Sk8man

Jason - one heck of a demonstration regarding the integrity of the paint. I think once people see how great these lures actually work you'll have your hands full keeping up They sure worked well for me last season on the bows especially.

Safety tip: Get a float suit as an essential precaution. I know they are expensive....but what is the price tag on your life? Here is the one I and my son use which have been personally tested by both of us in ice conditions http://www.idigear.com/arcticarmor1.php It is the warmest suit I've ever experienced no matter what the conditions. I have the one with the extra lining which makes it very warm but it is not as easy as without to get on and off if you use layered clothing underneath. I have both the green and black complete suit and a jacket of the gold (yellow) and black. The green/black is great and doesn't show dirt etc. The yellow/black gets dirty very easily. There are others too such as the Mustang Survival Suit (example) http://www.leisurepro.com/p-mstdfs/mustang-survival-deluxe-anti-exposure-flotation-suit?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=shopzilla&scpid=6&scid=scsho1404800&szredirectid=14202949529724319862510060302008005

It has always been my understanding that lake trout spawn in lakes and often in deep water but I'm not a fisheries biologist either.

Nice going and heck of a nice looking fox

Bob laid it out real well. When that happens you do need to be there early just to get a good spot

Looks to me as though he may have been starving given the relatively large head and slender body. Probably there in desperate search for food. Certainly less common for them to be in a trib this time of year when most bait is deep in the lake although they may do it in Spring to get eggs of other fish ( I've found fish eggs in their stomach contents before along with various other things like sunfish, perch, stone cats. and once a small pike).

Happy New Year 2015 !

I don't think Frogger missed the point ....he was looking at the situation from an "overall" standpoint statewide and was not narrowly focusing on one body of water which many folks agree has its share of problems right now.

It will work but you probably won't get quite as many holes with it if the ice is thick especially. If you already have it I'd try it anyway.

I think the drill was $300. I already had the manual auger which I think was $89 when I bought it back in the 90's (and I think they haven't changed prices much since). The conversion kit was about $30 but the Runnings store here in Canandaigua has one for about $15 but there is no "safety" attachment with it. Here is what it looks like: I also included the older one I use for comparison. Tip: The drill is critical to me but I see guys also using the 1/2 inch DeWalt out there. Sometimes you can pickup a used a manual 7 or 8 inch auger cheap on here or elsewhere (e.g. Ebay or Craigs List)

Ice auger consideration: If you are into exercise and fitness a manual 7-8 inch auger is the way to go ....burn a bunch of calories For the rest of us "dinosaurs" after a few thousand holes it was time for other options.... Power gas augers - great for thick ice conditions (over 12 inches) but very noisy (spooking fish), potential for leaking gas and fumes in your vehicle (don't ask how I know), and somewhat heavy and bulky to carry with you. If you fish up north a lot probably worth considering. I gave mine away. Power electric augers - jury is still out on them....some recent improvements but again fairly heavy and "clunky" to deal with. No gas to mess with, no fumes, less noise. rechargeable batteries with decent charge times and quieter than gas augers. Electric Drill conversion kit approach - my favorite (Lithium Ion) and here is why: Very light weight and compact, no gas cans and oil etc. to mess with, doubles as a great drill in the warmer months, very short charge times, and great power (torque) for drilling many holes without changing batteries. An extra battery can be carried in your jacket pocket to keep it warm but I've drilled 50 plus holes in 6-8 inch ice without need for a second battery. The key thing to success is selecting the right drill for the job. After trying out several different battery powered 1/2 inch drills (Ryobi, Makita, DeWalt, Black and Decker (about the same as DeWalt but maybe not as durable) and Sears. I tried the 18 volt Lithium Ion 1/2 inch Bosch Hammer drill/driver and wow! It blew the others away big time... It has both high speed settings and high torque settings with variable strength settings from 1 -24. You need to use torque for this application. It is a virtual animal in terms of torque and could almost pull you into the hole if not careful . For the bottom part of the auger I used a 7 inch Lazer manual auger with the handle section removed. There are now a number of conversion kits available but I went with the only one I knew about at the time (6 years ago) the Icemaster because it also has a safety cord to prevent loss of the bottom half auger part if somehow the drill chuck were to loosen (never so far). I think it is by far one of the best investments I've ever made (drill) See pic:

Johnny made a very good point .....the ice picks can't be in a pocket or somewhere else or you will never be able to use them (from experience) Here is what they look like for anyone not familiar with them These happens to be some that I bought but for many years I had a pair that I made by cutting off an old broomstick into 4 or 5 inch sections and pounding a large spike into the ends and sawing off the head and then filing the point till sharp and using a section of parachute cord strung in holes drilled in the opposite ends of the "handles". They need to be worn around the neck as Johnny mentioned for easy access during an emergency. I use old wine or champagne corks to cover the points of the picks

Cool sled Steelie thanks for sharing. Hey Thun I too am guilty of dragging everything but the kitchen sink out there. Years ago I had a full size insulated chest and full sized tobogan that I dragged out there....after that I went with just a bucket, jigging rods and bait for years....now I'm back midway between the two

Very nice LL John They are one of my favorite fish to catch and to eat...

Thanks....loosened and tightened a little but let the rod do most of the work. Probably lucky it was in cold water too We didn't have a net in the boat either....