New ice reports???

[HideHunter]

I agree with Herb. If divers are a little strong for your taste, try cutting them in bite-sized pieces, wrap a piece of bacon around it, secure with a toothpick and marinate in Wishbone Italian dressing overnight. Put them on the grill and cook them no more than medium (just until the bacon is crisp). Great appetizers. Works well on snow geese and deer.

I've never understood the aversion to coots. I was on an extended canoe trip one time and we ate them several different ways. Personally, I like them considerably better than the divers.

As far as taking the small fish, especially bluegill, - you can't throw such a broad blanket over it. In many (and I'll go out on a limb and say 'most' cases) you do much more damage by taking a number of 9-10 bulls out of a water than all the 5-6 inchers you can carry. It's a spawning thing and very often leads to stunted 'gills. I agree, don't leave any thing on the ice - including cigarette butts - looks bad.

Still catching a bunch of fish below 80 but it's going to get sloppy fast. Heard a batch of turkeys gobbling the other morning. Now, that's making be nervous. Sorry I got long. Good fishing..g

[Selmer]

Yep, I'm talking about Beeds Lake with the gills left on the ice. I've fished it quite a bit this winter and haven't broke the 8 inch mark on gills, but I do put back the little one. I fish with a couple old guys that take anything from 5-7 inches, and soemtimes I think their 5 inches is a little generous. Anybody been fishing Hickory Grove lake? The old fellas I fish with did real well down there last week, said they brought home 77 gills over 7 inches, which I think is over-harvesting, but they do get used by them and their not-so-able friends, these guys are in their 70's. I think we're going to head down their on Sunday, send a report if you've been there or heard anything. Goodyy, what pin bones are you talking about in yellows? Do they run along the alteral line like the one fork of the Y-bone in a northern? And that red meat on back can be cut off, leaves the strong oily taste out, we do that with white bass anyway, I assume the yellow have the same red meat in it, it's a characteristic of true bass. (largemouth and smallies and actually members of the sunfish family, little trivia for those of you who did not know that)
Selmer

[goodyy7]

Yeah, the pin bones are straight up the lateral line. A lot of people dont take them out of small fish as they cook out when fried, but I do as it takes out that red meat as well. Yeah, that red meat just gives a little taste to them and is really easy to get off and worth the effort as far as flavor goes.

Headed to 3Mile (most likely, but could end up on 12) all day saturday and then to big creek all day sunday. These weather people need to make up their minds on what this darn weather is doing....forecasts of 46* sat has turned nastier in a hurry. Oh well, as long as I can walk I can fish!!!

goody

[Little Worm]

Selmer,

I fished Hickory Grove about three weeks ago...lots of ice. From the south ramp go left and in the middle of the lake there is a marker bouy with lots of brush under it. Straight north of that along the shore is another huge pile of brush. I did decent in there and it's only about 1 hour from IF, 15 minutes farther for you.

[goodyy7]

sunday's fishing report.... Got on the ice at Big Creek around 10:45a. Drilled some holes and found my structure, dropped down a teardrop and waxie and withing 20 seconds "BOOM", 11 1/2" crappie....it was all downhill from there. I didnt get another bite until 2pm, and didnt get another fish until 6:10pm. At that time the crappie moved in and caught 8 (all 8-9" or so) before the walleye started. Got some of them in the 12" range and then they stopped...left at 7:30p. Very slow and saw very few fish through the day until 6:10p when the crappie moved in. They bit soft all day. Not much of a report I guess, but am headed back out tomorrow morning to try it again before work!!

goody