12-28-2011, 02:18 AM
We decided to take a chance on Fishlake today. Arrived at 0830. From the south end it appeared to be capped. There was a mob (50-75 people in one group) headed out from the overflow campground on the extreme south end and the south marina gate was closed to the parking lot - so we launched the jet sled from the first road pull-out north of the south marina. There was one vehicle already there with 3 guys on the ice. We headed out past them to our usual spot as if we were launching from the south marina - a fair walk on glass clear, skating rink slick ice - ice cleats were a must. We put down three holes in 35 feet of water. Ice was 7-8 inches thick, singing and popping. The first fish was a small splake, the last splake we would see today. We iced somewhere in the 25 fish range. We missed many bites - so the action was fast enough to keep us at our original holes all day. All but 3 were bows. The others were, 1 splake, 1 perch and 1 cutthroat. I had never seen a cutt in Fishlake before, but this was an unmistakable cutthroat. We kept some rainbows for the smoker and the perch for bait. The day was sunny and beautiful except for the intermittent wind that made for some opposition and appreciation when it would quit for a few minutes.
When we left a 1230, we drove on around to the Bowry. To my surprise, the general ice cap ended just past Twin Creeks. There were ice sheets, but a lot of open water with ducks on the north end.
For you Yuba guys, every thing we could see from the road passing by, looked capped. We could not see over to the Painted boat ramp, just the flooded fields to the south.
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When we left a 1230, we drove on around to the Bowry. To my surprise, the general ice cap ended just past Twin Creeks. There were ice sheets, but a lot of open water with ducks on the north end.
For you Yuba guys, every thing we could see from the road passing by, looked capped. We could not see over to the Painted boat ramp, just the flooded fields to the south.
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