Yesterday I opened roads from the Graveyard to NE Banana Reef (The Bank Road), and went NE from the Tullibee Road that will cross the Banana eventually.. to the Tullibee Hole with the Land Cruiser.  It was the first day that when I opened up roads or plowed a spot for a house the ice didn’t steam, so the cold finally made it thru the snow.  There are going to be some areas we normally go to that just isn’t going to happen due to the rough ice this year.  It’s just too rough to try to plow a decent road thru.  Those areas will be where a good portable and snowmobile will be applicable.

We checked ice depths all over. On the new ice I uncovers when plowing it was only 13″. With 8″ plus snow on top of it that is not alot.  Roads I made the day before were at 14″.  Roads I had established right after the snow last week were at 16″-17″.  Areas where I had plowed spots 2 days ago were at 16″.  Under the snow in closer the ice was averaging about 14″, out farther in the smoother ice a 13″ average.

The bite was off yesterday compared to Friday/Saturday. Not alot of action for most except Perch. Over the weekend the rentals out did very well.  Biggest Walleye C/R was a 26.5″  Biggest Northern C/R  was 36″  Quite a few Perch in the 10″ plus range showed up also which was nice to see.

This week we will continue pulling permanents on the list along with rental that are reserved.  We will allow vehicles weighing under 6000lbs curb weight on the ice.  Single axle wheelhouses (that have paid the seasonal rate) weighing under 5000lbs can go if pulled with a Side by Side with chains or tracks. We are not taking daily or weekend wheelhouses yet.  Our paid seasonal customers will  be taken care of first.  Portable fishermen I recommend a snowmobile. I watched portable guys with ATV’s struggle and most parked just off the road.  We will be checking ice depths daily and as it increases things will change.

Keep a Tight Line!      Eddy