Not Fly Fishing

[Mark Knapp 0]

It's winter here, and the Ice is 30 inches thick. We are not doing much fly fishing these days.

 

I have been ice fishing though and it's been a pretty good season so far. I like to adapt my favorite flies for fishing vertically. Typically I put a bead in front of the eye of the hook.

 

The water we are fishing in is shallow and crystal clear so we can look down the hole and watch how fish approach the fly. We can differ the presentation and see how fish react. It's a lot of fun and I learn a lot by watching.

 

We do keep some of the big fish, they are delicious. I like them smoked. These fish are triploids (sterile) and have a five year life span so we don't feel bad about keeping them.

 

Here are some of them.

 

Friends with a days catch, we let a lot of the small ones go, had to keep some that bled a little.

 

A 22 inch char and some nice rainbows.

 

Some more friends, that's one of my best char this season, 24 inches. This is a Quartz lake grand slam, a char, a king, a silver and some rainbows in the same day.

 

14 to 18 inch rainbows.

 

My Cuz with a really nice char.

 

And that's her punk- azz boyfriend with a 26 inch rainbow. He's not really a punk-azz though, he's pretty good to her.

 

Friend Christine with her very first rainbow.

 

My bud Steve with girls and a nice catch. The first time fishing since the girls were kids.

 

Only four more months and I can fly fish again. Till then I've move the house to a lake with thirty pound lakers and 15 pound char in it. Wish me luck.

[Poopdeck 0]

That's awesome. I pray for local ice every year. Most years ice is to thin to go out on. Last year I had to drive two hours to get to 5" ice. I'm envious. Just this morning I reorganized my ice gear in anticipation of February ice.

[Mark Knapp 0]

Poop, come up here, I take you.

[Mlandry 0]

Nice fish pictures. i recently tried char in a restaurant in Boston and it was one of the best tasting fish I have ever had.

[feathers5 0]

It's winter here, and the Ice is 30 inches thick. We are not doing much fly fishing these days.

 

I have been ice fishing though and it's been a pretty good season so far. I like to adapt my favorite flies for fishing vertically. Typically I put a bead in front of the eye of the hook.

 

The water we are fishing in is shallow and crystal clear so we can look down the hole and watch how fish approach the fly. We can differ the presentation and see how fish react. It's a lot of fun and I learn a lot by watching.

 

We do keep some of the big fish, they are delicious. I like them smoked. These fish are triploids (sterile) and have a five year life span so we don't feel bad about keeping them.

 

Here are some of them.

 

Friends with a days catch, we let a lot of the small ones go, had to keep some that bled a little.

 

A 22 inch char and some nice rainbows.

 

Some more friends, that's one of my best char this season, 24 inches. This is a Quartz lake grand slam, a char, a king, a silver and some rainbows in the same day.

 

14 to 18 inch rainbows.

 

My Cuz with a really nice char.

 

And that's her punk- azz boyfriend with a 26 inch rainbow. He's not really a punk-azz though, he's pretty good to her.

 

Friend Christine with her very first rainbow.

 

My bud Steve with girls and a nice catch. The first time fishing since the girls were kids.

 

Only four more months and I can fly fish again. Till then I've move the house to a lake with thirty pound lakers and 15 pound char in it. Wish me luck.

 

 

 

 

Fantastic. Looks like great friends having a great time. No fishable ice where I live in PA so far.

[Lesg 0]

Mark,

I too am stuck ice fishing for 3 1/2 to 4 months of the year here in Northern Ontario. I guess stuck is the wrong word because I really enjoy the winter season and the fishing that comes with it, though I will admit that I rarely have catches like the ones pictured. Thanks for sharing and auger on!!

Les

[Steeldrifter 0]

Cool, I've always thought char were a cool looking fish.

[Mark Knapp 0]

Les, yes, "stuck" seems to be the wrong word.

 

Steeldrifter, Yes they are, one of my dreams is to go up north and catch a 40 pounder in full spawning colors on a fly.

 

Thanks everybody.

[Poopdeck 0]

last time I flew in super cold weather I was freaked out by the ice I watched forming on the wing edges after watching the ground crew spray gallons of stuff on the wing to prevent it. I was further freaked out by the bumpiness of the flight through a snow storm I couldn't believe they fly planes into. I will never fly in winter conditions ever again.

 

When I go ice fishing we are hoping to catch perch and crappie. By the way, I keep most of what I catch through the ice. Nothing is tastier then perch and crappie caught through the ice. It seems you are borderline apologetic for keeping fish. Don't be.

[mikechell 0]

Ignorant of me, I'm sure ... but those Char look like huge Brook Trout, to me.

 

Nice fish ... great pictures !!!

[Lesg 0]

Mike,

Brook trout are a member of the char family.

Les

P.S. I'd like to catch a brook trout that size !!!

[Mark Knapp 0]

Poopdeck, Yes, maybe a little apologetic, I have gotten some grief for keeping large rainbows and char. Some people don't understand about a "put and take" fishery. I also love to eat perch and crappies from the ice, pike are good too. There's nothing fresher than a fish that's frozen before he dies. I have fond memories of ice fishing walleye, perch and crappies through the ice in Minnesota "ay", sunnies too.

 

Mike, we have a ton of char up here, but really not many brookies, I have to fly to south-east Alaska to find them, cutthroat too. People also mistake these char for brown trout.