12-31 Sodus Report

[Finders Keepers]

What a great day on the ice! Got on the ice at 7am and set-up shop at the NE corner of Eagle Island. Had 5 tip-ups down and a jiggin' rod working... nada. Not even a nibble... So I packed up shop and headed to deeper water, where I did well later in the season last year, in between Leroy and Newark Islands. As I was setting the second tip-up, the first one tripped (that's a good sign), and when I checked it the line was peeling out! I picked up the tip-up and was about to try to stop the run before I ran out of line and it made a quick dash (fast enough to put some pressure on the line) and then the line went limp. It dropped the minnow... Bummer! So I set back up and stayed in that area for the remainder of the morning (until 12) when I called it quits. I iced a dozen decent 10"+ perch and had a lot of runners on the tip-ups, but couldn't hook the suckers today... I did have a real nice pike on that I fought for a good 15 minutes as it kept circling the hole and giving real good head shakes, until the swivel that connects the fluoro to the main line got caught on a little nick of ice and...GONE! It amazes me how smart the larger pike are! I never saw it, but judging from the way it fought I would guess it was in the 12-15lb range.

The ice is a good 5-8"+ everywhere I went today and is the good, clear, black ice, and super polished, spikes were a must. It was cracking something fierce too - gotta love it when a huge crack rips right under your feet!!

As soon as my little one wakes up tomorrow, we're off to grandma & grandpa's house (babysitters) and I'll be heading back out, probably in the same area. If you're out, feel free to stop by and say hi - I'll be sporting my new Frabill Camando shanty and will hopefully have some fish floppin' on the ice!

[JR]

Nice report and hope to get out there soon and will be looking forward to meeting you . Keep up the good work

[W.W.IV.]

FK Was anyone out from third creek that you could see?

[Finders Keepers]

I didn't have a vantage point for Third Creek, so I can't say. However, some guys did come into my area from the west side of Eagle. I would guess that there's decent ice over there too, but I can't say for sure. I'll take a look tomorrow. What do you primarily target over there, perch or walleye?

[W.W.IV.]

I mostly target perch but hook a big pike now and then. Thanks.