Beautiful ending to my ice season, no WF....kind of

Some really nice cold temps last night and so it was going to be a try for a last fishing trip...hoping to do better than the last few skunks. Access was frozen over but clearly soft and a bit flexing under my weight so knew it was not going to hold me on my way back because of the above zero temps and sun (what's a little bit of wet feet after fishing?). A few others out there today as well and met and chatted with almost everyone. Fish were not to active but got enough chases (but slowish except one that I though I would get but nope) to keep me at the first spot I set up. One of those days where my timing was just the opposite of the fish. It seemed like every time I was busy dealing with something else, a mark would show up and then of course, I wasn't ready to time the presentation properly. So, I wasn't able to get them to bite, except one that I hooked while I was jigging and not looking either. People around me were doing fairly well catching lakers. My laker was a healthy fish about 21-22". I ended up trading my laker with another board member for a WF as I was heading home (thanks again if you read this)...he had a couple at that time. Shore ice was intact until I can crashing through. Within about 30feet from shore, I dropped through the soft 1-2" of ice and got a tiny bit of water into the boots (mostly stayed out even though the water was up to my knees). That's it for this ice season. If anyone is going out again, careful. I found a couple of spots about 50m out that I was able to get through with 4 or 5 hits of the spud. First hit went through the new top crust of ice and then 4-5 hits to get through the main lake's ice. The rest of the way out, the main lake's ice was still pretty solid although even the clear black stuff was starting to look a bit candled (could just be the chunk that I cut out with my spud but...it's enough for me to call it quits and was glad to have one last trip to end it).

nice looking fish. you have ice and I have green grass that neighbours are starting to cut.

Nice work playing it to the end.

I prefer the ice and snow (some of our snow mounds/walls are still well over a metre high but some ground is showing through). Glad I was able to get one last trip in and now I am really looking forward to some warm temps and get that snow out of here.

Had a good ice fishing season with alot more fishing excursions than I had initially thought was going to happen...mostly short trips but I got enough fish to keep me happy. Next year, more and more different spot (I hope)...even if just to explore and see more of all the great lakes up here.

Good last outing - I saw the 2x4’s laid at the shoreline

Nice fish!

Well done . Nice to know it’s the last outing.

John (Fluckes) Great seeing you again .I lost 2 more whitefish after you left ended with 3 whitefish plus your swap of trout .we ended up going through at shore aswell up to our knees we saw where you went through but everywhere was soft good ending to the year.Frank

That wasn't me but I did bring a foldable portable ramp with me just in case..but it wasn't needed - I was able to get out without getting wet but knew I would be breaking through when I got back because the newly formed ice was already flexing in the morning. Have done that a few times and doesn't bother me to get some wet and cold feet after fishing.

Nice seeing you again. So it was a good trade for you as well since you didn't get any lakers. Good going with the WF....I haven't been able to get too many to bite this winter (marked a bunch that I think were WF compared to how lakers usually behave)...will have to make a mental note to try changing my presentation a bit and see what happens.
Yeah, I didn't think your planks were going to save you guys from wet feet when I came in. I even checked a couple of docks of people I know around there to see if their shore ice was better....nope (everywhere I tried it was the same...literally that sinking feeling when you step on the new soft ice). But it's all shallow around there so no real danger. Glad you guys got some fish for the last trip. Now, let's get some nice hot temps to melt everything away.