Cattin the Chain '11

[pushbutton]

outside of the river do not think your going to find a system nearly as populated as the sauk chain. although i think you should keep looking...it will occupy the rest of your work day. you should make your way out some time this winter. in a few more weeks the common areas will be filled with folks from this site. actually you should give them a shot on the fly rod this summer....would think that would be a hoot. closer to july when the water really heats up they will be littered amongst the pads, docks, fallen trees, ect. the chain has a lot of a nice protected areas for your canoe.

[teninchhole]

I was fishing blind with S2K the other night when we had to move our truck or be towed.

Did the snowfall affect the ice negatively on the chain?

How are conditions?

I am anxious to try my new Marcum and see how I do.

[Rick G]

Welcome to Fm/Hso teninchhole lots of great info and people on here. I was out tonight and let me tell you its not for the week bodied out there. I had the otter down to the bare bones meaning no extra stuff with. I thought I was going to die pulling my gear just a few hundred yards. The powder snow would'nt be so bad it's the light crust that has formed on top that kinda sucks the tub in and makes it just plain tough to pull The good news is there is now almost 10in of ice where I was at so a real small truck may not be out of the question by the weekend . The other good news is that the cats are still going pretty good. I got a few durring the day but the bite was great for the last 45min of light untill pitch dark when the bite slows but gets far more consistant. Glow red was the color of the evening and the more of a mess I could make out of my minnow head the better the fish liked it.

[teninchhole]

I hope to get out there today after I sleep awhile. I don't think i'm willing to take the wheeler or jeep out there yet so hopefully I find your track! Thanks for the info.

[Rick G]

I wont be out there today but if you look to the bay southwest of where you came on the lake by Fruitwood that is where my trail is.

[Borch]

Welcome to HSO teninchhole!

Good luck today.

[DTro]

Looks like the motorized sled will be making it's maiden voyage up there this weekend then. Thanks for the updates as always RFM!

[Brad B]

dtro,

are you going saturday or sunday. I was thinking about going fishing sunday but since I don't have a sled I may just try a local lake by me that I can pull my house out by hand. If you happen to go on sunday could we set something up where I meet you by the winter access and I hire you to pull my house out for me with your sled. I really want to get up there but I don't want to wait until I can drive on with my truck. You have been there enough now that you know when it is safe to drive a truck out there. I drive a chevy blazer and am trying to figure out when it would be safe to drive out there with it. I normally wait until I see full size trucks on the ice then I start driving on it.

[Rick G]

I normally wait until I see full size trucks on the ice then I start driving on it.

Ya me too. Most years I will be the first in the area to walk on the ice and the last one off when the ice gets crappy but Im never the first to take the truck on the lake.

[so haaad]

Ice thickness last Friday was around 10 inches. I bet that we see the first vehicles out on the ice this next weekend. You won't see mine yet, but someone will get the itch.

[deep_fried]

hey catfish hunters! I am looking for a little info on where the easiest place to park and drive a wheeler out to the meth hole on sunday, i was out there for my first time last year but dont remember where to go.... Im hooked after one trip last year and cant wait to go try and catch some cats again!!! also maybe just a little hint on wat there taste buds are feeling ( bait, jigs) thanks for your time guys!!!! Good Fishin!!!!!

[Rick G]

Welcome to Fm/Hso deep_fried. You can park by the winter access right on the shoulder pf 22 just 3/4 of a mile south of the bridge . Right now the jigs of choice are any glow spoon in the 1/8-1/16 size. They have been feeding well on the head of a fathead or you could get a tub of the local brand liver and try nickle or quarter size chunks. Best bite has been from around 4pm till when ever you get sick of catching them . You can get a few durring the day but they tend to be a bit more spooky and scattered than they are around dark.

[deep_fried]

thanks for the reply river! could you elaborate on (pf 22)? im assuming they are driving wheelers out to the hole? thanks for the tips on bait choice!! do you hang that liver off bottom or let it sit on bottom, and one more question, day time depth and night bite depth would be nice to know. thanks for your help, i will be there sunday with a green flip over house and green honda foreman, come say hi if your out there!!!

[Rick G]

Sorry I meant the shoulder of 22. As for the bait presintation I never leave the bait on the bottom. I use my flasher tell me where in the water colom the fish are at. If you dont have a depth finder 2-4ft off bottom is a good starting point but they can and will be all over from 10ft under the ice all the way to the bottom. Durring the day the more active fish have been running a little deeper 30-40ft and 22-30ft in the evening. I will be out more than likley sat and sun west of the meth hole in two or more houses green otter and a purple otter for sure. Come on by and say hi or to see how the bite is goin.

[deep_fried]

thanks river ill be sure to look for ya out there! good luck fishin, my name is Brian by the way! lookin forward to some catfish fingers!!!!

[DTro]

Brad, I'm not sure what my schedule is and we might be hitting a different lake altogether or maybe even a river section to the East

I might have to work this weekend, so it will be one of those game time decisions.

[NELS-BELLS]

Does anyone know if you can get around with an ATV or do you need a snowmobile with all this snow?

[IceHawk]

Dtro- Be very carefull if your heading E into that section. I know your experianced there but that corner was open pretty late this yr. Hate to see a good bud go down!

[DTro]

Yeah I hear it was a little sketchy from a guy that has been there already this year.

Thanks for the heads up.

[pushbutton]

if anyone ever does come in from the river....hug the shore on the right side as you come into the lakes.

[hookjunior]

Thinking about heading up there Saturday. Last year when I went I was able to drive out so I've never had to deal with finding a parking spot up there.

I will pulling a snowmobile trailer, what do you think my odds of finding a spot on the shoulder of 22 by the winter access are? Or are people parking on the ice by the access now?

[JimBuck]

hookjunior, I wouldn't worry about finding a spot to park as long as you arrive earlier in the day.

Is the slush getting any better out on horseshoe? I'm pulling the shack by hand this weekend and ran out of wheaties last week.

[Notcho]

Went out this am, slush is getting real bad in spots. We had sleds so no big deal but wheelers would be a no go. Caught every species except cats! Should of slept in instead...

[DTro]

All I can say is this picture speaks for itself.

[Rick G]

If you find em they will bite.

[teninchhole]

I was out there today. The slush is really bad, we had trouble pulling the portable.

The first two holes we drilled were 3 feet apart and the first hole had twice the ice as the second. Scary.

We fished from 3 until 6 and didn't catch a fish so we left.

[DTro]

Ha Ha, so I flip on the In Fisherman Ice Guide show this morning and whaddya know, Steve and Dan Quinn are fishing for cats in a very familiar spot.

[Brad B]

yea I just got done watching that episode. it was okay but they failed to tell the viewers that the population density in that lake is very high. they made it sound like any lake with cats will bite like that. if the numbers are low the bite won't be as fast and the numbers will be lower.

[jasonpower]

Just caught the show myself. Think its funny how popular the sport has become. 15 years ago I didnt have to many people to contend with chasing cats. Now I just dont have any time maybe 3 days a winter. Still got some spots Im the only one who fishes. My parents live on the river and keep an eye on my favorite place. Its good to see it catching on! Just always use caution on the Chain as ice conditions are always changing. Current and methaine can make safe ice dangerous in a hury.

[trappingaddiction]

Was the episode on Horseshoe Lake?