Spring is a coming

Just picked up a Frabill Worm Can, and 3 bags of Berkley Power Bait Ripple Shads. I put a Pfleuger Arbor reel on the new Fenwick Elite Tech Smallmouth Rod, loaded with 10lb Nanofil. I can't wait to get on Storm Lake after ice out and pitch jigs for walleye. Probably in about 2 months. :-) I know I'm way ahead of myself but I am afflicted with massive cabin fever!!!!
I am in the process of re-viewing some excellent videos by Doug Vahrenberg (sp?) and Jason Halfen about reading and interpreting Humminbird side imaging as well as preferred settings in differerent situations. I am also lucky that there is a man here in town that is an expert on the side imaging, that I can get some help from. (Rollie Peschon) I really need to get with the learning curve on that 998si this summer.
The ice is starting to look really bad after all the rain we received last night. Ice out is still quite a ways away but it will be here sooner than we think . I will probably get the Ranger out of storage, at the end of March, unless the ice goes out sooner than I anticipate.

This and That

Not much going on, watched the live feed of the Bassmaster Classic weigh in over the weekend. New champion Chris Lane, big congratulations.He and his brother Bobby both made the final cut. Man they drag that thing out, I imagine it is exciting live. Dianne doesn't miss the Classic at all, she attended over 20 years for Berkley/Pure Fishing. She didn't even go to the weigh ins after a few years, she stayed at the show and worked.
Haven't been ice fishing at all. Foot isn't completely healed and I really don't want to try and walk out there and the ice isn't safe enough to drive. I see 36 trucks went through the ice over on Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin over the weekend. They all parked in the same place and it was too much for the ice, no one was injured. Dumb Asses!!!!
I had a nice conversation with Bob Jensen over the weekend, hadn't talked to him in a long time. I value his insight into what is going on in the fishing industry. His FISHING THE MIDWEST TV show is the best catch it, if it is on your TV channels!!

Humminbird 360 Imaging

Humminbird just announced this new technology that allows you to look  360 degrees around your boat. Amazing stuff!! I think it will be great for the bass tournament guys but for $2000.00 I will have to pass. Great idea though.
I may get out on the ice this weekend if this storm pretty much misses us. Snowing right now, we may get up to 5 inches today and tonight, and of course with high wind!!!

Electronics Mounts

Well, I'm considering a switch from Ram mounts to either Stabil or Cisco mounts, they are both the same price. Cisco looks to be a little more adjustable than Stabil but a little harder to remove the units from the boat than Stabil mounts. Both American made. I just can't get the Ram 1.5 inch locked down tight enough with these larger units ie:Humminbird 998csi. I used the shorter arm last summer and that was better but the unit still moved. Up front on the deck the Humminbird 788ci, seemed more solid but still moved some. I haven't convinced myself that spending a couple of hundred bucks for two new mounting systems is the way to go. Of course with what I have invested in electronics, that isn't much money to protect them.
I think the first order of business this spring is getting the in-hull puck transducer glassed in the hull. Then I will be able to get sonar readings on plane on the 998. I have never done this particular install before so I will go slow and get some help. I hope I can just sand the hull smooth by the live well and bilge pumps and not have to take the oil tank out and stand on my head to get the ducer glassed in the set back area of the Ranger 619!!
I need to get this done so I can fully learn the capabilities of the 998, DI,SI,Snap Shot etc. I only got to use it about 5 times last year do to that knee thing but will be out full bore this summer. (Hopefully)

Puter back up

Well, I had a little scare Wednesday. My laptop showed up with the Blue Screen of Death. I clicked on an email link I shouldn't have. I knew it was bad the instant I clicked on it. I don't know why I did that I normally don't open suspicious links and it was suspicious. Oh, well brain fart. I took it into town to the COMPUTER GUY (Steve Currell) and he had me up and running Thursday. Very good service and pleasant man. Give him a look if you need some computer work, small business or home. He is even a certified Apple guy.
Haven't been on the ice, still trying to heal up the problem on my heel. It is coming but I don't want to push it. Rick D is on LOW as I write this, hoping for some pictures today. He is fishing out of ARNESON'S ROCKY POINT RESORT. I have never been to that one but it looks good on their website.
 I am anxious to try the Blade Baits I bought from Dean's Tackle Box, they really look good. Later

Blades

I have been looking to try blade baits for some time now. I have a few Cicadas but today I ordered 4 different colors and 2 different weights,of the Tweener Series from deanstacklebox.com. Might try them on the ice if I get back out there this year, which I doubt. Should be interesting, I have had some success with the Cicada baits.
I see the population of icers has dropped dramatically since the warm up. I know they are still getting gills on West Okoboji as well as perch. Gills in the bays, perch on north end 18-20 ft of water as well as between Eagle Point and Gull Point. (Spencer Beach area)

Progress

Just saw Dr. Blankers. Cicatrix is healing nicely. Dressing now just some antibiotic cream and a band-aid, no longer need crutches unless I am going on a long hike. :-) 
I think I am probably done with ice fishing for the year, we will see. I don't plan on walking out anymore and I don't think the ice is going to get good enough to drive on.
I am now looking at a step system to get in and out of the boat when I launch and take out by myself. I have looked at EZEE Step, Bow-Step, EZ-Troll step and some others. I am also still considering putting a Boat Buddy to catch the bow eye when loading the boat at the boat ramp. I need to go online to some message boards and see what experience other folks have had with these items on Ranger 619s. If anybody reads this and has some experience to share please do.

Lowrance LCX25C

Well, the guy from Cedar Rapids decided not to buy the 25. It is still available for $475.00 but I just may keep it as a back-up. I can put it up front with no re-rigging other than buying a transducer adapter cable for the US2 transducer on the Terrova. Hmmmm, that would give me a big screen color sonar on the bow. Nah, I'd rather sell it.

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.