NJSquatch
02-03-2020, 01:26 PM
Chrisper and I decided to the make the most of what little ice we had in NJ and fished hard on Saturday and Sunday.
The first lake on Saturday started off with a flurry of activity but then like a switch it went dead. Picked up and moved to another lake and had flags flying all day. Started off with a ton of nice sized pickerel.
https://i.postimg.cc/Z5HtPZYJ/IMG-1394.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/PqVgc48c/IMG-1396-Copy.jpg
I must have caught 10 pickerel when a flag goes up again. Approaching the tip-up the fish takes off just like all the other pickerel. Grab the line and the fish was heavy and fighting pretty good. It flashes by the hole and my stomach goes into my throat when I see the size of this fish. No way I am getting it through the 6" hole! After a couple more runs she settles down and I was able to lip her and squeeze her through the hole. She measured 21.5" and well over 5 pounds and qualifies for the NJ Skillful Angler program. One of the top 5 biggest bass I have caught and the biggest fish I have caught through the ice. (Ice Fishing Season made!)
https://i.postimg.cc/KYYXJV4B/20200201-LMB1.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/rFSLmxv0/20200201-LMB2.jpg
After about 15 minutes I get another flag in the same hole. Same crazy run as I approach but this fish was fighting much harder and wanted nothing to do with the hole. Finally coaxed her out and it was a total surprise catch of a 16.5" smallie! This lake has a max depth of 7' and not sure how a smb made its way in here but I was psyched non the less.
https://i.postimg.cc/qv4HCgTm/IMG-1408-Copy.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/Zq1SnHKN/IMG-1400-Copy.jpg
After fishing sunup to sundown on Saturday we decided to sleep in a bit and got back on the lake around 11am on Sunday. The edges of the lake were very sketchy and my foot went through getting on. We almost pulled the plug but as usually we decided to push our luck. Tipups were flying just like on Saturday with a bunch of pickerel to 23.5" (Just shy of another skillful angler).
https://i.postimg.cc/zvK4yYPZ/IMG-1424-Copy.jpg [https://i.postimg.cc/B6ddZnpB/IMG-1421-Copy.jpg
The jigging bite wasn't as good as Saturday but I did catch a hefty 12.5" northern peacock on a dot jig. Not sure how I landed this fish as it had me wrapped around the transducer 3 times.
https://i.postimg.cc/KzK6yMPY/IMG-1420-Copy.jpg
As a squall moved in and we were out of bait we decided to start packing it in when another flag (of course the furthest away) pops and I pull in another hefty Greenie.
https://i.postimg.cc/J7kf6j76/IMG-1430-Copy.jpg
Getting off was an adventure. I went first and busted through just as I left my feet lunging toward the shore opening up a good size hole. Chrisper slides me my sled and I pull in with no problem. Then comes his smaller sled (jr sized) and I almost dunked it pulling it up the bank. Now it is Chripser's turn. Of course the maniac wants me to record the attempt but I opted to extent the arm. Not sure how he make it but he jumped just as the edge gave out and stumbled onto the bank. Everyone made it home dry!
I really hope to be able to make more ice fishing posts but I don't think mother nature is going to allow us to walk on water anymore in NJ this year. Made it out 4 times and had really good fishing on all trips. Might make a trip upstate if the ice survives the warm up. If not I am ready with the jig and bobber for spring fishing.
The first lake on Saturday started off with a flurry of activity but then like a switch it went dead. Picked up and moved to another lake and had flags flying all day. Started off with a ton of nice sized pickerel.
https://i.postimg.cc/Z5HtPZYJ/IMG-1394.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/PqVgc48c/IMG-1396-Copy.jpg
I must have caught 10 pickerel when a flag goes up again. Approaching the tip-up the fish takes off just like all the other pickerel. Grab the line and the fish was heavy and fighting pretty good. It flashes by the hole and my stomach goes into my throat when I see the size of this fish. No way I am getting it through the 6" hole! After a couple more runs she settles down and I was able to lip her and squeeze her through the hole. She measured 21.5" and well over 5 pounds and qualifies for the NJ Skillful Angler program. One of the top 5 biggest bass I have caught and the biggest fish I have caught through the ice. (Ice Fishing Season made!)
https://i.postimg.cc/KYYXJV4B/20200201-LMB1.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/rFSLmxv0/20200201-LMB2.jpg
After about 15 minutes I get another flag in the same hole. Same crazy run as I approach but this fish was fighting much harder and wanted nothing to do with the hole. Finally coaxed her out and it was a total surprise catch of a 16.5" smallie! This lake has a max depth of 7' and not sure how a smb made its way in here but I was psyched non the less.
https://i.postimg.cc/qv4HCgTm/IMG-1408-Copy.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/Zq1SnHKN/IMG-1400-Copy.jpg
After fishing sunup to sundown on Saturday we decided to sleep in a bit and got back on the lake around 11am on Sunday. The edges of the lake were very sketchy and my foot went through getting on. We almost pulled the plug but as usually we decided to push our luck. Tipups were flying just like on Saturday with a bunch of pickerel to 23.5" (Just shy of another skillful angler).
https://i.postimg.cc/zvK4yYPZ/IMG-1424-Copy.jpg [https://i.postimg.cc/B6ddZnpB/IMG-1421-Copy.jpg
The jigging bite wasn't as good as Saturday but I did catch a hefty 12.5" northern peacock on a dot jig. Not sure how I landed this fish as it had me wrapped around the transducer 3 times.
https://i.postimg.cc/KzK6yMPY/IMG-1420-Copy.jpg
As a squall moved in and we were out of bait we decided to start packing it in when another flag (of course the furthest away) pops and I pull in another hefty Greenie.
https://i.postimg.cc/J7kf6j76/IMG-1430-Copy.jpg
Getting off was an adventure. I went first and busted through just as I left my feet lunging toward the shore opening up a good size hole. Chrisper slides me my sled and I pull in with no problem. Then comes his smaller sled (jr sized) and I almost dunked it pulling it up the bank. Now it is Chripser's turn. Of course the maniac wants me to record the attempt but I opted to extent the arm. Not sure how he make it but he jumped just as the edge gave out and stumbled onto the bank. Everyone made it home dry!
I really hope to be able to make more ice fishing posts but I don't think mother nature is going to allow us to walk on water anymore in NJ this year. Made it out 4 times and had really good fishing on all trips. Might make a trip upstate if the ice survives the warm up. If not I am ready with the jig and bobber for spring fishing.