Ice fishing Weekend 1/25 1/26

  I hit a CT River cove in search of pike at 6:30 am armed with 5 tip ups with big shiners and a jigging rod to hopefully catch some pondies(for bait)  perch and panfish to pass the time. Well the jigging was almost nonexistent.. Josh meet me there at 7 am and he only stayed a few hours. He did manage 2 perch, 2 blue gill and 2 calicos jigging before he called it quits.  Wasn't enough action to justify being cold.  I didn't blame him at all but i knew i was going to be there all day sun up till sun down going for that pike... A couple more people showed up and my friend Chad got a little pike almost asap then all went quiet for way too long. We had probably 6 flags in the next 4 hours that were all pick up and drops before we even got there. I ended up getting a flag around 3 pm and landed a largemouth which surprised everyone. Apparently not common at all in this shallow cove. Then it was just me and one kid out there from then till dark and right before i packed up i got a flag right next to my feet. Spool was spinning fast i grabbed it set the hook and fish on. Didn't feel big but i knew it was the pike i was waiting for. Wish it was a better one to justify staying all day but i was happy.. Ended the day with 1 perch 1 pickerel 1 bass and 1 pike.   Was a good day talking and laughing with other fisherman to pass the time between flags.

 This morning i woke up... looked at the forecast. Saw a high temp of 18 and high winds.. Decided not to fish and went out for a massive breakfast with the lady. Got home and thought.. i still have a dozen shiners i could drown and i ran out the door. I went to lake beseck to find that there is no parking and no one had drilled any holes and i didn't wanna be the first. So i drove farther north to private pond my friend lives on and the action started almost immediately. By the time i set up my second tip up my first flag was up. Nice little bass. I was laughing because i was set up with pike bait, pike hooks, 50 lb leaders.. Figured it wouldn't get touched at all but i was very wrong. I was honestly planning on pike fishing today and i didn't have any other leader material or smaller hooks with me. Guess they didn't mind! I put out just three tip ups and had one jigging rod set up dead sticking and the other jigging rod with a small blade bait on.  I honestly couldn't keep up with the action. At one time 2 flags went up and my dead stick rod had a fish on it. being solo this was pretty funny. I landed one bass, missed the other flag and got a blue gill on the rod. Wish it was on film. lol  The jigging action was great and by the time i left i had 9 bass ( 5 on tip ups and 4 jigging on the blade bait ) and 2 dozen hand sized bluegills.  I was thrilled with the fishing. The hot bait for the blue gills was a trout magnet with a spike and got a few on the blade as well.  Only fished for about 2.5 hours and i called it quits as my hands were just too cold.  Looking forward to getting out again.. i could get used to this whole ice fishing thing. 

By: Joe Jacobowitz

First ice report ever! 1/05

 Got out on the ice today for the first time in a few years! Been looking forward to getting out but i'm not one of those guys who walks on 3 inches of ice. Give me 5 or 6 and i wont be nervous the whole time.. Met up with Josh Rayner around 8 am this morning to find the ice was about 6 or 7 inches plus..  Armed with jigging rods only!  I caught my first fish of 2014 in roughly 1 minute. First drop, first hole.  Little perch but i was pumped. Josh caught the next 4 perch then our friend Paul came up and schooled us!

We had flurries of action over the next few hours with Paul having the hot hand as soon as he arrived.  Showing us newbs how to jig! Appreciate the tips Paul.  We had a lot of fun just shooting the shit and jigging away. We ended up catching over 50 perch 1 pike and 1 pumpkinseed. All my perch and my pike came on the dynamic lures hd ice which I was pumped on being my first time trying there ice lure.  Josh got his on a small blade bait and some straight tail power minnows and Paul got all his on small jigs tipped with maggots. We fished through some pretty good freezing rain but all and all it was a comfortable day to be on the water. 

small but great fight on a jigging rod!

Josh and I hit two more bodies of water on our way home.. Found safe ice but zero action and called it a day. Tough fishing some spots without electronics. Great start to the 2014 season and looking forward to getting up there again. Please dont ask where we were fishing because i will not answer. Some these places are private and i cant risk telling others. I know that stinks but i gave lures we used and some other details which i hope can be helpful for you!   

- Joe Jacobowitz