Ice Fishing., Sort of.

Thanks RM. That was really funny. I am still laughing. Just lucky the fish finally showed up. I forgot to say about being superstitious and fishing. Before I used my new pail, I put lake water in the old pail, and then poured the lake water into the new pail. We will never know for sure if that was necessary or not. That's superstition. LOL. Thank you again for the funny comment.

Sorry I just woke up because I am working nights. But I just got a message from a friend fishing Balsam right now. He said be safe and use caution on the ice but the crappie are very hungry today and the fishing is good. I would say the crappie fishing will be good all night and into Saturday and Sunday, if you don't mind the cold. He said the spot I fished in the canoe a few days ago, at the other lake is frozen over again. Good luck to anyone fishing this weekend. I will be stuck at work until Tuesday morning. Stay safe.

Cool report, you’re a trooper.
I did something similar a couple years ago first ice speckie fishing, expecting ice but when I got to the lake it was like an inch and a half or so …dragged a canoe out and chipped some holes.

Looks like we will do anything just to fish for a while. LOL. That's a great picture, looks like a beautiful place to fish. I saw two guys a few years ago running a boat through very thick slush right up the lake in the spring. Nothing wrong with what they were attempting, but they had no life jackets or floater suites on. That was the foolish part of their plan.

Excellent going Jamie ! Nicely done !
Glad you were able to find an open water, adjust your fishing to the conditions and as a result be rewarded with a nice catch !👍

Thank you JB. Maybe see you and your friends again, this spring or summer.

Today, Friday and Saturday should be the best crappie fishing in the Kawarthas this winter. Now I only fish Balsam and Sturgeon, so I am hoping you guys that fish the other lakes will be lucky as well. Make sure you wear your floater suit and find safe ice. The crappie will be moving up from the deeper areas into 6,7, 8, feet of water today and night. Pick a drop off that goes deep and the fish will be moving up each day by mid day suspended on the incline. The fish will be aggressive today and Friday. Saturday I would use minnows because the fish will be less aggressive. The night fishing will be good tonight and Friday, but slow down Saturday night. I would not cancel any other fishing locations you already have for this weekend, there is no guarantees in fishing. I could be wrong, but I would put money on my prediction. Good luck and stay safe. Let us know if any of you do any crappie fishing this weekend.

Did anyone have any success?

I was wondering the same thing. My friend took my advice and caught a bunch of nice crappie. I will ask him if I can post the picture he sent me. He also said he saw a couple people who were lucky as well. Most fish were around 10 to 12 inches, I was told. There are people catching crappie out there, maybe they are too shy to post a picture. Stay safe all.

Came up to Sturgeon lake today for a family visit. Went down to the lake and could only see two people ice fishing. I am always shocked at the small amount of people that fish Sturgeon and Balsam in the winter. I know it's only crappie and other pan fish in winter and the MNR are out there checking that on a regular basis. If I lived up here year round... well the family would never see me because my fishing would never stop. LOL.

Good point CM,

I am one of those who fish those lakes in the open water, but not so much during ice season.

Not that I wouldn't like to try to catch some crappies or pike through the ice on Balsam, but in my case it is not that simple.

For example, with all the parking rules and the things, I am not sure where would I park to get out and not being worried of being ticketed.

And coming from GTA, it is always easier to drive to Lake Simcoe and get some perch - dinner almost certain and fun all day.

I might try ice on Balsam next season.

Good point on the travel and the abundant perch fishing at Simcoe. This was the ice not too long after sunrise today where I was. Ice is sucking up water like a sponge. Spring is just a few weeks away....Here anyway.

Over a foot of solid ice just north of there. May be a few weeks yet

Yes there was thicker ice a bit north of there. Also there was thinner ice north of there where the current is. Just south of that spot is where I saw the two people ice fishing on good ice. 500 meters away is where the spring is under the ice. Not safe in that area at all. Also it will be hard to find safe ice anywhere on the east side after the weekend. Stay safe out there all. Not next Tuesday but the following Tuesday around April 11th.....Those two guys will be trying to catch crappie in their boat. Every year they try and catch spring crappie, but are always fishing the wrong depth. There was a conversation once, or twice, or three times and more. I have given up on trying to help them.