Ice Fishing 2014-2015 Season

I would love to meet up with some walleye.com members to do some ice fishing this year. I have my own gear for the most part. I am trying to figure out how to buy a new auger without telling my wife.

I just got two new flashers in the mail today, and I got a new Eskimo QuickFlip II Inferno in August.

I have some lodging available this Winter too. Nothing fancy, but we have a cottage at Lakeside. It isn't the Holiday Inn, but it has a full kitchen and laundry room and 4 bedrooms. I am not "technically" supposed to rent it out by the night because I don't have it set up as business... But if I let some "friends" stay there and those "friends" happen to give me a "tip" and help out with utilities all on their own..... you get the idea.

I would guess that hypothetically each bedroom uses about $75/night per bedroom... maybe less if someone was needing all the bedrooms. That is just a guess, but I'd say its a good one.

This is not really an advertisement for my cottage. I truly do want to get some guys communicating and talking about ice fishing this year, and I would love to meet up.

I use Motorola talk about radios up there and we will be using channel "3."

If anyone is planning on going ice fishing, or wants to start planning, let's get some trips planned!!

My cell is:740-591-5507

-Matt Gaiser

Ive never been but I have a boat dock on the western basin would love to go this year just need to go with someone with some knowledge. I stay in toledo

count me in matt. i only been on lake once during the hard water season. would like to try some more

I'm in, gonna be a big city if everyone that reads this joins in, nothing like a hot Italian sausage with kraut on the ice, biscuits and gravy not bad either !!Mike

I'm in also

Looks like we have a good start on a walleye.com reunion. Now all we need is some ice!
The more the merrier! I hope we get some good ice again this year. Some reports say a really cold Winter again and some say mild.

Either way I'm sure that we will get on some ice at some point. Encourage others on here to start thinking about doing a trip or two.

-Matt

Can't wait

I went about 8 times last year on Erie and pray that we get another season even somewhat close to last years.

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Originally Posted by BossHogg

I went about 8 times last year on Erie and pray that we get another season even somewhat close to last years.

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Id be happy with just half the season we had last year, its was one for the record books. I just hope to see it again like that in my lifetime, when you can go out by West Sister and even past........ Hopefully will see you and Jeff out there again this year !

I realize that not everyone is comfortable with sharing information, but that is generally what this forum is for. While we do not want to publicly announce our GPS coordinates for the world and non-contributors to see here, I would be happy to share any ice fishing reports and even real time info during the ice fishing season with members and contributors to this site.

The ice is big and plenty of room. Tent "cities" pop up all over. However, it is difficult to move three or four times on ice compared to wet water.

Last year I ran into a group on the ice that where communicating via radios. It was a guy and his son and a few friends. He came over and told me what channel he was on, and asked how we where doing. He then said if we found fish he would appreciate any help... I thought to myself, "I'm sure you would." Then he told me that his son was a mile South of us in 20 FOW. We where in about 30'. He had the rest of the group spread out about a mile or so in each direction from where he was. He set up probably 300 yards or better from us. When they all caught fish or had any action they would share, and then the ones who didn't catch moved and tried another spot. They did this until they found a good honey hole. He asked me a few times how we where doing and I obliged and told him. We had a decent day, and we went home.

Then next day we where by ourselves again, and he called me on the radio to see if we where out again. This time I was happy to share our location and how we where doing. He told us where they were (in relation to the previous day) and that they had found a spot. He gave us the location. I found out later that they create a really good network on the ice of a dozen or so guys and they communicate to quickly find the fish. If everyone moved once then there where a couple dozen locations tested by mid morning.

I didn't get back up to fish again last year. If I had, I would have found him, or someone in his network.

I realize that this might seem like common sense, but it still took some coordination. I'd love to be able to have a way for us all to contact each other and share info for those of us that are willing to share on the ice.

-Matt

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Originally Posted by troy1976

count me in matt. i only been on lake once during the hard water season. would like to try some more

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Troy was that you at the clelands with the clam in the back of the truck already?

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Originally Posted by Firetiger

Id be happy with just half the season we had last year, its was one for the record books. I just hope to see it again like that in my lifetime, when you can go out by West Sister and even past........ Hopefully will see you and Jeff out there again this year !

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We will be there Bob:D

Matt, were they using handheld marine radios, or some other type of radio.
Thanks Pat

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Originally Posted by FearGod

Matt, were they using handheld marine radios, or some other type of radio.
Thanks Pat

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They where just using Motorola Talk Abouts, which are just the basic Family Bands.

-Matt

Yes it was troy, he was dropping off this new shantie to CAPT.. Mike this makes shantie No. 16 ready to go for this upcoming season, we also have seven sleds ready to taxi any one out again this season. Hopefully some one will top our first mate Mike king 15 lb walleye weight on a cert. scale, caught less than two miles off shore, with no one around us. Picture of this hog is on Reel Sport Charter LLC under ice fishing guide 2014.
Lets pray for ice.
Capt. Mike Reel Sport Charters, Your four season licensed guide
Reel Sport charters LLC
Reel Sport charters LLC _ Marblehead Ohio
419 265 2736

In ya'll's opinion what are a good set of dates to use as a rough estimate of the ice fishing season? Is Jan 15th - March 15th reasonable??

