ice fishing

[TroutCowboy]

anybody in eastern washington or idaho panhandle scouted any lakes to know if we can ice fish yet?

i saw a report for hog canyon a little while back that said the edges were icing up but don't know if the erratic weather has ruined/produced safe ice yet.

[Anglinarcher]

I'll be honest with you, I moved to Eastern Washington from Billings Montana in 1999. I have probably $1000 of ice fishing equipment, used only once after the move.

I'll let you find the thick ice and look for a report from you.

But....... have you called Elokia at Jerry's Landing, they might be getting close. (Oh yea, mostly perch).

[TroutCowboy]

what a coincidence... i'm originally from billings too! i came to WA in '87 for college and have been here ever since. PM me and we'll have to compare notes! and with all that fancy gear we're going to have to meet up for some ice fishing! :thumright

speaking of ice fishing... i drove out to newman lake this weekend so my 2 year-old could get in a nap and i found a few guys fishing within about 100' or so from shore. there was a couple of inches of ice and about 1.5 of slush on top. they were having some luck with perch but not much else. they had a fire going on the ice, kind of ballsy considering they were on thin ice (sorry for the pun).

the problem with the SE end of the lake is you can be a hundred feet or two from shore and be in less than 10' of water. i found this out the hard way my first time there when i lowered my outdrive onto the rocks below. so anyway, no big surprise the fishing was marginal in that depth of water.

as i write this it's raining and probably in the mid- to hi-30's so whatever ice we had is melting and/or underwater. i'm headed to billings for xmas where i hope to get in some of my other favorite sport (skiing) and come back here to lots of snow and ice!

[Joe Heater]

I am from Iowa and everytime the family and I drive back we stop in Billings and stay at the Billings Hotel and Convention Center. They saw my military ID card about 6 years ago and told me the night we stayed was on the house. We have gone back every time and they really take care of us. My dad had a chance to move to Billings when I was in HS but chose some place closer to Iowa (OMAHA) because I was a junior in High School. Looks like a great place.

I am going back Ice Fishing in minnesota in Feb. I wouldn't ice fish here because I am just not excited about the thickness of the ice in Washington. Be careful if you do go.

Good fishing.
Joe

[Gisteppo]

Keep in touch with the Eloika people. The weather pattern hasn't been ideal for ice production (Keep in mind its still fall for a few more days!), but it will improve. We have about 2" of ice thickness in sections of Long, but I wouldn't venture out on it as its looking a little unstable. Still good open water fishing to be had though!

E

[Anglinarcher]

what a coincidence... I'm originally from billings too! i came to WA in '87 for college and have been here ever since. PM me and we'll have to compare notes! and with all that fancy gear we're going to have to meet up for some ice fishing!

I did not say my ice fishing gear was fancy, just that I have a lot of it. My wife points out that we would have a lot more room in the garage if I'd part with it.

I use to fish Canyon Ferry a lot, and a lot in Idaho. My gear followed me from Southern Idaho, into Colorado when I was in the Army, to Southeast Idaho, than to Billings, and now to Spokane. I love the fishing in Eastern Washington, but I should have sold my ice gear in Billings. Oh well.

Now, I see that we usually don't get what I call safe ice until about the middle of January around hear. Waits Lake has been good in the past, of course I mentioned Elokia. I think the solution might be to look North and perhaps into Idaho.

Actually, the solution is to convince the wether patterns to come from the North, not the South. But right now, I'll take the moisture no matter what form it is in.

Yes, we should get together. You would probably find my methods a little crazy, but I sure could catch fish in the past with them.