Out of Action

Well, I'm out of action again, just for a little bit, hopefully. I developed a blood blister under the cicatrix on the foot on my bad leg. Dr Blankers debrided it yesterday, put me on an antibiotic and dressed it with a piece of silver antiseptic pad. I see him in a week. I redress the wound daily with a 1 centimeter piece of silver pad and 500mg X2 daily of Cephalexin. I need to make major effort to not get an infection in this and have it get in my knee replacement. Back on crutches as much as possible as well. Follow up appointment next Friday.
Son-of-a-Bitch, I'm getting tired of this!!!!!!!!!

Sad News in Boji Land

Just got the very sad news this morning that the Fishing Professor (Jim McDonell) passed away early this morning from a heart attack. He will be missed. He had guided in Boji Land forever. R-I-P Jim.

32nd Annual University of Okoboji Winter Games

Well, the Winter Games will be this weekend. Chilli Cookoff, BroomBall, Chocolate tasting, Flag Football, Boot Hockey and on and on. The activities on the ice have been moved on-shore, due to unsafe ice throughout the Iowa Great Lakes area.
I sincerely hope that someone doesn't try to drive their car, truck,snowmobile or atv out across one of the lakes. However, I imagine someone will get a snoot full of Barley Pop and give it a go. Just hope the rescue divers won't be necessary.
I have no personal fishing report as I haven't been on the ice for a week. Just too tough pulling the FishTrap by hand and the ice isn't thick enough for me to drive the truck out. I don't own a snowmobile or atv so I will wait. I know some of the guys are driving their vehicles on Little Emerson and North Bay on West Okoboji and Anglers Bay on Big Spirit but not me, yet! Stay Warm everyone.

7-Day Forecast for Latitude 43.39°N and Longitude 95.15°W (Elev. 1450 ft)

7-Day Forecast for Latitude 43.39°N and Longitude 95.15°W (Elev. 1450 ft)

Monday/Monday

I have no fishing reports to share with you this morning. I didn't get out at all this weekend. I took a drive around Big Spirit Saturday and there was a few guys out but not many. I did notice some pickups and SUVs on Anglers's Bay. Hmm, don't know if I'm ready for that or not.

Wow, the two football game yesterday were the most exciting I have seen in a long time! Should be a great Superbowl.

I am trying to sell my Lowrance LCX25C to a fellow from Cedar Rapids, should make a great unit for him or someone else. As I explained this past summer, I have switched to all Humminbird and couldn't be happier with the technology Humminbird has developed.

SNOW

Didn't go today, it snowed about 6 inches last night and today. With my quad tendon repair last summer and new knee the year before, it becomes problematic pulling that Fishtrap Pro on that snow. Just don't have the strength yet. I'm damn sure not driving the truck out there. I did see some pickups out on Miller's Bay Wednesday. Sheesh!!!
Tim M sent me a text that it was work getting out there and that the bite was slow. Just like soft water fishing weather fronts and the wind switches that come with them will shut the fish down. Barometric pressure rules!!
Probably won't get out tomorrow either, the wind is supposed to be 15-25 mph. Will have blowing snow for sure.

I lied

I lied, we went out this afternoon. Got out there about two and fished until about 4:30. It was a nice bite, I kept 14 gills and a crappie, Tim M kept a limit of 25. I had to sort quite a bit I wasn't catching as many big ones as Tim and he was only 20 ft from me. Funny how that works sometimes.
Red 1/84 jig and a waxy was the bait of choice, although I did catch some on a gold Custom Jigs n Spins Diamond  Head Jig and a waxy.
After the wind went down the cold wasn't bad at all.

Cancelled

Well, as you have probably guessed from the weather forecast I posted, we called the ice fishing off for the day. The projected forecast for the next several days may continue that cancellation. We might get 5 inches of snow between now and Friday. Bummer!!!!!

7-Day Forecast for Latitude 43.39°N and Longitude 95.15°W (Elev. 1450 ft)

7-Day Forecast for Latitude 43.39°N and Longitude 95.15°W (Elev. 1450 ft)

Double BRRRR

Well, right now it is -11 F with a windchill of -31. Waiting to hear from Tim M to see if he wants to head to the ice. I don't think I am up for it today. I will report later what the decision was and/or the bite if we go.

