Caution on the NW side

[Mykal]

I was out Saturday morning on the NW side up around Pike point/Garrison bay area. 8 Inches of clear ice. So I went sight fishing. You could see all the weeds and bottom right through the ice. There is a large presure ridge from Pike point heading to the N NE. I walked over it in the morning to try and get to deeper water. After a few minutes a little voice told me to come back to the shore side of the crack, so I set up about 25 feet on the inside of the crack in about 12 feet. I watched an upper 20's walleye move in to sniff my shiner. Then a mid sized eye. I also saw one jumbo perch roll in. Lot's of baitfish and 2" perch dotted the bottom. I thought I was in for a great morning, then all of a sudden I hear a loud BOOM and almost got tossed off my feet. I threw the trap cover open and look at the pressure ridge and water is pouring up from it all along the crack. Feeling a bit uneasy I move farther away and a then a second Boom shakes the ice again. Now there is a 5 foot river flowing along the crack onto the ice. There were several people with ATV's and on foot way out on Garrison reef. I hope they made it to shore. The ice was shifting and cracking everywhere. I headed for the SW side after that. Use caution out there!

[This message has been edited by Mykal (edited 12-21-2003).]

[certified jumbo]

I second that!!!!!! Was out Saturday and fished straight out from Garrison. Heard two loud bangs, but didn't think anything of it. On our way off we noticed a 20 feet opening of open water at a ridge. Each direction we looked it was the same way. We headed north and finally found a spot to cross, very dicey and somewhat scary!!!

Water clarity is great, I fished in 12-18 foot and could see the bottom and fish well. Didn't see a walleye, just tons of 4inch perch. Didn't talk to anyone else who had good luck??

d

[Mr. Pike1]

Mykal, not good to hear. Not good at all. How did you do on the SW side after the run in with bad ice on the North? My little local lake has been producing the last few weeks but this weekend the bite was slow. There were a few flags where guys missed some fish and saw one 20-22" eye

[Mykal]

Certified Jumbo, glad to here you made it back to shore. Pretty loud hey?
Mr Pike 1, I ended up at the SW corner and fished in about 10 feet. I didn't dare go out any futher where I was at. Lundeen's said many of the W side spots were still pretty dicey. Caught some small perch and saw many little ones all over the bottom. I didn't wait out the evening bite as I had no confidence in the area and the guys I talked to out there said it was very slow. I wanted to watch the game so I headed back at 2pm. There were plenty of fish on the NW end, I just couldn't get to the spots I wanted to yet with any confidence. It's hard to fish when you are not comfortable on the ice.

[This message has been edited by Mykal (edited 12-22-2003).]

[littleshad]

I was up there on sunday at my house out of mac's and went up to the NE side at castaways the crack is 100 wide there. They are screwed till middle of jan pending it gets cold, real cold!

[bigeyes]

Mike-Glad to hear you played it safe. My neighbor went out of Indian Pt on Saturday and said a truck went through over there. Told me fishing was poor only a couple of walleyes for the group.

[Chiefer]

We went out of the public access by the Casino yesterday. The warm weather has really screwed up the ice----open water in spots and ice ridges all over!!!!!!!!!!! If you are going to venture out be careful. The spot we fished had about 13"

[BUCKNAKED]

How did you do Chief?