3/4 Report

[eyepatrol]

Was out fishing Washington again this morning. Started at 4:30am. A bit chilly when you can't set up the portable for a little better than an hour!

Fished in 11'-12' of water. Used a jig on my deadstick with a minnow on it and jigged with a jigging spoon also tipped with a minnow. Fish started biting from the on-set. Smaller fish earlier, larger fish towards sunrise. Set up the house 1hr before sunrise and the fish were gone, so I moved to another hole I had drilled about 30 yards away and they were there. Used up the minnow I had on the jigging spoon so I put a couple euros on as Crappie Tom said in a post in the crappie forum. Crappies REALLY liked this better than the spoon tipped with a minnow.

Caught crappies until I switched to sunnies at 8:00am. Tried an orange & chartreuse jig tipped with a couple euros (was hot last week) but only got a few takers. So I switched to a black jig and got a few more takers. Tipped it with a waxie and that was the ticket as I proceeded to catch much more fish.

Fish were pretty agressive this morning. Crappies that hit the deadstick hit it hard enough that I would hear the bobber pop in the water before I'd see the bite. Many sunnies devoured the jig to the point where you couldn't even see the jig it was down so far. Both species were very willing to chase upward in the water column too.

Sunnies were suspended a couple feet off the bottom. Crappies were 4'-5' below the ice. Sunnies were from 5" to 8" and crappies were from 6" to 12". Kept 4 crappies from 10" to 11" and kept 8 sunnies from 7" to 8". Caught 16 crappies and 30-35 sunnies.

Ice was still "good". Haven't lost any thickness yet.

Good fishin'!

bc

[Team Otter]

Nice report and a job well done.

It truly was a beautiful day to be on the ice. The weather was amazing up on Mille Lacs too. Oh, and the jumbos cooperated too.

[eyepatrol]

Should I be expecting pics??? I finally got my wife out in the garage and took some pics. First pics I've had taken this year. Had the camera out in the portable in hopes of taking some live pics, but the darn batteries were dead! That's the way it goes sometimes.

(you beat me to the punch on the pics. Just checked e-mail. Nice fish!)

[harvey lee]

Sounds like you had a good day Eric. Those days when the fish cooperate are wonderful days on the water. You keep catching fish like that and you will be writing articles like CT and Matt.

[Team Otter]

Pics are a given Eric. Glad you enjoyed them.

[eyepatrol]

It was a fun day to be out there for certain. Even the days I've been skunked or nearly skunked they are still better than what I would have been doing (or should have been doing ). I've been awefully glad of the discussions in this forum and in the crappie-sunfish forum in regards to the different tactics, locations of fish relating to bottom structure, and the jigs and lures that have been productive and a few others. I'm also glad I found out about those spring bobbers. Although I don't have the actual spring ones, I've got the flat metal wire ones which have been better than nothing at all.

The info that CT, MJ, CB, yourself, TO and all the others on this site has really helped make my outings more successful this year, along too with the purchase of a flasher unit. Having a flasher makes such a difference too.

I know I've got so much more to learn about pannies, but what I have learned so far is paying off. There's no way I could know and will likely ever know as much as the pannie pros like CT, CB, MJ and the guys, but I'll keep sharing my experiences on what, how, etc. and hopefully lend a hand in some sort of way.

It's been a great hardwater year this year. Not to say that I'm done with it yet! But, this year was the most I've ever been out on the ice and without doubt the best sunnie and crappie fishing I've ever had. I should have tried my hand at some other lakes this year for pannies, but when you're limited to being away from home for no more than 4 or 5 hours (kids and all), it limits the distance I can go.

Certainly looking forward to finishing out with some late ice action, and am really getting anxious for the open water season keeping my dad's boat busy!

[harvey lee]

Basscatcher

the next few weeks will be the best hardwater panfish fishing of the year.One should be able to get into some awesome fishing.

[Team Otter]

Thanks for the kind words Eric but not necessarily required. What you have mentioned as helping you become a more successful fisherman is what this site is all about. Speaking for myself (and others) we are happy to help in any way that we can.

[eyepatrol]

Maybe not required, but certainly deserved!

[eyepatrol]

I'm really looking forward to it Tom. Usually my season ends in the middle of February, but not no more!

Might be back to walking out next weekend as it sounds as though the temps will be hanging around 40 along with forecasted rain for a number of days. I don't know exactly what the late ice patterns and fishing are yet as I've never gotten into it before, but it's sure looking like it will be upon us in a big hurry!

[harvey lee]

BASSCATCHER

Iam going this Friday to Washington and if you would like to come along you are more than welcome.I will be leaving around 6am and returning around noon.

[eyepatrol]

Harvey Lee

I'll have to check my calendar tomorrow. I've got a council meeting to attend Thurs. night, so maybe I can go. I'll let you know.

[eyepatrol]

Harvey Lee

I won't be able to make it our tomorrow morning.

[harvey lee]

Basscatcher---I will just catch twice as many. To bad you cant tag along,maybe you could show me a trick or two.

[eyepatrol]

I'd love to be out there with ya Harvey Lee, but it's a busy time of year for me now designing and managing projects. I'll try and fire you an e-mail a little later on today.