2-2-2012 Thr

2-2-2012 Thr
10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Weather: Calm, cloudy, 33˚, 30.03 rising (1253)
Water: 5.1’ rising, 26.1kcfs, clear, 12” ice
Location: Mississippi River Pool 6 and Pool 7
Caught: Approx. ten bluegills and five pike 16” to 39.5” (kept 26” pike and three gills)
Partners: myself

Comments

I had the day off today, and I was going to take full advantage of it with a day of fishing. I targeted two spots that are very inaccessible and when the ice is questionable they are only accessible by airboat. The main plan was to set up two tip-ups and jig for pinfish with the third pole.
The first stop I visited was a back bay to the north of Trempeleau. This spot is not a great pike spot, but I did catch one over forty inches there last year, besides it can be a very good pan fish spot. Well after two hours it was neither. I never had a flag and the pan fishing was very unproductive. I did keep three decent gills, but the bite never materialized.
The next spot I fished was a back bay on pool seven. This spot is not a good pan fish spot, but it is a very good pike location. From the onset it seemed as if it was going to be a stellar day. I had my first pike on the ice even before I got the last tip up set. It was not big, but it was a start.
The rest of the day was rather mundane; except for the thirty nine incher I caught around three thirty; what a beast! That fish made my day and probably the season! I did try a little pan fishing here and did see some nice gills and perch on the camera but they were very tight lipped.

Observations:

The main channel above Trempeleau is still very ice covered, although it is starting to rot. I was the only sole fishing both spots today. The spot above Trempeleau looked to be getting some fishing pressure, and the spot south of Trempeleau had some definite pressure with some pike coming topside from the looks of the blood on the ice.