# Echo 10 Jan



## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

Got to Echo about 7:15 AM with a huge moon setting in the west....walked out from the resort ramp about 200 yards. Shoreline out about 5' showed it has been soft from daily warm ups plus the water slowly rising...

Drilled the first hole...the good ice is about 4"-5" inches with the frozen snow/slush at about 3"-4" inches. Used the flasher and we we're in about 50' feet of water....figured we'd start deep then move in as the day progressed depending on the bite. 

Fished off the bottom and up say to 15'-20' below the ice…only bites were on the bottom nothing showing on the flasher only an occasional passing fish. 

Moved slowly in several times finally started get’n a more steady bite at about 35'-40'. 

Unfortunately only thing we managed to pull up were a dozen or so dink 4" - 6" Perch. 

No Trout this trip…I did visit a group and the son 12 was fighting a nice fish...pulled it through the ice and it was an 18" bow….nice healthy look’n fish and rather stocky. They were fish'n in about 35' of water at about 15'...saw them land another nice size Trout as they we're get'n ready to leave in the afternoon. 

Lures used were Nuclear Ants, Rat Finkies, glow Ice Cut'rs, Pimples, Lindy Ratt'ln Jigs. Lures were tipped with Perch Eyes, Waxies, Night Crawler. We we're work'n the lure and bait selections and combinations to see what was work'n...

So at least for us the fish'n at Echo was slow on 10 Jan...the Perch bite was again very, very soft and right on the bottom maybe up a crank or two. Would never have seen the bite without a spring bobbler that's how light the bite is...Not many folks on the ice...they'd come out stay a couple of hours then leave. 

Didn't see any 4-wheelers or snowmobiles...the way the shoreline looks I'd be real leery of taking them out....

Saw tents and folks up by the dam and East but not many people at all. The Jan bite for us at least on Echo is off but I'm think'n it's going to pick up especially for larger Perch real soon... :wink: :wink:


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

Thanks for the report.
That big old full moon appears to have slowed down the bite everywhere.

We had a slow day at Mantua but I think that the large crowd of people that followed use out on the ice, also had a lot to do with it.

I hope the edges get better for out Ice Party.


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## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

Grandpa D said:


> Thanks for the report.
> That big old full moon appears to have slowed down the bite everywhere.
> 
> We had a slow day at Mantua but I think that the large crowd of people that followed use out on the ice, also had a lot to do with it. I hope the edges get better for out Ice Party.


Yea I'm think'n that big old Moon may have contributed to the slow bite...but who knows. :? 
The shoreline at Echo is a little dicey IMO for any 4-wheeler or snowmobile. :|

Right at the ramp looks like someone busted through. Also there are ice ridges all along the reservoir shoreline...once past the shoreline the ice is okay but again for a 4-wheeler or snowmobile I'd be leery as of yesterday...need continual single digit nights and hopefully no several day long warm spell comes in... :wink:

I'd be watching folks come'n on and going off (at the ramp area and that shoreline) and you could tell they'd stop and walk gingerly in areas...again the good ice is possibly 5" with at least 3-4" of the snow cone (as I call it) ice cover'n the reservoir in the areas out from the ramp where we drilled holes.

'bout 2-hrs on the ice had one "huge" ice pop and crack sound almost knocked us off our buckets and chair -)O(- ...look'd around and other folks were also look'n around... :shock: When we went in you could see the crack on the ice surface and I know it wasn't there when we went out...the joys of ice fish'n when the ice sings to ya _(O)_

:wink: :wink:


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

K2...I actually got out to-day also....I wondered if the full moon put the skunks to us. Not a single bite and only a few fish passing the sonar in a _hurry_.

Luckstrike and I drilled about 16 holes in 13 1/2" of ice. ( yes, with a hand auger ) Even at that depth the ice cracks and rumbles quite often, but we just blamed it on fish jumping and hitting their heads on the ice...


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## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

.45 said:


> K2...I actually got out to-day also....I wondered if the full moon put the skunks to us. Not a single bite and only a few fish passing the sonar in a _hurry_.
> 
> Luckstrike and I drilled about 16 holes in 13 1/2" of ice. ( yes, with a hand auger ) Even at that depth the ice cracks and rumbles quite often, but we just blamed it on fish jumping and hitting their heads on the ice...


