Forget Ice Fishing for this Weekend!

Just a quick update for my readers that live in Pittsburgh and elsewhere.  Don't bother coming to Erie to ice fish this weekend.  The warm temperatures along with numerous rain showers have made the ice very hazardous.  It is supposed to get cold again in a couple days so the ice may form again.

The good news is that the streams are blowing out and running high.  Therefore, in a couple days there might be some very good steelhead fishing in the area streams.  We should get at least a couple really good fishable days before the streams freeze again. 

I will try to get out and take pictures of stream conditions tomorrow. 

2013 Ice Fishing Season Underway

Today, I headed out to Presque Isle for a scouting expedition.  This past week has been cold and I ventured out to see how thick the ice is, and to see if anyone was catching any fish. 

The ice in Misery Bay which is on Presque Isle is pretty safe.  It appears to be about 5 inches of good clear ice and a lot of fisherman were on it today.  The fisherman I talked to were catching quite a few bluegill but I suspect that a few crappies are being caught also. 

Ice fisherman were also seen off of the foot of Chestnut and off of the second parking lot on Presque Isle.  The ice at both places looked a little sketchy to me so I did not venture out on it.  I like ice to be 5 or 6 inches before I am comfortable.  All it takes is falling through one time and it changes your perception about ice fishing.  Sure, it is lots of fun.  But it is also important to be very safe and comfortable while you are doing it.  When I fell through the ice, there was no warning.  The ice did not crack nor shake; I took one step and then the next thing I know I was flailing for my life.  Luckily for me a couple friends were behind me and pulled me out with a big stick.  Falling through the ice is no picnic and everyone going out on the ice should be prepared in case you hit a spot that is thin and go crashing through.  It is always a good idea to go with someone and carry a big towel and change of clothes in your vehicle.  Also, be sure that you have those fancy hand picks that you can use to drive into the ice if you go through.  They will keep you up and can help you crawl out onto safer ice.

I filmed a short video today and you can see it at my youtube channel: JeffTom66.  Over the next few months I am going to be filming quite a few videos so please stop by and subscribe.  May your lines be tight and your hooks be happy!

Jumbo Perch are Returning to the Bay!

Went to the south pier today to try for some perch. The weather was sunny but cold with the temperature starting in the upper 40's and then dropping after dusk. The bite was late today and many small perch were caught. The best part is that some jumbos are now mixing in with the small perch. My brother and I caught some nice fish today. We ended up with 9 fish in the bucket and a few of them were jumbos. The perch bit all the way up until about 8:30 pm and it was pitch black by this time. I normally don't catch perch after dark but today they were hungry. Now that the jumbos are moving back into the bay, I will be fishing a lot more. Steelhead were also jumping but I did not hook any tonight. Perch fishing pressure was light today but quite a few people saw us catching fish so I bet the pressure will increase. Good luck fishing!