Ice Report

[Bob Horn]

Finally starting to see some skim ice on the ponds and lakes. I drove by Tampier today and half of it had ice. I`m sure that all of it will be gone with the warmer temps this weekend but it`s a start.

[jay1299]

A start it is. All the ponds I drove by this morning in lake county were skimmed over. I'm still hopign by the 20th we can get out.

[Bob Horn]

Welcome jay1299, I would think that there should be some good ice by then somewhere.

[Bob Horn]

How`s the ice building on the chain?

[M_komo]

Went to delevan for the first ice ramp action. (See post under wisco).Made my usual stops along the way. This was sat afternoon

1. Bangs = skim to 1. inch. Lots of open water

2. Pistakee @ Oak Park Hotel, = open

3. Delevan = ramp, marina thin up to 3". Otherwise open.

4. Blackwell (Silver) = skim

5. Geneva = open

6. Chain on the ride up via Rt 12. Just about all open.

Ice is coming.

[jay1299]

Channels are safe to fish, I was on 3-4" 12/19.....I knew it would be safe somewhere by the 20th.

[Bob Horn]

Drove by Tampier and it has alot of open water from the geese.

[nate18]

bhorn, i fished tampier sunday the 26th. there was open water in the middle do to the geese but the points and the drop offs on the west shore had a good 5". i fished from 6:30 to about 11. caught my share of white bass, no walleye. Is there anyway to access the lake after sunset? i would like to try the night bite. my outings on Tampier have been less then successful to say the least, any tips? thanks,

nate

[M_komo]

Nope, no legal nightime access. CCFP close at sunset. You may wanna think about Deep Quarry, in Barlett. Its open until 1100pm. Also, Pistakee has night fishing. Shabbona has night fishing one night outta the year.

Tampier is a bowl. And it has a ton of forage. So, try to focus on making your bait a little different than the offering. A very lively roach is sometimes the ticket. Keep in mind these eyes are trained. They know exactly when to feed.

I have also had some better fishing (if that is possible) on the north side slough. Try by the pipe, as well as walking out towards the powerlines. There are a few spots there.

Good luck.

[Tofishem]

Oh yes, do I remember the nighttime wanting to fish in IL! Lived in Rockford and fished the Rock Cut State Park. Well , everyone had to be out by 5pm. Forget the night bite! What a joke. I don't have that problem anymore in MN. Thank God! Just walk out my front door to heaven and stay as long as I want anytime of the year. yeppie!!!

Bruce

[Bob Horn]

Just got back from Minnesota. Only fished for about 5 hours. Alot of nice gills up to 9 inches. A few crappies biggest was 12 inches. Matt J. missed a pike at the hole and Paul W go a bass around 21/2 lbs. BDR was there but I didn`t see what he caught. I fishing of the ice season and looks like it will be the last for the year. Fish On

[Captain Ken]

Chain is pretty much open from what I could see last night. Maybe should put the Tuffy in.

Plenty o ice on Lake Vermilion in Tower. Just got back. Did not go fishing this time, just relaxed and sledding with the family. My buddy Cliff guided a guy and caught (and released most of) 200 crappies and sunnies in one day on his top secret crappie lake and one real nice pike. Should a gone with....

Plenty of snow in Tower if you want to go sledding.

[Bob Horn]

Ken, are you going to the Burntside event? That`s not to far from you is it?

[Captain Ken]

Yup, I'm going! Leaving on Thursday afternoon after work then catching a few winks up at my place in Tower. Then, Cliff W and I will drive something (truck, snowmachines, broomsticks) depending on ice/slush conditions to Trout lake portage and fish for walleyes and trouts in Trout Lake. Then Sat is the BB and Sun, if I still have energy I will try for crappies up by Ely or maybe "settle" for a day of walleye fishing on Vermilion.

You going?

I have written to Dave at Chicagoland fishing dot com to let him know I'd be willing to help out at the Feb Ice Series event on the Chain. Waiting to hear back from him and hoping his email did not get mixed in the spam. You gonna fish that?

Have you done any ice fishing here thsi year? None for me.

Went to that Arlington show today. Saw some friends from around here and MN. Listened to a perch lecture. That's a blast on Lake Michigan too. Ever done it If not, I'll take you this summer. You'll be addicted in acout 10 minutes after catching a few 14 inchers.

Capt

Ken

[Bob Horn]

I talked with Dave last week, mainly just icefishing and no ice around here. I`ll tell him your willing to help out. I have perched fished Navy pier in the winter but never(wanted to) from a boat. Hopefully the ice will get here and be here in late feb. I will be at the Burntside event. That was going to be my second trip of the ice season but after missing the winnie event and trying to get healthly I haven`t made any set plans for when I will leaving. I think the flu knew everyone wasn`t able to get a flu shot and got us good. Hopefully by mon. I`ll be back on track.

[Captain Ken]

Bhorn

I will try to find you up there. I have a Green Toyota Sequoia, Black and Purple Artic Cat with MN numbers, a Otter small den (green), and I will be the guy with a the two biggest lake trout at check in

Let's try to find each other up there so we can say hi in person.

Capt

[Bob Horn]

That was a good laugh Ken. I needed that being sick for to long. I`ll just ask around and someone will point you out. After missing this weekend and not having any ice here I`m lost. Next week I will regroup and have another game plan ready to go. I NEED to get on some ice!!!

[nate18]

do not fret gentleman, i went on pistakee Saturday and fished on a good 6" of ice. i think that the ice will last through this week until friday when we are suppose to get a low of 10 and a high of 16 on sat. i got skunked again though, i just can't get used to these illinois fish yet. i tried everything again. all sniffers, or light biters, installing spring bobbers as we speak. take care and good fishin'.

nate

[Bob Horn]

Nate, I use the new legend rods from St.Croix. Get your self a UL or L for pan fish. You will see more bites and inturn catch more fish.

[don of cambrige]

WOW GUYS IT WAS'NT THAT LONG AGO WE UP HERE IN MN WERE TALKING LIKE YOU. I WAS JUST DOWN IN IL FRIDAY AND COULD'NT BELIEVE THAT YOUR NICE SNOW FALL WAS HALF MELTED ALL IN A MATTER OF THREE DAYS. WELL IT'S GOOD YOU GUYS CAN GET OUT AND GET SOME FISHING IN. GOOD FISHING

[Captain Ken]

Well, we gave up hope. Just planned a trip to the Iron Range instead of waiting for the ice here Actually, I decided there would be no ice here soon, so when we went to our place up North over new years I just left all my stuff up there since I knew I was going back up at the end of Jan. I'd say we've probably made some ice now. Have to check and see. Hope it lasts thru Feb so we can have the ice series tournament on the Chain.

Capt