Ah yes .45 is warming up for the UWN Echo outing...now do tell on the 'fish'n part' of your ice adventure...whatcha catch :?: :?: :wink: :wink:


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## USMARINEhuntinfool (Sep 15, 2007)

Alright I'm not diggin' the CRACKING... -)O(- ... Don't know if I'm up for that did I mention Ice scares the bajezus out of me...


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

k2muskie said:


> Ah yes .45 is warming up for the UWN Echo outing...now do tell on the 'fish'n part' of your ice adventure...whatcha catch :?: :?: :wink: :wink:


I tell ya !! All I caught was one big skunk, two sore arms and a sunburn !! Clear sky's and no wind where I was to-day !!


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## Greenguy88 (Sep 7, 2007)

We were there yesterday as well near the dam and experienced slow fishing as well. We were exclusively targeting trout and managed to land about 15 in four hours between my brother and I. Biggest was a healthy 18 bow as well. Sorry it was slow for you guys, but hopefully youll get better perch in the future! :mrgreen:


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## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

Greenguy88 said:


> We were there yesterday as well near the dam and experienced slow fishing as well. We were exclusively targeting trout and managed to land about 15 in four hours between my brother and I. Biggest was a healthy 18 bow as well. Sorry it was slow for you guys, but hopefully youll get better perch in the future! :mrgreen:


Funny thing greenguy JAT and I caught less fish than you and we consired the trip fast fishing. Guess it just depends on your expectations but considering I caught one single fish on my last trip, this trip was 7x better! How did the sunday trip go?


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## Greenguy88 (Sep 7, 2007)

orvis1 said:


> Greenguy88 said:
> 
> 
> > We were there yesterday as well near the dam and experienced slow fishing as well. We were exclusively targeting trout and managed to land about 15 in four hours between my brother and I. Biggest was a healthy 18 bow as well. Sorry it was slow for you guys, but hopefully youll get better perch in the future! :mrgreen:
> ...


Haha ya I guess in the past trips we have been spoiled by Echo and caught a few more, so we thought it was kinda slow. But ya its all in the perspective! Sunday was slow but the quality more than made up for quantity.


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## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

Greenguy88 said:


> We were there yesterday as well near the dam and experienced slow fishing as well. We were exclusively targeting trout and managed to land about 15 in four hours between my brother and I. Biggest was a healthy 18 bow as well. Sorry it was slow for you guys, but hopefully youll get better perch in the future! :mrgreen:


Glad you did well Greenguy88...were you in a red tent? I could see a red tent way up at the dam on the freeway side of the reservoir. We went to the resort off the boat ramp. Being two ole bitty bags...alls I'll say is we're not mountain goats anymore and reality has sent in on limitations for us...and going out onto the ice via the resort is alot more comfortable for the ole bones/muscles...I don't need as much vitamin "M" (aka Motrin) when I get home and the next day... :mrgreen: _(O)_ 8)

I'm think'n the larger Echo Perch are just around the corner and a matter of time but that's just my old fish bones a-talk'n...we'll continue the Echo hunt for'em lil bait stealers as some call them. But hey... seeing a tug on your ice fish'n pole spring bobber is a whole lot of fun and who cares WTH is on the other end :wink: :wink:


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## Greenguy88 (Sep 7, 2007)

k2muskie said:


> Greenguy88 said:
> 
> 
> > We were there yesterday as well near the dam and experienced slow fishing as well. We were exclusively targeting trout and managed to land about 15 in four hours between my brother and I. Biggest was a healthy 18 bow as well. Sorry it was slow for you guys, but hopefully youll get better perch in the future! :mrgreen:
> ...


Ya sure enough that was us. We started on the side near the mountain then figured we would take a hike while there was minimal snow on the ice making for easy walking. Were young guys still so we can take the hike down :wink: but its a tricky one!


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## percheye (Jan 15, 2008)

I fished Echo Jan 11 just out from the ramp and all I landed was a 19 inch bow. I would love to catch one of the large cat fish that roam the lake.


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## Gunner220 (Sep 15, 2007)

I know a lot of you don't share what you are using, but I have never caught a Cat at Echo through the ice. I was wondering if you use the gear that you would in the summer?


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