GVSUKUSH
01-23-2006, 08:27 AM
Headed up the Lake Mitchell on Sunday morning with Justin (aka Thedude) and Tom (Ice T) for some ice fishing. Normally we all would have stuck around GR, but the ice hasn't cooperated with us this year.:(
Got on the lake around 8, fished in 12 FOW and took many small gills, crappie and perch.....really small. The fishing would have been damn near impossible without a flasher/fish finder because the fish were suspended throughout the entire water column, some only a foot or two below the ice. Decided to head south outta Cadillac around noon to try a lake to the east of Big Rapids for some gills.
Got to the lake around 12:45 or so and were greeted by sunny sky's and 40+ degrees. Great day to be out on the ice. We were only out there a few minutes and began marking a ton of fish in 30 FOW, suspended from 20 feet to just a foot or two below the ice.
I had a guy in red coveralls take a seat right next to me and ask how many rod's I had out (A Conservation Officer) and if he could borrow a panfish rod. He introduced himself and said that he's been trying to bust some guys for overlimit's of panfish. He said that they'll put 50+ gills on the ice and only take the biggest 25 home, leaving the others to die. He didn't make any bust's, but he made the rounds, checked liscenses, and chatted with a few of the guys on the lake for about an hour or so.
Like I said the fish were suspended everywhere, but 98% of them were too small to keep (we colectively threw back 40-50 fish). Our screens were lit up with fish but none of them were within 8 feet of the bottom, seemed strange to me. They seemed to like spikes and glow in the dark Jammin Jigs. I caught one nice 12 inch crappie and Tom had a mess of decent gills to take home. All and all it was a great day on the ice with a couple of good guys.
Got on the lake around 8, fished in 12 FOW and took many small gills, crappie and perch.....really small. The fishing would have been damn near impossible without a flasher/fish finder because the fish were suspended throughout the entire water column, some only a foot or two below the ice. Decided to head south outta Cadillac around noon to try a lake to the east of Big Rapids for some gills.
Got to the lake around 12:45 or so and were greeted by sunny sky's and 40+ degrees. Great day to be out on the ice. We were only out there a few minutes and began marking a ton of fish in 30 FOW, suspended from 20 feet to just a foot or two below the ice.
I had a guy in red coveralls take a seat right next to me and ask how many rod's I had out (A Conservation Officer) and if he could borrow a panfish rod. He introduced himself and said that he's been trying to bust some guys for overlimit's of panfish. He said that they'll put 50+ gills on the ice and only take the biggest 25 home, leaving the others to die. He didn't make any bust's, but he made the rounds, checked liscenses, and chatted with a few of the guys on the lake for about an hour or so.
Like I said the fish were suspended everywhere, but 98% of them were too small to keep (we colectively threw back 40-50 fish). Our screens were lit up with fish but none of them were within 8 feet of the bottom, seemed strange to me. They seemed to like spikes and glow in the dark Jammin Jigs. I caught one nice 12 inch crappie and Tom had a mess of decent gills to take home. All and all it was a great day on the ice with a couple of good guys.