Finally!

[ANYFISH2]

Finally made my (our) first real effort at ice fishing for the season.  The family made the trip to the beautiful Leech lake. 

We started around noon Friday. After a short search for "the" spot we lowered the house and got settled in.  We chose a in 20-21 ft of water over hard bottom.  

Daytime activity was very limited.  Friday we managed 1 walleye 20", 4 small perch 6-8" and 2 northerns 23" & 24". The first fish was the 24, and boy did he give us a welcome.  Isaacs rattle reel sounds, he get ready, everyones attention is on him, sets the hook, and in short order fish comes unbuttoned.  We turn around to realise my daughters rod is now sinking to the depths of leech Lake!  At the same moment, the rattle reel next to her goes.  I am near so i grab the line and set the hook, fish on.  Quickly, it feels as though the fish got off.  Then i feel weight, no fight though.  I pull a little more line and low and behold i somehow have snaged Abbys rod.  Up the hole it comes, Amanda grabs the rod, a well, there is a fish hooked, Amanda finishes of the cluster that is OUR first fish.

After we struggled mightily!  After another northern and a few small perch, 5 o'clock rolled in, and our targets began to bite.  Over the next 2 1/2 hours we managed to miss 4 quality eye at the bottom of the hole and lost 2 more half way up, while my Isaac pulled 1 through the hole!

Saturday started much the same. Isaac and i awake at 5am and begin fishing. By 6:30 i had already managed to miss 2 walleye at the hole and Isaac 1 on the way up!

Right around 7 I managed to hook a mark I had been battling for quite some time.  Turned out to be a 15" tullibee, that was lucky to get away from something.

The rest of the day was very slow!  2 perch, and Amanda missed one walleye at the hole at high noon.  4:30 arrived and so did the walleyes, for a short time. I lost one large walleye at the hole after she got wrapped in other lines. Isaac and i each caught a 20 3/4" and a 21 1/4" minutes apart.

We fished till 8pm without another bite.  The trip was really quite the success, recently, unless it is hockey related, we dont spend this kind of quality on yhe weekends.  It was fantastic!

Again, I would like to thank @DrJuice1980 for his help and tips that helped make this trip happen.  Very generous of you.

Hopefully we got our hookset practice in now.  Looking forward to getting out more sometime soon, hopefully.

Thanks for reading.

 

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Good report for Leech Lake. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Wanderer]

Thanks for the great report!

 

I'm still looking forward to our first overnighter in our house.  I hope it'all be as fun as yours was.

[SaintPaulPaul]

Nice pictures. Your kids are lucky to have a dad (and mom) that gets them out. It is, frankly, a lot of work and $.

[DrJuice1980]

Thats awesome man, no problem!  Glad you were able to get on some! Great pictures! 

[Jim Panfish Uran]

Looks like an amazing time!!! I'm going to have to go fish leech one of these weekends. 

[CJH]

Looks awesome!  Love seeing kids with a good fish in their hands.

[eyeguy 54]

Great time! thx for sharing. love seeing kids out fishin. 

[ANYFISH2]

2 hours ago, SaintPaulPaul said:

Nice pictures. Your kids are lucky to have a dad (and mom) that gets them out. It is, frankly, a lot of work and $.

You know it is funny you say that.

My wife and i commented about how easy things went.

We used by Brother-in-laws house, he has that it set up so nice.  2 bins of stuff packed, drive, find a spot, drill 5 holes, drop house and fish.

It set up so quick, in -17 degree weather we never put more on other than a stocking hat and gloves.

I see why wheelhouses are so popular, i wouldn't be afraid to take trips in cold weather anymore.  You wouldn't have caught me out there with the kids in -17° in a portable.

 

[ANYFISH2]

36 minutes ago, eyeguy 54 said:

Great time! thx for sharing. love seeing kids out fishin. 

I really wish I would take them more!  They sure seem to enjoy being out, we keep them and ourselfs pretty busy in school and activities.  We need to make more time for this kinda stuff!

I think we all would be happy if we did.

[eyeguy 54]

6 minutes ago, ANYFISH2 said:

I really wish I would take them more!  They sure seem to enjoy being, we keep them and ourselfs pretty busy in school and activities.  We need to make more time for this kinda stuff!

I think we all would be happy if we did.

 

 

I remember well the busy days with just 2 kids. Music, basketball, and soccer. I miss those days. We fished a bit over the years but not much in winter.