Slow start here with temp fluctuation. Headed out at 0dark30 last weekend to a spot that is usually gtg before most. Got there to find open water. No bueno! Shifted gears and hit a small spot for bass/pan fish to keep the boy happy. Next weekend we will go in search of bigger fish.
Picked this up for hauling duty. Has the Fugi 488 fan. Been cleaning it up. Removed 50 lbs of mouse house/turds from the belly. Removed the sissy bar and that silly homemade hitch. Go a new windshield as the one on it was cracked and the guy smeared goo all over it. Gave the carbs a bath serviced clutches and changed the chain case oil. Waiting on some wearbars for the skis and she will be ready to go.
Ha, we only have an inch or two on the ground here. Been in a drought for the last few years. Main reason I wanted a fanner. plenty of machines on the market around here with the lack of snow.
Just got in from the lake and pike were running for our youngest son and I! ] Not much for snow, but plenty of ice for driving out. 1-3” of snow on the way this afternoon will help for footing around the houses.
I’m going to leave this here. The comment section is pretty brutal… We haven’t had enough ice on the lakes here in 3-4 years now. Even with all this cold lately, I’m still seeing a lot of open water.
Yup, going out on the ice can be dangerous. Knowing how to read it and having the right gear with you is essential. And just cuz some bonehead made it out there before you doesn’t mean the ice is “safe”. on the flip side I have been approached by law enforcement that got calls that I was on unsafe ice and was gonna fall through when I knew darn right well that the ice was plenty thick enough to hold my weight.
I don’t mean to stir the hornets nest. The video was recommended to me the other day so it was fresh in my mind. I saw a comment, something to the effect of “by the end I was cheering for the ice” Looking back, I’m kind of lucky to not have fallen through on a couple of those early spring trips my grandfather took me on. At sunrise it would be 25 degrees out, ice solid, but by noon the sun was beating down, it was in the mid 50s with standing water all around us. Sitting on a 5 gallon bucket, sled full of gear right next to us.
My son and I just got back from devils lake in North Dakota. 3 days of spearing northerns. It was a great trip. Drove over through michigans upper peninsula. Couple hours longer but far more peaceful than driving south around Lake Michigan. Came home with a cooler full of filets!
Haftacut good times getting your boy out spearing! Our boys and I have enjoyed it together over the years since they were real young. It is nice to get them on fish right away like you did, which then makes the long sits without seeing fish tolerable, and worth the wait until the next one comes in. Who are the spear makers? I think I recognize the 9 tine against your darkhouse, but not the other one. Does the 9-tine say “Hardwater Harware” on it? Have you heard of Dave Pawlak, a spear maker out of Michigan ? Good spears!
This spearing business intrigues me. Do you try to attract them to the hole in the ice or just hope they swim by?
We use carved decoys. Some people use a live sucker minnow on a pin or harness. Decoy minnows are typically 10-15”. Too much trouble for me to use live decoys. We do better with carved fish anyways. Tomorrow’s swim team Some other candidates Fish about to bite the decoy. We watch and pass on most pike that come in.
All are my father in laws spears. He had the 9 tine and two 7 tine spears made maybe ten years ago, and yes, they are labeled hard water hardware. The only difference between the two 7 tine spears is one has a slightly longer handle. 9 tine is a nice spear and I’ve taken several pike with it but it is a handful! I prefer the 7 tine to the 9 tine. I’m not sure who made the head of the spear with the oak handle, but do know that father in law crafted the handle and the lead weight for it. The last one we have but didn’t take with us was his fathers spear. He made a matching oak handle for it. It too is a 7 tine spear but much narrower and lighter than the larger oak handled spear that we took with us. He passed away in 22’ so they are all for my son and I to now carry on the tradition with. I have not heard of Dave pawlak, but I am sure my father in law had heard of him. Devils lake ND has quite the history and has very good opportunities for spearing pike. I think the boy is hooked!
We mainly use decoys as well, but had a lot of luck with northern crack teasers on a battery spinner this year. Most of the time if we had a fish decoy and a teaser in the hole at the same time, the fish would come in with their attention fully on the teaser. It’s always nice to have options. Seems one day they love a certain decoy and the next they want nothing to do with it.
There was an ice fishing tournament near here last weekend, tbh I'm shocked they didn't cancel it. Only 1/2 the lake was frozen over with water by the shorelines. I'm sure the ice was tested but... Grateful that guy made it.
Sure was a nice morning out on the lake. Our son and I passed on 6 pike, but did keep some perch and bluegill we angled for a family fish fry Wednesday.
