3-12-2012 Sun
1:15 PM – 4:15 PM
Weather: S 13, sunny, 67˚, 30.04 falling
Water: 5.5’ rising, 38.2 kcfs, 38 ˚ (at landing) 45 ˚ at upper end of channel
Location: Lake Onalaska
Caught: Lots of bluegills and perch, we each kept a total of eight bluegills and perch and any perch over ten inches were released.
Partners: myself and Scott

Comments

Today is Sunday and day seven of my severe cold. I felt totally miserable, but Scott was out fishing and he invited my along, how could I refuse. The plan was to hit a Back Bay area on the upper end of the lake in search of some pan fish. When we got to the mouth of the bay we had a little obstacle to contend with; ice! We had about a one hundred yard stretch of ice that we had to play coast guard ice cutter with. We were both skeptical at the start, but within a half hour we had broken a boats width channel through the hard stuff and were heading towards the back end of the bay.
The water temperature at the landing was a frigid 37 but when we arrived at our destination the water temperature had climbed to a balmy 45 degrees. We quickly got anchored and settled in and immediately started catching fish. The fishing was not fantastic by any means, but it was fairly consistent. We caught many perch and bluegills and even a stray crappie.

Observations:

The river is almost completely open and I do believe I saw what will be my last ice fishermen of the season behind my house. We did catch some nice perch, and from the looks of their bulging bellies I would have to say they are ready to spawn. We did not catch a lot of jumbos, but all perch over ten inches were released!