Well, we finally got some ice, although until the last 2 days it has been iffy. We finally got below zero and have been below 32 degrees for a few days. Big Spirit is pretty much frozen over and West Okoboji is close. Boji has ice in all the bays now. I fished the 1st Annual Harbor View bluegill tournament last weekend and the only ice was Smith's Bay, North Bay and Little Emerson. Although, there was 10 inches of ice in Little Emerson. The tournament was blast and local guide Ryan Hale did an excellent job putting the tournament on.
The tournament was bluegill only with a 10 fish limit. I had a limit iced by 10 AM, but could only get 4 big gills to bite the remaining six fish were small. I had under 4 lbs, I think it was 3.8 Lbs and you need at least 4.6 to get in the money. My fishing partner Rick Dicus (Experience The Outdoors Radio KMNS AM) got 7th and tied for the biggest gill. Good job Rick. The results of the tournament are as follows:
Eric Goodale won the event with a 10 fish limit with the weight of 5.70#'s.Mike Wanser of Nebraska was a VERY close 2nd with a weight of 5.66#'s.3rd.Local hot stick Catland Landegent 5.28#'s4th.Local and fellow IGL's guide John Grosvenor 5.18#'s5th.Gene Weitzema of Sibley 5.16#'s6th.Local Derek Ter Wee 5.04#'s7th.Experience the Outdoors radio host Rick Dicus from Nebraska 4.90#'s8th.Howard "The Duck" from Illinios 4.86#'s9th.Chad Peterson 4.7#'s,very good showing in Chads first tourney10th.Blaine Fopma from S.D. 4.64#'s
Thanks to Ryan Hale for posting the above results at www.hawgz.com, please visit that website, it is a good one.
I also met Thomas Allen from The Iowa Sportsman's Magazine., Thomas is the Executive Field Editor for the magazine, more information and subscription info can be found at www.iowasportsman.com. Thomas is an avid muskie angler and hopefully a new member of the Upper Great Plains Chapter soon.
I was on the ice today and caught a few gills in Little Emerson, it was slow, however. I think the gills are a little tired of being hammered for a month. I talked to Rick and he told me there was a bunch of guys on Templar Point and McClelland's Beach. I think that is a little soon for as far out on the ice as he said they were. I will be getting a ice thickness report for Spirit soon.
January 25th will find Dicus and I on the ice at Lake of the Woods, the bite has been fantastic up there. I hope it won't be a you should have been here last week, deal when we get up there. I will give you a report when I get back.We are staying at the excellent Ballard's Resort again this year, where the service, food and accomadations are beyond compare.
