Ice on my mind…

[deermanok]

One of the local reservoirs in Connecticut used to be one of my best spots for night fishing for smelt. We used to get our 20 fish limit easy. Best eating fish too.
After 9/11. They closed up the rez. No more night fishing.
I guess they were afraid that some Arab terrorists would attack the water.

 

[Steelheader323]

Hubbard is wide open and far from locking up.

I haven't ice fished now in a number of years, but that was after fishing Hubbard almost daily for years. Caught a ton of walleye and some nice perch. Best year for walleye was 486 fish.

I'm actually thinking about buying a fishing license this year and try but...... I won't fish it until you can drive on it. Too darn far to walk with almost 8,000 acres. Once the ice will hold the Ranger SAFELY, I might give it a try.

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Some nice looking perch! Occasionally I’ll get into a 12-13” perch around here but not very often

Hubbard is wide open and far from locking up.

I haven't ice fished now in a number of years, but that was after fishing Hubbard almost daily for years. Caught a ton of walleye and some nice perch. Best year for walleye was 486 fish.

I'm actually thinking about buying a fishing license this year and try but...... I won't fish it until you can drive on it. Too darn far to walk with almost 8,000 acres. Once the ice will hold the Ranger SAFELY, I might give it a try.

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well if you decide to give it a try I may just have to make a 4 hour drive..ive never fished that area.

 

[Steelheader323]

One of the local reservoirs in Connecticut used to be one of my best spots for night fishing for smelt. We used to get our 20 fish limit easy. Best eating fish too.
After 9/11. They closed up the rez. No more night fishing.
I guess they were afraid that some Arab terrorists would attack the water.

Around here the limit for smelt is 2 gallons..typically we catch 65-150 a night between my girlfriend and I

 

[Steelheader323]

I only like jigging, usually use a flasher and fishing at night for crappie is my favorite. I usually wind up catching some bass and trout but it’s unintentional.

We also crappie fish at night here a lot..more so during the week when I can’t get out during the day since I’m at work. Gull lake here in my area has a lot of 14”+ crappie, I made the mistake of eating 2 16” crappie a few years back..thinking since I got 2 that size in one night I’d get a 17” for the wall..hasn’t happened yet tho lol

 

[Steelheader323]

If you look closely you can see fish on both the top of the ice and under it…gull lake smelt fishing

 

[deermanok]

We also crappie fish at night here a lot..more so during the week when I can’t get out during the day since I’m at work. Gull lake here in my area has a lot of 14”+ crappie, I made the mistake of eating 2 16” crappie a few years back..thinking since I got 2 that size in one night I’d get a 17” for the wall..hasn’t happened yet tho lol

Oh man, I love crappie. I think it's the best fresh water fish.
A lot of our local lakes have good populations of them.
Nothing real big though.

 

[Steelheader323]

Oh man, I love crappie. I think it's the best fresh water fish.
A lot of our local lakes have good populations of them.
Nothing real big though.

I toss them back in the summer..they tend to get mushy..at least in the lakes I fish. But it’s game on in the winter..10-12 crappie that are 13-14” makes a heck of a meal

 

[deermanok]

I toss them back in the summer..they tend to get mushy..at least in the lakes I fish. But it’s game on in the winter..10-12 crappie that are 13-14” makes a heck of a meal

I prefer early in the spring, early summer. By July, it's too hot on this part of the country.

 

[deerlessbob]

You guys are tough. After spending the first 35+ years of my life well below the Mason-Dixon Line, GM transferred me to Michigan. I just walked out on one of those frozen lakes up there and decided I lacked the physical and mental make up needed for that sport. More power to you, though. Those perch and walleye that don’t reside down here are delicious.

 

[Steelheader323]

Well nothing to brag about but I got about a half dozen dinks before I couldn’t stand the cold anymore…-18 winch chills here and 20+ mph gusts…lake I was on had about 3” of solid ice. The snow they were expecting wasn’t nearly as bad

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Ive started having dreams of ice fishing and jumbo perch and walleye…

 

[Steelheader323]

Ive started having dreams of ice fishing and jumbo perch and walleye…

Not much around me for walleye lakes but there are a few good perch lakes..I’d love to get on some eyes through the ice

 

[Ninering62]

We also crappie fish at night here a lot..more so during the week when I can’t get out during the day since I’m at work. Gull lake here in my area has a lot of 14”+ crappie, I made the mistake of eating 2 16” crappie a few years back..thinking since I got 2 that size in one night I’d get a 17” for the wall..hasn’t happened yet tho lol

A 16" Crappie is a huge Crappy. I've caught many many of them in numerous states, but nothing even close to that massive.

 

[Ninering62]

You guys are tough. After spending the first 35+ years of my life well below the Mason-Dixon Line, GM transferred me to Michigan. I just walked out on one of those frozen lakes up there and decided I lacked the physical and mental make up needed for that sport. More power to you, though. Those perch and walleye that don’t reside down here are delicious.

Without the proper clothes & especially footwear, ice fishing will put a quick whoopin on most ppl. I know this first hand.

 

[labbypoint]

yes ice fishing , dec 26 , starts last week of deer season, then ice fishing, getting ready

 

[michiganmuzzy]

I may go sit in my shanty out in this weather and pretend im fishing. Ive usually had good luck fishing in the crappy weather.

 

[Steelheader323]

Yea..I’ve really been looking forward to ice fishing season each year since losing my deer hunting spot. Haven’t gotten a deer in 2 years hunting state land now..so ice fishing for me has been way more productive

 

[.45er]

Yea..I’ve really been looking forward to ice fishing season each year since losing my deer hunting spot. Haven’t gotten a deer in 2 years hunting state land now..so ice fishing for me has been way more productive

It can be quite challenging hunting those high-pressure public lands...especially early in the season. Good hunting can be found though late in the season when pressure tapers off and the deer settle down.

 

[.45er]

yes ice fishing , dec 26 , starts last week of deer season, then ice fishing, getting ready

Same here in MA for me. I have 'til the 31st to put venison in the freezer.

It finally got cold last night at 8 degrees F. to get the pond ice forming.

 

[Steelheader323]

It can be quite challenging hunting those high-pressure public lands...especially early in the season. Good hunting can be found though late in the season when pressure tapers off and the deer settle down.

Yea I’d imagine if my area still had a Muzzlelaoder season the woods would calm down some. But 3 years ago they made in legal for any firearm that’s legal during regular gun season to be used for the muzzleloader season..we basically have 2 firearm seasons here. Not including late anterless season..where you can also use a firearm. I couldn’t tell you how many times I got in my spot this season about 2 hours before light and when the sun peaked the sky I could see hunters Orange within 100 yards of
me..Even had a few guys walk through about 20 minutes after Daylight. Doesn’t matter if your 50 year dos from the road or a mile off the trail..southwest Michigan state land is packed . It makes it tough for sure