Slip’s 2016 LOGS, STATUS AND STRATEGIES

[Slip Sinker]

The past few seasons it’s been season outdoing the last. Knowledge base on top of knowledge base. Building on some great info from this site and time on the water. I’m anticipating and looking forward to even better results with more citation fish. Anyway that’s the game plan.

Last year was the season of fishing TINY. Thin UL Lines loaded on tiny 50 series reels and light UL rods tossing tiny baits in front of fish targets…quantities of quality panfish and trophy SMB. Tossed the baits into thick cover with reckless abandon. Tiny presentations under slip bobbers thrown next to thick weed slop and weed pockets. Mid day fishing out of the kayak in less than two feet of water and tagging quality fish. Never really had another fishing boat come close to me fishing. it was like i had the lake to myself. looking forward to making some more good memories in the upcoming season.

Looking forward to any hints suggestions or comments from the BBG membership… sharing is the best way to learn and progress!

hope everyone a successful "2016 Open Water Season"

[Slip Sinker]

my records show jan 13, 2016 was first ice for us because of the very mild start. 

back in the 90's my Dad was the very avid ice-fisherman and me not so much... he lived on the lake and i remember just after New Years he would be on the first safe ice most of the time.

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Thanks Slip......that's what I remembered.........thought it would come and go until it finally settled in......we're going to have teens here Friday and rebound into the 70s by Sunday.........swings like that make for some of the toughest fishing we can have down here......

[Slip Sinker]

last year was kind of strange... transition time between fishing open water and safe ice was long and staggered. we had a polar vortex sweep thru hear late november with snow and thin ice on the lakes. then a very mild December and then finally safe ice near mid-January

[Allen Morgan]

Picked up a used ice auger, a jig box, and some small spoons yesterday.  Still need some tungsten jigs.  I've found a good, local, cheap supplier, but he does all his transactions via PayPal, and I don't have a PayPal account.

[Slip Sinker]

thats awesome Allen! i hope you have success during the upcoming season! that will certainly get ya hooked.

i love paypal! i ended up getting a paypal debit card and tied it into a checking account and use it almost everyday! transferring money between family members and friends is a breeze.

tungsten is my favorite way to go either with live waxies or pink GULP waxies as a tipping.

[Slip Sinker]

20161218- ...~~<")))))><(---*Hard-Water Period*--32° 5" ice

[Joe Angelucci]

Now go have fun. BTW, your hard water reports always help me with my micro fishing. Huge fan of the finesse techniques you share :)

[Slip Sinker]

Well thank you Joe! And I thank you... I enjoy your posts as well on fishing micro. Definitely going smaller more micro has really changed the success of my game. More fish with more quality fish as well.

We have 12” of snow over 6” of solid ice thanks to a current polar vortex. With a bit of a warming trend coming up should melt some of that snow so I would be able to do some walking on the ice.

[Slip Sinker]

20161106- -~~<")))))><(---*Hard-Water Period* 1-5" Ice

50° air temps

[Slip Sinker]

with ice between 1-5" on my local reservoir i consider transition ice for now and probably should not fish it... some of the shallower local natural lakes with no current have a solid 5" clear ice base.