Pelican Lake Fishing Reports - Ashby

[ChuckN]

There are wheelhouses in the narrows and a few smaller wheelhouses near your place. The ice should improve with this colder weather, finally.

[jjohnson5150]

Thanks Chuck. Appreciate the update. I'll have to wait and see if I can get the big house out next week. Worst case, I'll have to walk out my portable, which should be no big deal. Merry Christmas to all the pelican lake folks!

[jjohnson5150]

Are there any latest observations to reports? I'm curious on ice thickness in the phillips point area if anyone knows. Are any vehicles traveling that area?

[BoxMN]

Wow... nothing on Pelican since December?...

I just confirmed our weekend after opener stay with Mike and Diane at Ashby Resort. Looking forward to it already

[jjohnson5150]

We fished it just before new years. It was pretty good. Caught a wide variety of walleye with the biggest being a 28" beast. Crappie action was not bad either. I had intended to get up there again, but time slipped by before I was able to. Now that I have this weekend free, there is too much snow.

Funny you mention May fishing weekend. We just confirmed our plans for the same dates. 6 of us will be out there from that Thu thru Sun. We usually do pretty good that weekend.

[pan man]

I grew up fishing that lake and after the big crappie die off and other tuff times for the lake it hasn't been as good as it use to be the narrows use to be good and the south side fore crappies been years since i did any good out there

[Musky Buck]

Haven't really ever heard of a crappie die off before, what happened, that lake has plenty of river/creeks/and depth ?

[GRAND DAD]

Am not totaly sure what it was, but I remember hearing about it , dead crappies were washing up every were .

[jjohnson5150]

I was not worried when GRA came over to our place on Sat to introduce himself. However, as the weekend went on, we saw more & more Crappies. There were a (Contact Us Please) ton on our shore Mon morning. One was well over 2 lbs and bigger than the 15" Crappie in my freezer. Indian Mounds was saving a few big & small fish to give to the DNR. I am leaning towards it being an oxygen issue. The water went from 80+ degrees to under 70 degrees in a short time. If the fish were already oxygen deprived, the sudden temp change probably shocked them to death. If & when I hear from the resort on their findings, I'll post here. BTW, Indian Mounds may be under new ownership as of Oct 15th. I guess they have a purchase agreement signed.

From Sept '07 regarding the Crappie kill

[jjohnson5150]

KSAX just had Dean Beck from Glenwood fisheries on and it was a bacterial infection of some sort and only affected crappies from what I could understand in the interview.

Also from Sept '07 regarding the Crappie kill.

[mxzfire]

Still lots of winter hanging around as of the 24th. Took this pic of my niece last weekend on our first, annual snowmobile ride. I don't think I'll be getting the boat out as early as I did last year.

[jjohnson5150]

Is anyone able to confirm one way or another if any of the snow pack has melted? I'd like to get up there to get my fishing boat this weekend, but I want to make sure I can get to it before I head up. It was buried in 2' of snow when I was up there the weekend of Mar 15. I was thinking of bringing the snowblower to make sure, but I'd still like to know what I'd be getting into. Thanks.

[paceman]

The snowpack has settled quite a bit. I live just north of DL. Yesterday afternoon I walked around a bit in my back yard. The snow depth a few weeks ago was about 30 inches. I would guess now it was down to about half of that. However it is very hard. I was able to walk on top of most of it and I sunk in only a few inches. Miserable stuff to try to snowblow.

[ChuckN]

It all depends where the wind blew it around in the last blizzard. Some places where the sun hits it has melted quite a bit, still deep snow, and some places it's far too deep. Snowblower won't do much as it's far too heavy. With 4x4...if there's a will, there's a way.

[jjohnson5150]

It looks like I'll wait it out. There is no sun that gets to the grove of trees where I have my little boat. I'd have to get through a plow bank too. Thanks for the updates.

[GRA]

Just curious, anybody in the Ashby, Evansville area, what would you say the current snow depth is? I'm about 90 miles straight south and we were down to bare ground and now back to 10- 12" of snow. Temps. in the 10 day forecast kinda suck also. Are we looking at latest iceout ever?

One other thing-Is it just my computer or is this site slow for everybody else? Have a thing pop up saying HighUSP usage.

[jjohnson5150]

I was up to finally get my boat this weekend. Much of the snow has melted, but bigger snow banks, drifts and snow covered shady areas remain. I measured 21" of ice out about as far as our dock would go. There was a pocket of water 2" down, but after that it was ice all the way down. It drilled pretty easy though. The ice remains locked to the shore. No pull away yet. I've officially cancelled our plans to put the dock & boats in next weekend. I still think there is a chance of the lake being ready for opener, but it's going to be close.

[BoxMN]

Thanks JJ. We still have our weekend after opener trip so we should be okay

My stepson got a new boat that will be perfect for the usual Pelican wind, but still hoping for some calmer waters than last two years. Looking very much forward to May 17-20!

[GRA]

Temps don't look good for coming week-highs in the 40's. Was up yesterday, ice has a long way to go. Had shoreline heave up like it never has in 20 years. Boat lift sitting in front of screen porch. Heaved up about 3' and pushed lift into porch. Canopy hit porch, busted tubing holding canopy frame. It's always sometin'.

[wmw]

hi I am going to pelican this weekend should i bring the boat or the fish house. thanks for any info.wmw

[nroff]

which pelican? The one by Ashby had ice, but i would think by the wknd it should be ok from what I hear.

[wmw]

yes ashby thanks for the info. when did you drive by

[nroff]

co-worker lives in the area and just about everyday. That is why i hear .

[wmw]

very nice your living the dream, working where you play. thank you.

[GRA]

When I was there last Sunday had an open spot 50-100 feet out for a little ways on the west side, othewrwise iced over then. Usual boat ramp bad. Looks like an alternate to the south.

Anyone know how up to date the dnr iceout site is?

[jjohnson5150]

The dock guys are going to be calling me when they can get it in. Also, check out Ashby Resorts Facebook page. They have an ice out contest going and usually will post for major events like storms & ice out. I'll chime in here again when I hear any news on the ice situation. Meanwhile, we have plan B as a back up for this weekend. Crappies are starting to fire up in the Metro.

[ChuckN]

It sure looks like the ice is gone today. There may be some lingering ice on the west shore but it should be gone by the end of today with the wind. As far as I'm concerned, my dock is ready to get off the shore!

[wmw]

well looks like i am going anyway ice or no ice. thanks for the info guys.

[jjohnson5150]

Our dock is going in today thanks to Brian. Him and his crew have incredible service.

[BoxMN]

Going to be up there Friday morn thru Monday. If you see an older green/tan Alumacraft TP175 with merc 150, or a shiny new silver Triton with 150 merc (stepsons new boat) I might be in either this year, we'll share where to catch or NOT catch fish and a beer!

We will likely be fishing pretty shallow, shallower than normal even. Hope the reports for rain push off into Monday/Tuesday...