Well, a bucket lake off the list after reading so many cool reports. I don't like driving on too much so we loaded a sled and pulled it straight out from the launch to a ice mound mid lake. Blood on the ice, good sign. Drill a test hole and drop the rod rigged with a bell weight to check depth, down, down down it goes. Holy when will it stop. Ok too deep.
Move in halfway back to the dock. Drill holes, shovel snow, set up tent. Still 16 ft plus deep. No sight fishing yet. Lets see what bites, a million little nibbles and hooked a monster 2 inch perch. Get back in and grow boy.
Met a local from Hinton, told me where we should have been. The joys of a first trip to the lake. So he said if you move to the other side of the truck trail it will be better but its shallow. Test hole on deep side, maybe 12 ft. Other side of the truck trail, 2 ft of water under the ice, man that raises quick. Oh well, times running out, long drive home so we try the shallow water. Nada, the whitefish jinx continues. Middle of the truck trail would have been the spot lol.
Beautiful lake, now I know where to try and the fish cop told me we can use sleds on the lake, so next time, we will be more mobile and start in a better spot. Was hoping to see some whites but it will have to wait till the next time.
Ice was not as thick as I thought it would be, I would say 18 inches max but guys were driving on. FYI: if you follow the truck trial to the right, near the creek mouth, was/is some open water according to the fish cop. It is marked apparently.
FYI # 2: If you use your power auger to drill a hole in dirt during the summer and forget that you did that, you remember real quick when the auger feels like it is possessed when drilling a hole in the ice. Day saved as I always have a good file in the tackle box.
Looking forward to the next trip there. Going to have to join friends who camp there this summer and map some depths on the ole GPS.
