How many of you?

[Trout4x]

Who here enjoys ice fishing? If you don't enjoy you don't need to post. I am just trying to see WHO likes it.

And you can ice fish with flies just so you know.

Trout4x

[doug draper]

I liked it when strawberry was hot but did'nt do well last year the few times I went. I have'nt tried it with flies but I did pump the stomach of a few and found mostly sow bugs. It aint flyfishing though.

[carpman]

It gives me something else to figure out during the colder months. I still fly fish in the winter but some of the local fisheries lose their luster after several trips to the same spot. Ice fishing is a great way to spend more time outdoors and learn more about fish, and their habits during the winter. I especially like ice fishing for species other than trout. Bluegill, largemouth bass, perch, walleye......ect.....

If you haven't tried it, I recommend it, in fact I'm going in the morning...................

[nightfish]

Never gone after trout on hard water but I take a few perch trips each season. A fly I use is a micro crazy charlie tied on a jig hook(no lead head). It's produced without a meat tag at Pineview, but they'll take anything there. Chartreuse or fire orange, overwrapped with pearl mylar, calf and crystal flash wing and small bead-chain eyes. I'd like to do a trip to Pelican this year for some of those hog 'gills.

Nothing like wiggling a short stick with a batch of clam chowder on the coleman.

[Graycliff]

Icefishing is a good way to break up the monotony of winter. I hope Hyrum does better than it did last year, it was fairly dismal. This year the goal is to get one of those big rainbows up through the ice at Mantua!

[Teewinot]

Last year was my first time ice fishing. It was a lot of fun. I'm afraid I'd rather be sitting around with nice warm clothes, some hot chocolate, chatting with friends, and catching a lot of fish through the ice than to be freezing my butt off standing in an ice cold stream trying to keep the ice off my fly rod.

I spent most of my time at Hyrum and from what I hear it wasn't all that hot this last year compared to other years. I still had quite a bit of success though. We got into a few schools of perch and were just hitting them one after another, then we'd move to a new hole and hit them again.

[dryfly]

Love to ice fish.

[Trout4x]

We may have to have a get together when things ice up.

[carpman]

Fished for tiger trout with a friend. It was slow at first so we moved around and found some active fish. The ice is about 4 inches thick and has 3 inches of fresh snow on top. Beautiful day.............................

[Fred]

Did those cracking sounds make you nervous?

Seriously though, how do you know when it's safe to step out on the ice? Seems early.

[Trout4x]

Loads on Ice Required Minimum Ice Thickness in inches Description of Safe Moving Load

1-3/4 One person on skies
2 One person on foot or skates
3 One snowmobile
3 A group of people walking single file
7 A single passenger automobile
8 A 2-1/2 ton truck
9 A 3-1/2 ton truck
10 A 7 to 8 ton truck

[Strike II]

How do you Ice fish using flies? I tied up some white woolly buggers last year, but instead of a standard hook, I used a lead jig head. I just started ice fishing last year up at Pineview. We will have to go over Christmas....


By the way, are any of you hitting still water this weekend? I am going to try and go somewhere on Fri at about 1:00 or so.

[Trout4x]

Use a lot of nymph patterns when I fish places like Daniels. Jig them.

This weekend I have my late season cow elk tag that starts.

Friday should be open where do you have in mind? I will see what I can do.

[Strike II]

I was thinking somewhere like mantua, or even somewhere up in
Cache County. Something new never hurts. This will most likely be the last time I go out. Shoot me an e-mail.

As far as the nymphs with the ice fishing.... Do you put a lot of weight on them? I was tipping the jig heads last with with meal worms. Do the fish respond to the bare nymphs?

[robinsoj]

I haven't tried ice fishing. No ice in Texas hehe. I've been here five years, though. Using a 3 foot rod or whatever just doesn't appeal to me. The appeal of fly fishing in large part is using the long and flexible rod. Still, I wouldn't mind going out on a UTOF ice fishing outing a few times just to try it. I wouldn't want to go alone...doesn't seem very safe to me. I don't want to buy all of the equipment, either.

[carpman]

There weren't any cracking sounds today. Although cracking sounds are usually a good thing. They are generally made when the ice is growing. As for safe ice??? 4 inches is the norm. Use caution anytime your on the ice, just as you would while wading a stream. I've been on 2 inches of good clear ice before without any problems but I wouldn't recommend venturing out on ice that thin.

Once when I was getting used to the ice fishing idea I went with a friend to Pelican lake. When we arrived I mentioned to him that the ice looked unsafe, he laughed, and backed the rear end of his truck down the boat ramp and out on the ice. I learned just how strong the ice really is..........

[Rod]

As a kid I lived in Minnesota for a while. In the winter literal cities would pop up on many of the lakes, complete with roads that were plowed, parking lots, shanty towns by the hundreds, bait shacks (most supplied with power)....

We raised and raced huskies and the races would be held on the frozen lakes. I remember the first time we pulled up to a frozen lake and I saw hundreds of cars parked out on the ice it freaked me out.

To the locals, lakes in the winter became available realestate.

[Teewinot]

Trout4X -- Where is your late season at? Mine is starting this saturday up Beirdenou Peak. Are you doing the Millville hunt?

[Crosby]

Yes- I admit I do this - but you know there is still a water that doesn't freeze in So Idaho that you can tube that isn't a pay deal.
I am going to look at it soon to make dure the drought didn't wipe it out.

[Trout4x]

I have the archery only hunt starting at left hand fork in BSFC. So I will take my fly rod along when to fish on the way out.

I did the Beirdenou Peak 4 years ago.

[Teewinot]

How did you do up there? This is my first time hunting that area.

[Trout4x]

The guy I went with & myself both got a cow. Didn't get good until the snow really hit the top. We did a lot of fishing on the Logan until we started seeing the elk. I hiked up across from the Preston valley campground went to the top.

[Teewinot]

Sounds great. Well, Good Luck this weekend!!

I saw a bunch of elk up BSF during the deer hunt. I saw the biggest bull elk I've ever seen in my life. He was only 75 yards away standing broadside. Boy, if I've ever been tempted to become a poacher that would be the time. There were a few cows up there as well, but it's a bugger of a hike.

[THeBLender]

If you are worried about buying stuff, go with 4x. You bring the gear and he'll bring the bait. I understand he has a freezer full of cheese.

[Trout4x]

THeBLender is right for some reason I still have a lot of cheese haven't found a way to get rid of it yet.

[Trouty]

I'd be interested to know what stillwater doesn't freeze over in So. Idaho if you're up to sharing it. Don't know if I have the fortitude to brave the COLD Idaho winters. That's one thing that keeps me here in Utah - mild winters!! Getting soft in my old age!

I also like to hit the ice a couple of times each winter but not usually for trout. My kids love going to Pineview/Rockport and catching the perch. They can all get 10-20 in a couple of hours (at Pineview) and then we go sledding. My wife can't say I never take the kids fishing with me!!