Post by Brian on Jan 26, 2012 9:11:20 GMT -5
I got out ice fishing for the first time this year Tuesday (1/24). The mission was to get some fresh air and exercise, yes exercise. I'm not the type to sit on a bucket and stare into a hole for hours, much preferring to chase tip-up flags. Fortunately the perch were biting, I got my legs worked out, and had a nice day (4.5 hrs.) on Harriman Reservoir.
The local bait dealer in Wilmington (C&S) provided me with a generous "dozen" medium Arkansas shiner and a carton of Dilly Worms. I didn't even know what a "Dilly" was, but they don't carry the usual spikes and mousies that I'd have preferred. Needing some jigging bait just in case the tip-up flags were going to be slow to fly.
Hit the ice at 11:30 to find it water covered and 8" + thickness. Most of that being black ice. Only two other anglers out and a total of four shanties in sight. Usually by now there are 15 to 20 shanties out. Later ice, warm temps and post Irene flooding likely the explanation. Set the first tip-up in 11 fow, the other 6 close together in 21 fow. Flags started to fly before I had 4 tip-ups in. I was pretty busy for two solid hours, had a break in the action for lunch, then the flags were popping again but less frequently. Mostly because the baits were pretty chewed up. Tried to jig a "hot hole " that was a surface drain, caught four in a row but when I turned around three flags were up. So, off to the races again. Had a nice day. Brought home 13 perch, released 21 perch and 3 rock bass.
Stomach content revealed rock bass (2), smallmouth bass (1), crawfish (many) and one 4" soft stickworm with very decayed hook. Brand indeterminable, but I'd guess Senko.
While messing around with the camera the flag behind me popped.
This is what came up through the ice, a 12.75" monster. Never have I caught one that size at Harriman. It was the perch with the soft plastic bait in it's stomach, along with crawfish.
The local bait dealer in Wilmington (C&S) provided me with a generous "dozen" medium Arkansas shiner and a carton of Dilly Worms. I didn't even know what a "Dilly" was, but they don't carry the usual spikes and mousies that I'd have preferred. Needing some jigging bait just in case the tip-up flags were going to be slow to fly.
Hit the ice at 11:30 to find it water covered and 8" + thickness. Most of that being black ice. Only two other anglers out and a total of four shanties in sight. Usually by now there are 15 to 20 shanties out. Later ice, warm temps and post Irene flooding likely the explanation. Set the first tip-up in 11 fow, the other 6 close together in 21 fow. Flags started to fly before I had 4 tip-ups in. I was pretty busy for two solid hours, had a break in the action for lunch, then the flags were popping again but less frequently. Mostly because the baits were pretty chewed up. Tried to jig a "hot hole " that was a surface drain, caught four in a row but when I turned around three flags were up. So, off to the races again. Had a nice day. Brought home 13 perch, released 21 perch and 3 rock bass.
Stomach content revealed rock bass (2), smallmouth bass (1), crawfish (many) and one 4" soft stickworm with very decayed hook. Brand indeterminable, but I'd guess Senko.
While messing around with the camera the flag behind me popped.
This is what came up through the ice, a 12.75" monster. Never have I caught one that size at Harriman. It was the perch with the soft plastic bait in it's stomach, along with crawfish.
