# What was your best day on the ice?



## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

Let us know what you caught, what made this trip special. Feel free to include pictures. You don't need to say where you were fishing. This could be therapy for some of us until there is ice.


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## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

Had a great day perching on LSC two years ago during the polar vortex. I was out with my BIL and these massive schools of jumbos would just come in and hit whatever was in the water every 10-15 minutes. We would both pull up 2-3 at a time. We both ended up with 30+ fish after only a few hours of fishing. Unfortunately both our significant others cut our outings short or we would have easily limited! Still remember that day... best day i've had ice fishing in a few years!


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## Chevyguy28 (Dec 29, 2010)

Lake Erie walleye. Nuff said.


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## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

Forty years ago I would of told you about the big pike or large numbers of perch.
Thirty years ago would of told about some big catches of steelhead or my kids catching their first fish.
Twenty years ago I would of told you about watching my kids becoming proficient and doing things themselves.
Now I can tell you about my best day. Last year my son and 11 year old grandson came out to fish gills with me. It was a slow day but the finesse fisherman were picking up a gill now and then. I fish with a loose knit group of serious gill fisherman. My son and grandson started fishing and were doing surprisingly well for casual fishermen. I set my grandson up with my good vex and a 200 dollar custom rod and reel setup and he started hole hopping like the old guys. In about a half hour he had the vex down and his jigging technique was right on. He quietly put on a show that impressed everyone. When we were done fishing we started in and Austin pulled my flip over in while his dad pulled their shanty. This was the best day on the ice so far.
After I got home I set up my backup vex for Austin. I made the case


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

Last year I had a day on Lake Huron in the UP. I set tip ups for steelhead about an hour before daylight. Nothing happened the first half hour which is typical then two flags went at the same time. I was solo and managed to hook and land two 10 pound steelhead. Just after landing the second steelhead I had another flag and caught a 4 pounder which I released. I set all three tip ups right at sun up and watched them pop one by one and I caught and released three more steelhead in the 3 to 5 pound range. I got everything re set and they all went off again, this time all three steelhead were in the 4 to 5 pound range. I kept a 5 pound steelhead to go with the two 10 pound steelhead and was off the ice by 8:00 am


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## river rat78 (Dec 30, 2010)

I would have to say 3 years ago fishing for lake trout for my first time and not knowing what to expect. My first time up there I managed to land 5 but had probably 20 missed hits. It was awesome to catch something over 10lbs through the ice. Went up the very next day and it did not disappoint. Within 10 minutes of fishing I hooked into a beast. Had to be in the 15-20lb range. Fought that big laker for a good 10-15 minutes maybe longer. Finally worked it's head to the hole only to have the hook come free and pop right over. Still managed to land 5 that day and probably missed another 15 or so. That year I also hooked into my first steelhead.

Last year I had a 4 day weekend so I made the best of it on the ice. Days apart I ended up catching a nice bluegill and perch that I ended up getting mounted. My first 2 mounts of hopefully many more to come.


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## msfcarp (Jun 6, 2006)

Chevyguy28 said:


> Lake Erie walleye. Nuff said.


Ah yes, there has been many memorable days on Saginaw Bay, but my finest day was Erie also, 2014 I believe?









My #12.42 and my daughters #10.3


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## buggs (Jan 21, 2011)

3 years ago, last ice, between SANG and Anglers point. Myself and buddy kept the best 100 perch - never before, never after. Had to use a plank someone left near the fence by the DNR ramp just to get on / off the ice, as one of them amphibious boats destroyed the ice in the canal leading out.


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

I have my work cut out for me this season as I will have to get into some pike and bluegill for my granddaughter who is 7 years old. I might be trying to get her first steelhead through the ice on a tip up too. Looking forward to it, she loves fishing and has never been ice fishing before.


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## Scottygvsu (Apr 19, 2003)

2014 sturgeon season. I was looking at deer pics on my buddies phone when I caught movement in my spearing hole. I stuck this fish on his way out of the hole. 66"-70lbs. I've speared another on Winnebago, but it wasn't the same as being one of the 4-5 lucky enough to spear one in MI that year.


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## Mr Burgundy (Nov 19, 2009)

Fishing on lsc and pulling a true jumbo through the hole. I estimated it was 16" ish judging by my size 15 boot. There's some pics floating around on this site. will never forget that . It hit a spoon on the way down. Thought I for sure had an eye. Can't wait to hit first ice gills and convicts when the ice is thick enough to get out to my spot.
Tight lines all 

Burgundy


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## UplandJunkie (Feb 4, 2013)

U.P. Jumbo Perch, Gills and Crappie.


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## jailbait (Jan 22, 2015)

From 03/06/13. 1 mile straight out from Genos ramp. Ran out of minnows, went up to SDI, came back out, walked past everyone back out to my spot, and was game on again.


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## buggs (Jan 21, 2011)

Dude, that perch porn has me going nuts - come on freeze up - hurry - I cant wait to get after some convicts!!!!


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## tipupking87 (Jan 4, 2014)

3 years ago me and my ice buddy went out on lsc from the raft. We walked way out till we were about a mile or 1.5 miles out. First time ever I deceidided to buy a whole dozen sucker chubs for tip ups. We were there all day and caught atleast 14 - 15 pike all over 28 inches . We only kept the 4 in my profile picture but man it was the best day I ever had fishing pike. Caught lots of 30s and I got my best at 38.5 inches 12lbs . That whole year I did good and it was just an awesome day to get flags


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## river rat78 (Dec 30, 2010)

Mr Burgundy said:


> Fishing on lsc and pulling a true jumbo through the hole. I estimated it was 16" ish judging by my size 15 boot. There's some pics floating around on this site. will never forget that . It hit a spoon on the way down. Thought I for sure had an eye. Can't wait to hit first ice gills and convicts when the ice is thick enough to get out to my spot.
> Tight lines all
> 
> Burgundy


Man that's awesome. Not sure sure if a 13 1/2"er qualifies as a true jumbo but I thought I hooked into a LM bass before I saw it.


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## Mr Burgundy (Nov 19, 2009)

Everyones version of a jumbo is different. To me anything above 12" is big


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## msfcarp (Jun 6, 2006)

Mr Burgundy said:


> Everyones version of a jumbo is different. To me anything above 12" is big


Ha ha, that's our (my group) definition of a jumbo also, 12+!


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## Mr Burgundy (Nov 19, 2009)

Here's a pic of a 15" plus.


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## Dantana (Dec 3, 2009)

I've caught my fair share of perch over the years but nothing has topped this day from four years ago. Moved around a few times before we finally found them and it was game on! For the next few hours schools of perch set up camp below me. Never seen so many yellow bellies before, and nearly all were 8" or bigger. Myself and a buddy each limited. Its days like this that make those trips with few or no fish worthwhile.









Went back to the same exact hole the next day and pulled 50 more.









My favorite walleye memory is from several years back when myself and buddy went to Saginaw River in morning to jig from his boat in early March. The river was open but the Bay was still frozen. Had the boat running good the day before, so we launch at 7 am and she wont start. By the time we figure out its a bad battery we call it a morning. We decide to head out to shallows on ice for the night bite instead. Sitting on 3ft of gin clear water, huge schools of walleye start rolling through the hole. I'm talking schools of 20-30 fish at a time. Three of us pulled our limits. To see that many fish in only 3 feet of water was an incredible sight to see.

Really kicking myself for not going to Erie a few years back when I had the chance. Still looking for that wall mounter...


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