.... except post hole diggers! The same 51cc Viper powerhead that is $300 under the Eskimo brand is $150 under the earthquake brand. Bolts right onto the Strikemaster drill shaft. So far, so good. A little cold blooded, but at least the air filter is easy to remove and vented properly for application of a puff of ether. First pull with that method, just have to treat it like a Case Diesel.

 

[LittleLakePhil]

Sometimes I have to heat my jug for a few seconds to get it to start when it's really cold....doesn't take long and it fires right up after that.....usually this is just when it's really cold.....sub zero.......or if it's lady years gas and I thing it gets a little entrained moisture.

 

[LittleLakePhil]

Maybe I'll pick up a new profane auger and convert my cold blooded old one into a post hole digger?

 

[3forfree]

I'm leaning towards a drill motor auger. The jiffy 30 is not getting any lighter, and I'm not getting any younger so I think it's time. Because of this weather we've had I haven't wet a line this winter, going to have to take a drive north to find some good ice before it's all gone. I bought a different snowmobile earlier this year and the only mile's I've put on it is around the neighborhood, and hauling wood to the house.

LittleLakePhil, I'm envious of where you live, lots of lakes to fish on close by, I only have saginaw bay that's local, and it takes a long time to get good ice, this year it's taken forever, and now it's gone. It can be walked, but some times the fishing is a 10 mile run to the fish. Only walleye to be caught,sometimes perch, I'd rather get pan fish.

 

[LittleLakePhil]

I was just griping on the phone to a friend of mine in Munsing...we got the opposite problem here....plenty of panfish.....but walleye bite is slow cuz ice was late this year.....caught tons of walleye in October.
Munsing is froze good now so I'm headed there next week to try for Burbot. Maybe I can pull a few smelt or whitefish too.
I know all about your ice fishing down there I grew up in Detroit area....not a lot of ice fishing of quality.
A drill motor style auger wouldn't be optimum up here where three feet of ice is common. I actually quit fishing year before last in the inland lakes cuz I didn't want yo buy an extension for my auger.
I plan to spend time on Bay De Noc this summer scouting for ice fishing opportunities. But yeah ice fishing is my favorite thing.

 

[Ole and Lena]

I was just griping on the phone to a friend of mine in Munsing...we got the opposite problem here....plenty of panfish.....but walleye bite is slow cuz ice was late this year.....caught tons of walleye in October.
Munsing is froze good now so I'm headed there next week to try for Burbot. Maybe I can pull a few smelt or whitefish too.
I know all about your ice fishing down there I grew up in Detroit area....not a lot of ice fishing of quality.
A drill motor style auger wouldn't be optimum up here where three feet of ice is common. I actually quit fishing year before last in the inland lakes cuz I didn't want yo buy an extension for my auger.
I plan to spend time on Bay De Noc this summer scouting for ice fishing opportunities. But yeah ice fishing is my favorite thing.

A bit of a drive for you, but Big Manistique is a walleye factory. Some nice perch and big pike also. Milakokia also, but they tend to spread out in that one. Manistique has nice weed pockets... weedline eyes. Worked a summer in Newberry and spent most of my time off on either of those lakes!

 

[LittleLakePhil]

I fish the Manistique river all the time. That's not what I really call too
Much of a drive. Up here scathing is a drive away. I worked in Marquette my whole life and drove 60 mile round trip every day.
I'll keep those in mind for next season as walleye closes in a week now.
Looks like Munsing is my best bet now....coho should be starting to pick up as the ice starts to go away.

 

[Ole and Lena]

That's big Manistique lake at Curtis