fish report from east Il

[Guest]

I fished with a friend of mine today at a local spring led lake.There was about 5-6"of ice and We walked out very slow, drilled holes,fished with a spoon and a minnow. We caught 7 - 12" crappie,Five largemouth and a 2# cat. The vexilar helped out big time for the fish that suspened above our baits. The vex helped a bad fishing day out! Six good fish were taken with the aid of the vexilar.It's well worth the money...

[This message has been edited by grinched (edited 01-19-2003).]

[Captain Ken]

Grinched,

Sounds like a good day of fishing!

The Vexilar is an absolute essential. I fished with one last year for the first time and it was amazing for the suspended crappies.

I had an older Lowrance (one step above green box) and all I could see was bottom - no fish).

I immediately bought one and use it on teh ice always.

I have FL-8 which I got used. The FL-18 has some advantages, especially in shallower water because you can turn it on to low power. With the FL8 the power is too much in shallow water and even with the gain all the way down you can get too much power, especially on hard bottow. There is a special cable you can buy for the FL8 (S cable I think) that reduces the power.

If I had to buy a vexilar again I would and it would be the FL-18.

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Captain Ken Kessler
www.captainken.com
Guiding in Illinois and North East Minnesota
847-970-9108 Illinois
218-742-4680 Minnesota

[Guest]

Ken, I was glad we did'nt get skunked. You're right about that s- cable. I seen it the other day @ vexilar.com The vex I got was bought in 1996.I'm definately going out crappie fishing this weekend.I think we all better take advantage of the ice now.

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Just say yes to icefishing

[This message has been edited by grinched (edited 01-20-2003).]

[Guest]

Went out the other day, I caught a few good perch, bluegill and bass.I got all the fish on the gold pimple tipped with a minnow.I'm going to go out to get the crappie this weekend.

[Guest]

fished at good local Lake today and started on the small lake first. There was only 4" of good ice and 2" of water standing on the top.There are springs in this lake that would scare off anybody, very creepy! I did end up catching a 2lb 4oz bass though of a minnow and hook. I had enough of feeling that if I walk in the wrong direction I would fall through so I went to the north Lake,there the ice was 10 1/2"thick and no standing water.I got into a bigger bass yet!I had the fish almost to the hole and he sraightened out the hook on the ice jig tipped with a beemoth and got off. A half hour before dark the crappie made an offer and I ended up with eight and threw 3 back. I got 15 gills too. It sure was another good vexilar day.Im going back to this Lake next time and I'll stay a little longer next time.

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Just say yes to icefishing:D

[Captain Ken]

Grinched
Good going! Sounds like you're doin' it right.

The vex is the best. When we were in MN and my battery started going and finally died it was hard to resist the temptation to just go in.

Keep it up. Let's hope the ice lasts!

Ken

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Captain Ken Kessler
www.captainken.com
Guiding in Illinois and North East Minnesota
847-970-9108 Illinois
218-742-4680 Minnesota

[Guest]

Captain ken, I cant find the charger for the vex so I wired two dollar store lantern batteries toghether in series to get the twelve volts. It lasts about 14 hours and has the weight of the 7 amp hour battery. It costs $3.98 for the 2 batteries. It's a pretty good alternate soulution. I'm going out again thursday the weather changed for the better and I got to take advantage of it. GOOD < )\\\\\><{ING

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Just say yes to icefishing:)

[Captain Ken]

I'll have to remember that for the batteries. Good in a pinch!!

Ken

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Captain Ken Kessler
www.captainken.com
Guiding in Illinois and North East Minnesota
847-970-9108 Illinois
218-742-4680 Minnesota

[Guest]

Went out to the Lake today and got some better action. I got 6 good crappie,1 good gill,and 8 crappie got off. I brought the 6 inch mora instead of the 8"lazer power auger. The 6"mora is o.k. but doesn't allow you to get the fish up the hole very well with the vexilar in the hole especially when your catching crappie.

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Just say yes to icefishing!

[Guest]

Just a tip for you Vexilar users! To keep the fish from getting wound around your floating icepuck, drill 2 holes right next to each other. Leave the ice in one and put your ice puck in the one with the ice and use the ice to keep it to the side of the hole near the 2nd hole. Clean the 2nd hole out and fish through that one. If the ice is 5" or less sometimes the line will still get wound around the puck, but it helps. Still better then using the same hole.

Capt. I've got the FL8 and the FL18 both. The 18 is definatly the way to go. I used the 8 for about 4 years until I couldn't get it away from my daughter, so since I had to buy another one I went ahead and got the 18. More money, but well worth it. The 18 is great in shallow water. I bought a switchable 9/19 degree transducer. It has made my Vex. 18 so flexable and nice to use in any condition.

[Guest]

I got into some crappie tonight, and didn't even need a stong light the moon did a pretty good job. Man I can't wait for the snow to cover up "old clear ice Lake!"}{FORECAST= WINTERSTORM= < )\\\\><{ing thats
better!!
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Just say yes to icefishing!

[This message has been edited by grinched (edited 02-13-2003).]

[Captain Ken]

Thanks for the tips coldfinger. When it's time to buy a new vexilar I'll definately get the Fl-18.

Ken

[Guest]

I went out to the Lake and got 5 crappie the other night, 5 last night and 12 tonight. It was a better outing and the fish were more agressive. The vex did most of the work but I did get 3 fish on the other pole. All fish except 3 was caught on red gamugutzo hook and minnow using a spring bobber.The other rig was a bright yellow big ice jig tipped with a beemoth.

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Just say yes to icefishing!

[This message has been edited by grinched (edited 02-20-2003).]