Forum | December 12, 2009 Sort of Open Water Report....

You said: "Nothing works good below freezing temps."

You may never be right again in your life but – you're spot on with that statement. I don't even work at all below freezing temps! We don't have toothy critters that swim here – well 'cept for 'gators and gar. I've done the drag the rod through the water thing more'n once. Watched ice fly off the tip guide on the retrieve and blown on the reel line guide to thaw it out. Maybe… just maybe if big fish were biting I'd do it again but around here and in Georgia when I lived there the fish simply were not used to those conditions on a recurring basis. Nor were the fishermen/women and neither preformed well under those conditions.

All I know is y'all got my respect. If that last picture you posted is as it appears – pullin' out at sundown… Your either the epitomy of hard core fishermen, certifiably crazy – or a bit of both!

You ain't "Outdoorgirl"! You are THE Outdoorgirl! I whine like a baby at nap time when it gets below 50 degrees.

I put in one time @ 22 degrees. How did y'all keep the fuel line from freezing? That time I went I'd run 1/4 mile and the fuel line would freeze up. Compartment doors frozen shut and only caught one stinkin' catfish(did go 'bout 12#s though). See… whinin' already!

Nice fish… But… if somebody is drillin' holes in a lake I'm fishing on… I'm going home!

For those that don't know me….Hey, Outdoorgirl here!   I fish, You'll see….give it time. I grow on ya. lol

Everyone else that knows me here,

Okay so….

Definitely a Winter Fishing Marathon.  When we left with the boat in tow at 5:45am, we had no idea whether or not we would be able to get on the lake or if we were going to be iced out.  That one hour drive seemed much longer this time.  We pulled up and (note that all along I KNEW we’d get on the lake, cause I sent a prayer upstairs!) the launch had beautiful open water at the end of it.  It took some doing to get the boat in the water.  We made it tho!!  Half the lake was froze and while we were standing in a boat casting crankbaits, we watched guys drilling holes in the ice to icefish on the same lake!!  Air temp didn’t get above 22 degrees and the water temp was between 32 and 36 degrees.  We were limited as to spots to fish due to only having half the lake open, but we made due.  90 percent of the fish we caught were just BIG fish!  We kept a couple of eater sized walleye for a meal and all other fish swam away happy.  When you can get on a lake in Mid December….you’re just HAPPY to be on open water and any fish is just icing on the cake!  Bald eagles were soaring above our heads, we obviously had the open water to ourselves (since most aren’t as durable/crazy as we are.) and we had a jet come down and swoop the middle of the lake and do a few rolls as a nice little air show.  Just an all around GREAT day on the water again with friends! 

Here's a few scenery pics.

This pike hit as if it had been starving and put up a GREAT fight.  Under the boat a couple of times and down to the bottom and back up and down to the bottom…. FUN FUN…

This walleye almost got ate by something huge.

A couple of Musky's caught by chance on a crankbait.  Amazing, cause this lake is not known for them.

Two beautiful eyes to take home for din din.

My dream home….

and the exit!

While pulling the boat out of the water, I was in it, the boat fell off the ramp.  After a few tries, off we went and I obviously got out of the boat and into the warm truck.