Well I am finally able to post updates. A lot of the delay was caused by my web site host, but I have to admit that it has been done for a couple of weeks. Between pulling houses and the 2 week holiday period, we were extremely busy and this was what suffered.
We started pulling houses on Dec. 20 and now have most of the houses out, including all of my rentals. The ice has come as fast as I have seen it in many years. We have 16-18 inches of ice and it will not be long before we will need extensions. The roads are in good shape except where we have plowed the snow to the east and south sides of the roads. Those edges have in some spots cracked the ice under the banks and the banks are slowly sinking. You need to be careful going through an existing bank.
Since this was as early as we have been out in years, many people have chosen to stay shallow along Agate Bay reef and the walleye action has been fairly steady in the mornings and evenings. It is not like some of the really good years, but it certainly is better than last year. You can tell that we are getting some of the huge perch hatches eaten up. The fishing should only get better from now on for a few years.
The perch have not really gotten going yet. They are catching some small ones out deeper and are getting a few bigger ones mixed in, but the best is still to come for them also. I think when the weather settles down for a few days and we get some stable weather and it warms up some, the perch will turn on.
Our rental houses are out and the people have been having some luck in them. We started out in shallower water along Agate Reef also, but we have moved most of them to intermediate depthes of 23-27 feet. Most of them have just been moved so I can not tell you what they are catching, but after this weekend I will have a better idea of how well we did. We still have a few openings for this weekend so if you want to fish some fresh holes, give us a call.
I guess thats all for now. We have not opened a road to Blue Jug Flat yet, but if it ever stops snowing long enough, we still intend to plow one. If you enjoy ice fishing, this is a year for you. We got out early, the ice is as good as I have seen it in years, and they are getting some fish, so come up and have FUN!!!
Dean and Renee Hanson
