Yesterday morning a group of 8 fathers/sons and friends headed out for our first ice fishing outing of the year. I felt that Irondequiot Bay was our best opportunity to catch big perch, but reports on IceShanty were that the ice was still questionable. We stopped at Mitchells Bait & Tackle and discussed strategy. We ended up going to Cranberry Pond with a bucket full of 6 different types of minnows.
Dave cleaning ice hole....ice was 6-8 inches
There is a parking lot for fisherman on the northwest corner of the "pond". This pond is fed by Lake Ontario and supposedly holds a lot of perch. We spent several hours with tip-ups and poles with live minnows, but we only caught one 4 inch perch. It was the worst day of ice fishing ever! There was probably 20 mph winds on the lake. Fortunately we stopped at a local diner and had a great hot meal after wards, so the boys were not too disappointed. I think the local definition of big perch on Cranberry pond is around 8 inches, versus my definition of big perch which is 16-20 inches.
Jake (15), myself and Dave had a great day on Seneca Lake yesterday. We had spending the last couple of weeks reading iceshanty threads to see if, when, and where we would go ice fishing. The lakes with ice were reporting fish, but little ones.
Perfect conditions
On a whim, Friday night we discussed hitting Mr. Flanagan's secret honey hole on Seneca Lake which has produced good fish in the past. Seneca can be a tough lake because it turns real rough, real quick. The forecast called for light winds, but even better there was a low pressure system moving in which is good for fishing.
Needless to say we had quite a day. We saw one other boat on the lake. There was a small boat with two guys pulling up to the launch area as we were heading out into the lake. We were a little dismayed at first when they said that they had only got two all monring.....that is till we realized they were duck hunters and they were referring to the fact that they had only shot 2 ducks.
We went to our favorite spot and in 15' foot of water, with fathead minnows from the Outdoor Store. We probably caught 70 fish, keeping 45 over 12".....making for an awesome fish fry that night for our family!
Can you see the deer? In the stream through the ice.
It is the last week of muzzle loading and it is a winter wonderland outside. What a fun season so far. John P. nailed a nice 9 pointer on the leased property, Bill a 6, Brud a 10 pointer, Dave a 7 point, and an 8 pointer for myself. Jake got a doe and I put three does in the freezer. Scott, well, let's just say he knocked off some quality DIY projects at home.
Jessica and I in our southern stand on Suors property.
I enjoyed a year of hunting with all my children this year. I saw 7 different bucks out of the southern Suor stand. On Dec. 11 I saw 31 deer at Brud's house in Bloomfield, passed on 2 small bucks and shot an 8pt. I was glad Jake was there to help me out dragging the beast out of the ravine in which it ran into. Afterwards Jake and I went to Ionia to Sweet Solutions for a breakfast meant for kings.
More photos from the season!
Mr. Flanagan's secret dish
Jake and Hannah fighting over Fr. Flanagan's cooking!
Well we are winding down the bow season, albeit the bucks continue to be on the move. I missed a gigantic buck, shooting just over his back. I thought he was 40 yards, but was more like 25. I was not too upset as I thought it was pretty cool to see buck that large. 200lb+ 10-12 points. We have seen two other trophy bucks around as well as lots of 6-8 pointers.
Yesterday I was in one stand on a creek where I watch a black mink swim by with a frog in his mouth. Jake was in another stand close by and heard to bucks fighting close by.
Opening day of bow season witnessed 20 mph winds. Jake had to go to football practice in the morning and off with friends in the afternoon. I headed back to the southern stand on the Suor property that Jessica had helped me sew a blind cover around just three days earlier. This stand is exactly 3/4 mile due south of my house. As I approached the stand I kicked up a doe that had bed down under the stand.....a good sign I thought. From 4-6:30 I saw at least 12 does that moved from north to south, into the wind, all pausing below my stand eating acorns. At dusk an 8 point walked out of the brush with his nose to the ground moving at a pretty good clip into the wind 30 yards west of my stand. I drew my bow and barked at him to stop. He did and as he took off my arrow flew. It hit the front shoulder and made a loud crack. He jumped and really took off. Thinking I hit him good I decided to sneak out of the woods and come back in the morning. I let the woods in a direction I believed to be far away from where he ran.....I found out the next AM that in fact I had actually walked in the exact direction the buck ran and I am sure this resulted in me pushing him.
That night Dave cooked JP and I an awesome steak with wild mushrooms in celebration of the successful hunt.
Well the next morning JP joined Jessica, Jake, and I to find this buck. As we drove down the Suor field a large 50-60 pound coyote jumped out in front of us. My heart sank as I knew if coyotes were in the area chances were pretty good that my buck had been their dinner.
Jake and JP on the trail
Jessica in field where the trail went cold
Arrow bit off by the buck
We immediately found the blood trail and followed it for 1/2 mile into the Krause property where it went cold. We spent the entire day looking for that deer, but to no avail.
My lesson learned is, even though it was dark, I should have waited an hour in my stand before heading home so as not to push the deer.
This weekend has been absolutely beautiful. This morning Jake and I did a lot of bow shooting from 20,30, and 40 yards....each point marked with pvc pipe in the ground that doubled for holding our arrows. We them went out behind our house and Jake climbed into our oldest stand, 16 years+. Up in the tree he held one end of a 100' tape measure as I was holding the other end marking different distances that corresponded with our bow sight pins.
Hannah is focused
Dad with a 3lb bass
Later in the day I took Tracy and the kids across the road to the new property we are leasing to fish on two of the ponds. These ponds are the origins of Irondequiot Creek. They are tucked away against the hillside along side of Cheese Factory Road. The ponds have woods on one side and open corn fields along the other. The kids caught several bullheads. I caught a 3 pound largemouth bass while pulling a popper in by hand as my fighing line was tangled up. The fish took my lure literally 3 feet from where I was sitting on the shore. The bass was the lightest colored bass I had ever seen.
This weekend my girls and I spent at Heritage Outdoor Sports in Phelps NY. On Saturday the girls took their archery safety course and Tracy even scored a 100 on the exam. Part of the bow course required them shoot at various targets . They did great and i was really proud of them.
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