Ice Reports

[BMGW]

Dons Dandy Crappie jigs work through the ice just as well as soft water...

[aaron42ash]

Don's Dandy eh? Ok I'll look into them. Anyway, the pod at my parent's place in Chattaroy has 3.5 inches of good ice under frozen slush today. It's a smaller pond and it might freeze faster, but I thought maybe it could give us all som false hope at least... :bounce:

[Jay K]

The pond at my parent's place in Chattaroy has 3.5 inches of good ice under frozen slush today.

Go fishing, dude. Anything worth catching in that pond? Gotta be sunfish at least. Post some pics.

[BMGW]

Well maybe the good Lord is looking out for me but I am all packed up and was to leave to Banks to ice fish this weekend, but my Chubby Darters and Jason Mitchell rods did not come in today. I talked to a city official yesterday who indicated the ice was probably safe. Sooo now dang it, guess I will just fish Leland for Perch and plan for a different date fir some walleye on ice.

[aaron42ash]

Sooo now dang it, guess I will just fish Leland for Perch

Where's Leland? Are you still in PA? Banks is a great lake to try for some eyes. You will probably have to weed through the Whitefish, but you might catch a few. Good luck.

[bazzdude]

banks lake already huh? wow, that is about an hr or som from spokane i believe. I have yet to fish it but it is on my list, as i have a small boat only so usually when i head over there it is to other places like twin lakes, porky pine bay etc... Is the pearch fishing good there too? Since i have only cought 3 "eyes" ever so i don't think i would go and target them. I am just a beginner for the pearch through ice i bet the eyes are even harder. But i bet the white fish are still fun to catch there too. Any how stay safe out there.

[Jay K]

@BMGW - Where do you like to access Banks? Coulee City Community Park Marina? How 'bout Electric City? or Grand Coulee? Banks Lake Wildlife Recreation Area? Been looking for access online via Google Maps now that you've piqued my interest. I'd wondered which lakes could yield Walleye through the ice. Had to watch some YouTube videos on your Chubby Darters. $8/lure's pretty steep, but looks like a blast. I've got a few Rapala Jigging Raps I might try then. Thanks for the report on ice.

I was about going nuts waiting for ice. Starting looking around Spokane for local ponds that I could fish... just to drill a hole and sit on the ice.

[hewesfisher]

banks lake already huh? wow, that is about an hr or som from spokane i believe.

More like 2 hours from Spokane. If you're searching for perch through the ice, Silver Lake near the town of Medical Lake is much closer and lots of perch were caught through the ice last year.

[aaron42ash]

Ok...I'm driving on I-90 right now on my way to Seattle to watch Gonzaga play :bball: and they are now ice fishing Sprague! All of the water we have passed has been frozen actually. I know what I'm doing when I get home

[Jay K]

Ok...I'm driving on I-90 right now on my way to Seattle to watch Gonzaga play :bball: and they are now ice fishing Sprague! All of the water we have passed has been frozen actually. I know what I'm doing when I get home

Too bad I'm working all of today and on the hook for tomorrow if they need me. Hope the ice lasts... No snow.. no snow...

[Jay K]

Silver is still open water. Same condition as last time I saw it; Only ice is that useless marshy area right off the road to the launch parking.

Sprague has ~2inches of clear ice off the public launch. In 6-7ft of water marked no fish in multiple holes off the flasher.

North Silver is frozen solid and saw 3 deer walking across it today. Anybody know how to access this lake? I know it's catch and release selective gear right now, but I'd settle for any sorta fishing nearby.

[aaron42ash]

ReallY! Did NO ONE else go out and check the ice this weekend at all. I mean come on people! Thank you Jay K. Thank you for contributing. As for the rest of you...I am very disappointed. :colors:

[panfisher]

N.Elton has bad thinning ice and no ice on the other I-82 ponds. come on FROSTY do your job!!![mad] Plan on hitt'n the Naches River this next weekend for some white fish.

[Jay K]

I really want to get some pike or walleye on tip-ups. Thinking about whether it's worth paying the $100 for an Idaho license, so I can fish Upper Twin for pike (bought a whole bunch of tip-ups on sale last year). Even with a two pole endorsement in WA, I can only fish my jigging rod and one tip-up. Also, no live fish for bait, so where's the fun in that? I spose I could catch-and-release some tigers, but I'd rather go home with something I can eat. I don't like to torment fish unless I'm gonna eat 'em.

Still debating that Idaho license since we don't have any perch lakes up and running yet.

Anybody got a kid I can borrow to see if Bear's frozen over? I'll send 'em home w/ 1/2 the fish we catch... hell, I might send 'em home with all of 'em just so I can fish.

Maybe if I got time, I'll try to hit Eloika. I'd rather go perch fishing as it's usually more high-yield. Driving all the way down to Sprague just to maybe catch 5 muddy-tasting trout isn't my idea of fun... Although, like I said, at this point I'd rather be sitting on ice and pulling up fish than not.

Man, when is Silver gonna ice over... sheesh...

[Kfedka]

I really want to get some pike or walleye on tip-ups. Thinking about whether it's worth paying the $100 for an Idaho license, so I can fish Upper Twin for pike (bought a whole bunch of tip-ups on sale last year). Even with a two pole endorsement in WA, I can only fish my jigging rod and one tip-up. Also, no live fish for bait, so where's the fun in that? I spose I could catch-and-release some tigers, but I'd rather go home with something I can eat. I don't like to torment fish unless I'm gonna eat 'em.

Still debating that Idaho license since we don't have any perch lakes up and running yet.

Anybody got a kid I can borrow to see if Bear's frozen over? I'll send 'em home w/ 1/2 the fish we catch... hell, I might send 'em home with all of 'em just so I can fish.

Maybe if I got time, I'll try to hit Eloika. I'd rather go perch fishing as it's usually more high-yield. Driving all the way down to Sprague just to maybe catch 5 muddy-tasting trout isn't my idea of fun... Although, like I said, at this point I'd rather be sitting on ice and pulling up fish than not.

Man, when is Silver gonna ice over... sheesh...

You sure can get an ID license if you wish, but it expires end of this month, better to wait off till January 1st 2011.

[fishaholictaz]

Just get an Idaho day pass... No need to buy a year long license:-"

[aaron42ash]

This just happened. I went ice fishing. Eloika has 3 inches of clear ice under 3 inches of gray. Managed a few fish too...

[Black Plague]

wow aaron, way to get out there! did you mostly stay on the south end? ....I talked to jerry's landing via phone and they said today that they werent letting people through yet...but that some folks snuck through anyhow...but that most people were on the south end of the lake anyhow. ....what was the average size of the fish you caught?

[aaron42ash]

Yes, I was a South ender today. I managed about a half dozen perch, all dinks. 3 LMB between 10-15 inches and 4 grass pike finished my morning. I was on the water from 8:30 to noon. Bites were very light and fish were not reacting to my usual tactics. They preferred a slow bounce today with a long pause. We are trying again tomorrow, hopefully with more luck at some bigger perch.

[Jay K]

Ha, guess you beat me out there today. I just posted my report. I fished Eloika "Southend" from 1300-1600 without much luck today. Made a golfcourse of it. What kinda jigs you running? I was using a shrimpo head (sans the plastic) from Jigs & Spins with a piece of cooked shrimp and/or eyeball - pretty small-sized jig. Do you guys jig big for bass?

Was the Russian duo out there when you were this morning? They had 1 LMB, a few perch and a bluegill when I first arrived. Wondering how long it took for them to get those fish.