Got up at 5:45, met up with Casey at 6:15, and headed to the reservoir for an early bite. We had 6 or 7 tip-ups located on the outskirts of a submerged island, reaching depths of 10-15 ft, then 30′, then down to about 50′. We rigged live shiners 1-2 feet off the bottom of each, and by 7:30am we had the first flag up. Pulled in a beautiful smallmouth of about 16-17″ in length. 8:00 brought another flag, and Casey made the dash for a nice 9″ slab crappie.
We opened up two holes about 8 feet apart to do some jigging with spoons and dead shiner chunks while we watched the flags, and as I lowered my line in the water, a smallmouth swam away with it. Pulled it out of the hole for a photo and Casey told me to toss my bait back in the hole. Smiling for a photo, my line goes running in again, two smallmouths before the bait ever hit bottom! I tossed my smallmouth to Casey to release in his hole while I pulled up the other in mine. Looking back i wish I kept it for a double header photo.
Had a few flags go up and didn’t set the hook, even lost one on the jigging rod, but by the time we left at 12:00 we had a total of 8 fish caught. 7 smallmouths and 1 crappie.
Awesome day on the ice. 4 degrees by sun-up, and warmed to maybe mid-to-upper 20′s by the time we left. The ice was constantly cracking the whole time.
BASStard Bassin’ Pro Shop Results
Rapala Jigging Rap
Bass Pro Shops Hand Ice Auger
Northland Fishing Tackle Forage Minnow Jigging Spoon
