First Fish of the Year Family Competition

The family competition of catching the first fish of the year has been concluded. After several years of holding the title I fell short this year to Dad. After a lacksidasical attempt on my part Dad decided to drill some holes in the ice and put forth his best effort to knock me off the throne.

I spoke with him this weekend and he said on the 23rd he was in Northern Kansas visiting my aunts and uncles and him and my uncle snuck off to Norton lake for a couple hours. He said he was using some wax worms my uncle brought and they hauled in a bunch of bluegill and a few crappie. He said that there were quite a few fishermen from Colorado out on the ice fishing as well.

Back in the prime of the lake a lot of fishermen from Colorado and Nebraska use to fish there. The lake must be getting good again since it flooded in 2008 and they left it full this time.

He also said a blue herron came down on the ice near him. He tossed a bluegill about half way between him and the bird. The bird jumped up and he thought it was going to fly away but it flew right to the fish and stabbed it, flipped it in the air and ate it. Wish I was there to witness that.

All of the good fishing reports I have been hearing around here is that Indian lake is producing real well through the ice. Limits of saugeye are being caught along with crappie and bluegill. I was speaking with the head of Team Bass Xtreem and he was saying he has made it up there quite a bit and has had some good luck.

I will probably either make it up to lake Erie to ice fish or wait for the ice out before I go fishing again.

The Twin Rivers Bassmasters meeting is tonight. I really enjoy going to the meetings. After not having one last month, I am ready to see how everybody has been doing. Hopefully I can get a couple fishing trips scheduled with the guys before April so I can get nominated in and be an official club member before the tournaments start.