Extravaganza 2018!

[Wanderer]

The Sheriff issued the permit yesterday - it’s on for next weekend as scheduled!  18 inches of good, consistent, clear ice over a 2 mile swath of Gull/Hole in the Day Bay.

We’ll be out for our 3rd year, our 2nd staying on the lake.  Looking to make the Leader Board this year!  Haha!

I’m planning on doing a little scouting this weekend for our overnight spot.  I’ll report on ice conditions at least.  Can’t say too much about the fish! 

Anyone else?

[bluewater2]

Thanks for the up dates, we were going to come up today to find a different spot to park but have to work.

Weather is supposed to be good. Hope to get on the board too.

[Wanderer]

Access is in good shape at Hole in the Day.  Ice is in good shape and travels MUCH easier than last year.  But that was due to slush getting rutted and refrozen.  These warm temps might play that way again.  But for now all is well.

Fishing though... the evening walleye bite was short like usual but finicky for us.  1 - 14 inch eye iced and one other lost.  Set line and shiner was responsible for the 14.  The hooked and lost fish was on a spoon with minnow head but I had to let it hang still for the commitment.  I had several other lookers but they just wouldn’t eat it.  Two lines became one but no bump! 

Nice day to be on the lake. 

[leech~~]

Went by there today and noticed a few house setup in the contest area.  What happens to them next weekend? They are told to move or get kicked off a public lake?

Should have gone to a different lake there Wanderer. Just saying. My son and I today.

Edited January 21, 2018 by leech~~

[Wanderer]

@leech~~

I believe the permit does require those houses to be moved out of the contest area.  Not necessarily kicked off the lake.

That’s what permits are for, eh? 

Looks like a great day for you two - congrats! 

Might’ve been the lake, the spot or the fisher.  But I’ll go with the lake too. 

[FishFam]

Just wondering how do you "reserve holes" for this??

The rules say up to 4 holes can be reserved but no other info. Do they give you something to mark with or how is this accomplished?

The site contact page seems to be down right now so I can't get it from the horses mouth.

 

 

[climbmda]

You can set gear by up to four holes, but a person has to stay there with that gear.  I usually get there right at 8 and grab holes for me and my buddies, then they come out a couple of hours later.  I am the morning person in the group.

Can't reserve holes until 8 am.  However, some of the people that sleep out there do sneak over and mark holes during the night.  I would not risk it if it was me, though.

[Wanderer]

4 hours ago, climbmda said:

You can set gear by up to four holes, but a person has to stay there with that gear.  I usually get there right at 8 and grab holes for me and my buddies, then they come out a couple of hours later.  I am the morning person in the group.

Can't reserve holes until 8 am.  However, some of the people that sleep out there do sneak over and mark holes during the night.  I would not risk it if it was me, though.

I was the hole saver last year and it got a little stressful for the size group that was coming.  Not this year, even though we’re staying out.  Someone volunteered to take custody of one my markers - a cheap rod holder from one of the holes when I wasn’t looking.  I didn’t get too upset since I’m not even a big fan of the practice.  Just playing the game.

I’d think the officials would make a sweep of the contest area for hole markers sometime before 8... but maybe not.

 

[Wanderer]

3.1 lb pike wins.  3.0 lb walleye second.

The walleye was really the big winner though with ‘Catch of the Day’ honors.

Lotsa tullibees on the board again.  Several came from around us but none FOR us.  Marked one but was dealing with a tangled dropper rig at the time.  Caught one small perch.  

[Jim Almquist]

The one and only bite came in the first 2 minutes. The problem was I dropped my line and needed to help the wife due to a mess she created. Got it straightened out and saw that my rod tip was bouncing. Ran over and set the hook but nothing home.

[IceHawk]

Wow how that tourney has changed over the years. When we first started going perch and rock bass were kings then there were a few years the eyes dominated now its a tullie fest 

[Wanderer]

13 hours ago, Jim Almquist said:

The one and only bite came in the first 2 minutes. The problem was I dropped my line and needed to help the wife due to a mess she created. Got it straightened out and saw that my rod tip was bouncing. Ran over and set the hook but nothing home.

Bummer!

That first drop is the most important one of the contest!  

[Wanderer]

12 hours ago, IceHawk said:

Wow how that tourney has changed over the years. When we first started going perch and rock bass were kings then there were a few years the eyes dominated now its a tullie fest 

I’m only 3 years into this thing, but yeah, tullie fest is right.  Makes me wonder if the positioning of the contest area has moved some over the years or if the fishing has changed that much.

Walking away from the stage at the end with my jalapeño cheese curds, I was reading the signs of the past winners.  There some nice fish that have won it in the not too distant past.  The eelpout winners kinda blew my mind.  I don’t hear about eelpout at all on Gull since I’ve been paying attention to it.

[leech~~]

So for about 18 years of over 11,000 people fishing the same area you don't think it may be changing the fishery a bit?