-Matt

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Originally Posted by wayne johnson

Yes it was troy, he was dropping off this new shantie to CAPT.. Mike this makes shantie No. 16 ready to go for this upcoming season, we also have seven sleds ready to taxi any one out again this season. Hopefully some one will top our first mate Mike king 15 lb walleye weight on a cert. scale, caught less than two miles off shore, with no one around us. Picture of this hog is on Reel Sport Charter LLC under ice fishing guide 2014.
Lets pray for ice.
Capt. Mike Reel Sport Charters, Your four season licensed guide
Reel Sport charters LLC
Reel Sport charters LLC _ Marblehead Ohio
419 265 2736

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15Lbs!!!! Oh my goodness! You didn't keep it did you? Just think of all those eggs and future walleye that you killed. How dare you catch such a big fat female fish? You should be banned from fishing walleye for the rest of your life.

There are an estimated 20-30 million walleye age 2 and older in the Lake. Taking into account that a 30" + walleye has less than 20% of her eggs fertile enough to produce fry, and that she probably has roughly 100,000 eggs, that would mean that 20,000 eggs are actually fertile in that fish. Then, approximately 20% of those will actually be fertilized by a male, that gives us about 4,000 eggs from that fish will hatch. COnsidering that about 1 in 10,000 hatched fry will survive to adulthood....

For every one of those fish that you keep, you are actually killing 4/10ths of another fish, or for every 4 of those that you keep you are actually killing an additional 1.6 future fish.

According to that math, if you limit in the Winter with all really big fat females (4 man limit) then you are doing less (killing 5.6 fish) to impact the walleye population than if you go out later in the year and catch 6 post spawn fish.

But wait, some of those 6 fish you catch later that aren't currently pregnant, would be pregnant later in the year, so it is the same as catching them with or without eggs then, right?

PS - Sorry, I couldn't resist... I figure someone is bound to bring this up sooner of later in an ice fishing forum. All tongue & cheek of course!

-Matt

Matt; very interested in your " hypotheical" place to say. I been fishing Erie since 1984 on the ice. I ice fished 72 days last winter all over. Last 3 days on Erie 12 fish 98 lbs. I will be up next week for some bank fishing ( lakeside. catawba, sandusky bay, huron lighthouse, etc.) What about parking space at Lakeside with truck and trailer?

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Originally Posted by stampman

Matt; very interested in your " hypotheical" place to say. I been fishing Erie since 1984 on the ice. I ice fished 72 days last winter all over. Last 3 days on Erie 12 fish 98 lbs. I will be up next week for some bank fishing ( lakeside. catawba, sandusky bay, huron lighthouse, etc.) What about parking space at Lakeside with truck and trailer?

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Check your private messages.

all the years I have been on the ice, the best fishing has been
feb 6 to ice breaks up, I don't know why but this date allways works, just my option. And that 15 lb, is on mike king wall.

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Originally Posted by stampman

Matt; very interested in your " hypotheical" place to say. I been fishing Erie since 1984 on the ice. I ice fished 72 days last winter all over. Last 3 days on Erie 12 fish 98 lbs. I will be up next week for some bank fishing ( lakeside. catawba, sandusky bay, huron lighthouse, etc.) What about parking space at Lakeside with truck and trailer?

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Give me a call 740-591-5507

yea that was me firetiger. just trying to help get capt Mike outfitted for this winter. Sorry it took so long to resond. been busy working. finally got a rain day.

troy

Only 1 day above freezing (and only slightly) this week!!!

I wish it would stay that way until about April now.

-Matt

I am ready for it .....call mike at..... Reel sport charters.....

Are you ripping on the mike guy Because you are jealous of his fish....did you not know that lake Eire has the best walleye fishing in the world...wonder how that happens...not from guys keeping a once in life time fish QUIT HATING

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Originally Posted by ICEFREAK89

Are you ripping on the mike guy Because you are jealous of his fish....did you not know that lake Eire has the best walleye fishing in the world...wonder how that happens...not from guys keeping a once in life time fish QUIT HATING

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I don't think Madd Matt was ripping on anybody but was being sarcastic about all of the bitching by those who would impose their personal beliefs on the rest of us. Beliefs that are contrary to the ODNR laws that cover the size and possession limit of Lake Erie walleyes.

Every year people try to berate the actions of lawful fishermen who keep legally caught fish. Their argument is with the ODNR who sets the rules and not the legal fishermen who abide by them.

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Originally Posted by wakina

I don't think Madd Matt was ripping on anybody but was being sarcastic about all of the bitching by those who would impose their personal beliefs on the rest of us. Beliefs that are contrary to the ODNR laws that cover the size and possession limit of Lake Erie walleyes.

Every year people try to berate the actions of lawful fishermen who keep legally caught fish. Their argument is with the ODNR who sets the rules and not the legal fishermen who abide by them.

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Lol. Thanks Wakina! I appreciate the support. I believe that even Mike knew that it was complete sarcasm, apparent in his follow-up post. I would not attack someone in here like that in a serious manner... I leave that kind of interaction for the dock.

By the way, how could I be jealous of a trophy fish when it was a female full of eggs?

-Matt

My apologies thought you was rippin

Over the years we too have made numerous trips from WI ice fishing. I concurr with Wayne on dates: best time was after February 1st. I think it has to do with the fish migrating west towards the Maumee River. Also, you start to get an influx of fish coming from the East to stage outside the reefs.

I would give all first timers one bit of advice: be careful!! When this lake isn't locked up tight wind will drive ice heaves and sheets all over the place. Conditions change quickly, and I've yet to see any fish I'd risk my life for!!!