On The Ice

All week i have been planning on ice fishing Sunday.  In CT we can not hunt on Sunday, so it makes for a great day to go ice fishing.  After talking with my brother, Mike we decided to  drive up to a very special North Western CT lake.  The lake in our minds is the site of our first ice fishing outing some ten plus years ago led by fellow Savage Rudy A.  On that day my brother and I both caught brown trout through the ice.  Mike and I try and make a trip up to this lake every year just for old times sake; however, the fishing is pretty good also.

    Sunday morning came quick and after a long week of shoveling an endless supply of snow i was not really feeling up to getting up.  After pulling myself together i got out of bed and went right to the coffee machine which, as luck would have it, was already brewing beautiful coffee.  I sat down in our new kitchen and ate a bowl of hot oat meal.  After filling the Stanley and my travel mug with coffee i grabbed the dog and headed out the door.  As I pulled into my mom's drive way my hopes of a flawless morning went right out the window.  I had a lot on my mind since i had 3  coming that have never been ice fishing before.  My buddy Joe and fellow Savage ED along with my trusty dog Penny were new to ice fishing.  I wanted them to have a safe fun trip.  I figured since i have a good amount of experience on the ice it was my job to make sure everything went well from dry feet to bait.  I am sure some of you can understand my dismay when i noticed my brother's truck was not in the drive way and he was no where to be found.  After about 5 and walking around the house getting the gear ready my mom came out and said he got loaded last night and was on the couch.  To make a long story short i got him up by putting on the lights.  Ed drove Mikes truck back from his house and we loaded it up.  After waiting 20 minutes for hung over one to get dressed WE WERE ON OUR WAY!
    The temperature at the lake was a full 10 degrees colder than it was at home.  There was also 20 inches of snow on the ground and we needed to climb over a shoulder high bank to get on the ice.  Joe pulled in behind us and was ready to rock.  My plan was to fish close to the state park.  I did not want to take a few newbies on a death march so we found some nice shoreline and stated boring holes.  As i cut the first hole with Joe and Ed watching the science of auger operation my dog decided to see what was in the hole.  Penny loves water and she stuck her hole head right up to her ear in it.  She was having the time of her life, so i felt good i pleased one, now two to go.  Mike and i showed Ed and Joe how to set the traps at the desired depth.  Once we got all 5 in Joe got a flag and pulled a nice 18 inch pickerel through the hole.  I was thinking that things were going to get good.  In the mean time my old roommate from Roger Williams University, Mike G showed up and began setting up his gear. After shaking hands and saying its been to long i took the auger and my flasher and cut another hole.  Joe came over with his new jigging rod and Rapala Jig. When Joe dropped the bait down the hole he immediately saw the jig register on the Vex, and with in 10 seconds a second mark slamming into the jig.  Fish On!!! a nice 10 inch brown came to the hole.  We released the fish to Penny's dismay and dropped in for more, and more Joe got.  After 3 Trout Ed came over and got two more little browns out of the same hole.  Hey, now its my turn, and then Mike G stuck two.  There you have it, 45 minutes into the day and we have a trout bail job on our hands.  While this was going on my brother got a pickerel on the tip up, so every one had smiles.

   At the end of the day i decided to keep 3 trout.  I have been eying a recipe and these little guys will fit perfectly.  The weather man was wrong and the winds did not kick up.  Ed and Joe caught several trout each.  Mike G and I got to fish together for the first time in a long time, Penny had a great time in the snow, and  my brother got over his hang over and was able to drive back home.   Mike G, thanks for supplying the booze in the plastic bottle that got broken anyway.