Just found out about a Humminbird Seminar at Soo Sports in Sioux Falls, SD, Feb 15,2012. I might go to that in order to get up to speed on my 998SI, that I didn't get much time on last summer.

Brrrrr

Well it supposed to warm up today. Tomorrow is another matter! I am scheduled to go icing tomorrow with Tim M but the high is supposed to be 3 F according to Weather Bug on my Blackberry. Oh, well if the wind stays down it won't be too bad. At least the lakes are making ice and we sure need that. At this stage of the game last winter we had 18 inches plus and were driving our trucks on BigSpirit. Right now, I am a little leery of walking too far out on Spirit. Okoboji the bays are fine. I don't know yet whether to hit Little Emerson again or try for some perch off Crandall's Beach on Big Spirit.                                            
I am anxious to try the new Shakespeare Ugly Stick light ice rods on deep perch. I have some Abu Garcia reels spooled with 4lb Berkley Vanish flourocarbon line, with some Genz Worms and Bro Bug Mud Bugs tied on.
Looks like we have a front moving in that may bring some nasty weather towards the end of the week. Stay warm everyone. Later

Dianne 5, Tim 2

Well, Dianne and I made it out on Little Emerson Bay, on West Okoboji yesterday and the bite was slow compared to the day before. We quit at noon and gave what fish she caught to Tim Milner. Dianne kicked my butt on her first outing on the ice with me this year. We saw plenty of big gills but I just couldn't get them to go. I did lose a pig of a gill at the hole. (you've heard that before I'm sure) I caught a small northern. That may have been part of the problem, we seemed to have northerns under us all morning. Bluegills are a little edgy with northerns in the neighborhood. :-)
Anyway, we had a good time and it was good to have my bride out on the ice.
I heard that two guys went through the ice up on Big Spirit Lake yesterday, don't know if it is true or not but it wouldn't surprise me. Some people just don't get it.

Little Emerson Bay Again

Little Emerson was the spot for me again today.  The bigger gills wanted Berkley Power Bait again. black or pink Atomic Mites, 2lb Berkley Vanish for line. I had a limit by two. Great day.
I had to stop at Fisherman's Factory Outlet after fishing. I picked up two Shakespeare Ugly Stick ultra lite rods and a Pfleuger Medalist fly reel for one of the rods, the other will have a spinning reel of some kind.
Tomorrow I'm taking my bride with for her first trip on the ice this season. She usually does well. I heard that someone went through the ice off Marble Beach on Big Spirit Lake, today. Man, I just don't get it, why do these guys take such risks, no damn perch or walleye or whatever is worth drowning!!!!

Good Day on Boji

Spent most of the day on Little Emerson Bay. It was productive. Kept 18 nice bluegills and 1 crappie. Could have kept a limit of 25 bluegills but upgraded. Almost all of the fish were caught on Berkley panfish plastic PowerBait. Jig of choice was either a Custom Jigs and Spins red Diamond Jig or Lindy gold Fat Boy, combined with either a black plastic or pink. Location was the west side of the bay.
There is a good 10-12 inches of ice in Little Emerson.

Headin Out To Little Emerson-West Okoboji

Well, I'm getting ready to meet Rick at 10:00. Right now the temp is -3 with windchill of -20. Hope it warms up. I am after bull bluegills this morning and crappie if they present themselves. I have been in contact with some guys on message boards regarding ice conditions on Big Spirit. Some of them are just bound and determined to go out up there. Very dangerous in my opinion. I am just not that mad at perch and walleye to risk drowning!!!
 I will report later on the bite.

Where is the ice?

Well ice fishing in the IGL has been interesting this year to say the least. We have relatively little good ice anywhere. I was going to go this morning with friend Rick, we decided wind gusting to 40 MPH and 9 degree temps was a little much. We are going to try again tomorrow.
I took a drive around this afternoon and Big Spirit is wide open where guys were fishing a few days ago. (Buffalo Run, Marble Beach) The bays on West Okoboji are fishable.
I have had pretty good fishing on Smith's Bay and Little Emerson. Small red Diamond Head jig and waxy or Fat Boy and waxy. Angler's Bay on Big Spirit has been hit or miss for me, few weeds this year  and the water has become murky.
With this cold weather we should finally get some good ice when and if the wind goes down and if we don't get a bunch of snow cover to insulate it.