Northern Illinois ice fishing report

[Bill "Musky" Modica]

My buddy and I got into a few nice ones late this afternoon....just as I arrive to the lake (3:00pm), I see him running for a flag....he sticks, and lands a tank Largemouth...21".....I fire up the gas auger and zort a half dozen holes, then set up my boards.......I fire up the vex, and on the first time down, I stick a behemoth greenie.

For the next hour and a half, fishing is dead....a half dozen dink gills and craps....no flags. 4:30 rolls around, and I decide to wrap it up...walk over to my first set, and she pops.....smokes the spindle....screams out over 100' before she stops...thought at first to be a small bass on a serious bolt....ended up to be a big girl on a big run...21.5"

Both fish were caught on large golden roaches, set 6' down over 8' near the lake basin....and released.

Ice depth 10"

Cloudy

Air temp 31

Mod

 

 

 

 

 

 

[John Sheehan]

Great fish Bill!Thanks for the report.Went ice fishing at the same time EST but got skunked.Ice was only about 3 and 1/2 " thick .

[Jim Gronaw]

Great ice catch, Bill!

I think a lot of anglers don't realize how good bass fishing, and particularly big fish, can be through the ice. A number of years ago a good friend of mine and his wife were jigging panfish and on back to back days stuck a 6 1/2 and an 8 pound largemouth on Kastmasters in about 6 feet of water. The 8 lber was her PR and she got it mounted. Absolutely huge fish through the ice, and on 4 lb test!

Excellent post!