Hawaiibassfishing Forum

Okay...it's Reading Week for me. I'm supposed to really study this Reading Week since I have 2 midterms, 1 lab quiz and 1 lab report to greet me next Tuesday (yes...all on the same bloody day!!!) I have to turn down the oh-so-anticipated-and-talked-about Haliburton trip with Matt...since I'll be losing 4 days of study time...I just can't risk that.

So...I was looking for at least another go on Simcoe after I missed a whitie on Saturday.

And it just so happens that UNCLEBEN was available today...and well...so was I if I said screw it with studying...

And so I did The weather predicted for today was WAYYYY too nice not to get out. I picked up Ben at 5:30 this morning. Conveniently, he's in Waterloo as well Driving was great up until we hit Mississauga and Toronto. Minor set back in time...but we got to Lefroy for bait by 8:00. And we're on the ice by 8:30!!! 8O

We started off right on a drop. Ben was at about 60-70 FOW and I was at 80 FOW. On the first drop, when I was setting the bobber stop, I felt weight. WTF?! Started pulling the line in and there was a rod bend. Up came a 7" perch. Alright! Skunking is OVER!!!

On the second drop, just as soon as it hits bottom, BOOM...another perch...a 6" this time

After that, I missed one hit...and started to drill a second hole for jigging. For quite a while, it was quiet...and then we heard a guy further out yelled "Oh F$%#!" and we saw him running for a rod...I guess he missed the fish since we didn't see one come up.

After a while, Ben got a small perch and I think he missed another hit...and it was all quiet again...for a long time.

So at 10:30, we decided to move closer to the "Oh F$%#!" guys. They were in 80 FOW and we set up camp about 70 feet from them. They had 2 whities on the ice. Other people in the area said they didn't have a hit.

Ben and I were about 15 feet from each other. We each had two holes...one for the deadstick with minnows and one for jigging.

Ben had a hit at about 11:30...and he had the rod bent for a bit before it came off. A while later Ben had another quick hit that lifted his slip float...but the fish was gone before the hook set.

I've been jigging there without a hit...and my slip float only quivered a bit from the minnow swimming around.

At about 12:30...I was just about to bring up my line to change from a William to Da Jiggy's Nice Jig...and just as I lifted the rod to reel in line...the line went tight...OH FISH ON!!!

I played this fish carefully...keeping tension at ALL TIMES! (Yes Ryan...one lesson is enough ) I was playing that fish for 5min on 6lb test and someone came over to volunteer his gaff.

And the result was...



My first Lake Simcoe whitefish and my PB whitie! YESSSS!!!!

We were going to leave at 1...but I thought well, let's fish for a bit longer...hoping Ben would get into one as well.

An hour later, after nothing from both of us, I was just watching my slip float when I saw what looked like the minnow was trying to drag my float down (the current and the minnow kept pulling my float down ever so slowly). So I was just trying to pop the minnow a bit to get it off bottom slightly and re-settle on bottom...when...OH FISH ON AGAIN!!!

This time it was on the 4lb test and the fish took a good 8-10min to bring up after making 3 long runs. One of the guys who came over to look said it might be hooked in the body or the tail...but when the fish came up, it was hooked in the corner of the mouth. And so I tied my PB whitie today



Took a pic of the twins! I managed to limit out on Simcoe after getting skunked 6 times on Simcoe through the 3 winters of trying. WOOHOO!!!

I went back to fishing hoping to get into a fish for Ben to play...but it was not to be...and 2pm came about...we had to leave to avoid rush hour traffic.

We got on the road and got stuck in rush hour traffic (IRONIC) ...and got home at 5:30

It was awesome getting out with you today UNCLEBEN!!! Great company, weather could not get any better (I was fishing in my vest and fleece sweater all day today)...and well, the fishing...What can I say (for my part at least)...

Nice fish. I was just wondering... does the line break or fray from rubbing against the ice?

Stan

Hey Stan, mono line will not usually fray against the ice. However, if the ice edge is sharp enough, the ice edge can cut the line. Thus, we really do have to watch the line that is both entering and leaving the hole in the ice.

My worst fear yesterday was having that second whitefish pull my line against the edge of the ice hole and cut my 4lb test. Several times, I have to put my rod into the hole so that the line does not touch the edge of the hole at all. You have to do that when the fish is running sideways.

I have never used braid for icefishing. Braid absorbs water and it will just freeze onto the spool...so we don't use it much at all (although in a heated hut, braid would be really nice due to the low stretch property...esp when fishing is done at depths over 20 feet of water). I assume similar to mono, the braid will be cut as well.

The line will either cut into the ice...or the ice will cut into the line. Fraying doesn't usually occur.

Brrrr....That is too cold for me, I can not handle that! Nice fish though.

Thanks OO7:BASSINASSASSIN!

Um...that was the warmest day of icefishing for me this winter But then again...you do live in Hawaii It sure takes the body some time to adjust to the cold winters here!