Ready for Ice?

Post by **Phil** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:54 am

How many here fish through the ice on Black Lake? I do, and plan to keep this forum updated with info and oics.
Looks like the wind and the temp is going to fall Thursday night - look for the lake to be skimmed over Friday morning.

MrSimon · Post by **MrSimon** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 11:12 am

Being from Southeastern PA, we very rarely have any ice fishing. And I'm not sure I want to drive all the way up to Black just to sit in frigid temps staring down a little hole

Actually, ice fishing has always interested me, but there is one thing that I just don't get ....... when fishing open water, my boat is almost always moving and I'm either drifting over large amounts of water, or casting all over the place. How the heck do you know where to drill your one hole - what if its a bad spot and you should be over 20 feet.

Seems very technical.

Maybe someday I'll come up for a weekend and let one of you hard water pros show me how its done.

Post by **Phil** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 2:24 pm

MrSimon wrote:Being from Southeastern PA, we very rarely have any ice fishing. And I'm not sure I want to drive all the way up to Black just to sit in frigid temps staring down a little hole

Actually, ice fishing has always interested me, but there is one thing that I just don't get ....... when fishing open water, my boat is almost always moving and I'm either drifting over large amounts of water, or casting all over the place. How the heck do you know where to drill your one hole - what if its a bad spot and you should be over 20 feet.

Seems very technical.

Maybe someday I'll come up for a weekend and let one of you hard water pros show me how its done.

All good concerns. More than "one" thing though.

Fish move around and so do I. Just cut (drill with a power auger) more holes.
I use electronics (the technical part) in the way of a "flasher" - it is a sonar device that marks fish and bottom structure so you can "see" whats going on. There are cameras but I don't use one of those.
I use a "flip-over" shelter built on/in a sled towed by my ATV. I use a heater in it so it is toasty warm. If I "drill in" and set up and "see" no fish, I move. and set up all over again.
Bad spots (like as in poor ice)? That comes from paying attention and testing until you know the area you are fishing.
It's just like fishing from a boat - just a little more effort to move around.

Know where to drill? Again, I use some pretty sophisticated gear. I use my boat with fish finder to locate the bottom structure and weed beds. Then mark them with my gps (which I transfer to my ATV for winter) and then just "drive" to my "spots".
So it is not all guess work my friend.
AND, anytime you want to experience Black Lake from atop a sheet of ice, just let me know when. It is more fun to me than fishing from a boat.

MrSimon · Post by **MrSimon** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 9:47 am

Wow, sounds like you have a college degree in ice fishing! Great stuff!

I read through your ice fishing post from last year and loved seeing all the pictures of big pike. Its great to know there are such nice quality pike in the lake. Funny though, in the late May we don't seem to catch them that big ... or at least that many big ones. We fish really hard for about three days and are lucky to get two or three pike over 24". Plenty in the 18-23" range though. Now I know for sure there are plenty of bigger ones - just need to figure out where they are.

Do you think you have a better shot at a big pike in the winter?

In your opinion, when do the Pike leave their wintering spots to move shallow to spawn, and when do they leave the spawning areas and head to deeper water?

Post by **Phil** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 12:26 pm

I have a MUCH better chance of catching them through the ice. I don't fish for them out of my boat

Lots of little fish and lots of hours of fishing to get those pics and the bigger fish.

They are in the weed beds all winter (after baitfish). I don't know the breeding habits of Pike but assume, from I've read that they start in May sometime (probably mostly based on water temp.?

wildchild · Post by **wildchild** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 6:36 pm

Good luck out there this winter Phil and all of you other hardwater lunatics out there. Can't wait to see the pics.

Post by **Phil** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 7:22 pm

wildchild wrote:Good luck out there this winter Phil and all of you other hardwater lunatics out there. Can't wait to see the pics.

Oh ya - it's coming. Thanks for the wish of luck.
I was "by" the lake today. South end - mostly open water. North end - mostly skimmed over. Bays and very south end (Mile arm and Back Bay) through the narrows - skimmed over. Looks like a good season of ice is shaping up.

Ice Fishing Show in Syracuse at the OnCenter this weekend. Get to see all the latest gear - will be looking for deals on a couple of high-end walleye rods and reels. Maybe Thorne Bros, or Jason Mitchell or ??? Maybe a new Lowrance X67C Ice Machine.

Post by **Phil** » Thu Dec 09, 2010 9:17 am

She froze up last night!

Sparky489 · Post by **Sparky489** » Thu Dec 09, 2010 4:12 pm

Phil,

Can't wait for hard water! Being from central PA we only make it to Black lake 2 times a year, once for a week in the summer, and my favorite 3 day ice fishing trip! Please keep posting ice conditions and pictures - It's almost like being there!!!!

We normally fish the north end close to the web cam, we'll be up in late January, hope to meet-up with you and others from the forum! Let's hope the soon coming snow does not insulate and slow down the ice growth!

Post by **Phil** » Thu Dec 09, 2010 9:37 pm

Sparky489 wrote:Phil,

Can't wait for hard water! Being from central PA we only make it to Black lake 2 times a year, once for a week in the summer, and my favorite 3 day ice fishing trip! Please keep posting ice conditions and pictures - It's almost like being there!!!! We normally fish the north end close to the web cam, we'll be up in late January, hope to meet-up with you and others from the forum! Let's hope the soon coming snow does not insulate and slow down the ice growth!

I fish the north end (right out from that webcam) very often. Let me know when you will be around, we can meet up for some good times.

Here's a slideshow I did of pics from the last two ice seasons.

Sparky489 · Post by **Sparky489** » Thu Dec 09, 2010 10:09 pm

Nice slide show Phil!

We are planning the trip to Black the last weekend in January. Can't come soon enough for me! Hope you all get out on the ice soon.

MrSimon · Post by **MrSimon** » Fri Dec 10, 2010 9:43 am

Awesome slide show!!! Thanks for sharing.

Seeing all those really nice Pike has encouraged me to fish harder and smarter during open water season ..... now that I know they are in there, I have to figure out how to catch them.

sasnyder · Post by **sasnyder** » Fri Dec 10, 2010 10:35 am

Truly awesome slide show Phil. almost makes me want to try ice fishing ( Almost) The thing is you guys don't look that cold

Best of luck to all you ice fisherman.

Steve Milarmby · Post by **Steve Milarmby** » Fri Dec 10, 2010 7:31 pm

Video is very cool. Can't wait to walk the water. Should be soon I hope to see yas on the ice !

Post by **Phil** » Fri Dec 10, 2010 9:13 pm

Steve Milarmby wrote:Video is very cool. Can't wait to walk the water. Should be soon I hope to see yas on the ice !

Where do you fish, Steve? Milearm Bay? You have property there?

I do work for Backbay Camps and go on there sometimes, but usually get on at Rollaway or Chapmans and drive my ATV up through. I like fishing the narrows for eyes.

Looks like it won't be long now. I heard some of the bays have 4" as of this AM.

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