Put-in-bay --

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Island ferries have long run (http://www.portclintonnewsherald.com/news/stories/20040106/localnews/176305.html)

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CPD Island Ice Report .. 01/09/04 (http://www.cleveland.com/outdoors/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/1073651403216930.xml)

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Awaiting the big freeze Friday, January 9, 2004

By RICK NEALE
Staff writer


http://www.thenews-messenger.com/news/stories/20040109/localnews/197792.html

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more new Erie Ice info> (http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040111/COLUMNIST22/101110136)

[PHILME]

Thanks for the links :D

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:)

Airboat Charters
http://www.hardwatercharters.com/airboat.htm

Ice Fishing Charters
http://www.hardwatercharters.com/hwicefsh.htm

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:)

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Feature/FishF/lakeerieice04.htm

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:)

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Fishing/freport/lakeerieweekly.htm

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To view current Great Lakes ice coverage visit:

http://www.natice.noaa.gov/pub/Great_Lakes/5_Lake_Composite/East_Composite/current.jpg

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http://www.put-in-bay.com/fishing.htm

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T-Blade - Steve Pollick | Article published January 22, 2004 (http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040122/COLUMNIST22/101220127)

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:)

Trail blazers: Islanders first to map path to the mainland

CATAWBA ISLAND -- Put-in-Bay's first ice adventurers of the season have made it to the mainland.

http://www.portclintonnewsherald.com/news/stories/20040122/localnews/276333.html

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:)

The South Bass Island ice fishing guides have tentatively begun their season (http://www.cleveland.com/outdoors/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/107502675528772.xml)

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"South Bass / Middle Bass" (http://www.walleyecentral.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=4&topic_id=60316&mesg_id=60316&page=)

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Hooked on ice


Lake Erie's frozen, but that doesn't mean it's too cold to go fishing. For some anglers, it's just the right time to catch the big ones.


By Jim Morris
Dayton Daily News

Tuesday, February 03, 2004


PUT-IN-BAY -- Ice fishing has gone high tech.

Brian Wess looks down at the round hole in the ice directly in front of him, then glances over at the tiny television monitor on the floor next to it.

"There's one . . . and there's another," he said.

He was watching as yellow perch crossed the screen.

About 20 feet below, on the bottom of Lake Erie, the camera of his Aqua-View was picking up all of the action.

He was seeing perch and walleyes swimming around his bait, sometimes putting their mouths right on the camera. It was as if they were in an aquarium.

"But it's not making the fish bite, that's for sure," Wess said with a laugh.

Wess, a Grove City firefighter, was spending a couple of days ice fishing about a mile northwest of South Bass Island with nine of his buddies in what has become an annual winter trip.

"I try to come every winter when the ice is good," he said.

The Columbus-area group was joined by two anglers from Butler County, Mike Peters of Hamilton and his son-in-law Darrin Winkler of Trenton, fishing in shanties put up by veteran ice guide Bud Gehring of Springboro.

"We came up for the first time last year and had a great time," said Peters. "It's cold, but that's just part of it. You dress for it and if you fish in the shanty, you're not really cold at all."

"We talked about our trip last year all during the summer," Winkler said, "so we knew we'd be coming back. It's just a fun day for us."

Ice guides like Gehring put up shanties when the ice gets thick near the islands, usually in mid-January. Last week there was 12 inches of ice all around South Bass.

"You could drive a semi on this," said ice guide John Hageman of Put-In-Bay as he pointed down to the blue ice beneath his feet.

He said the ice off the islands is considerably different than the ice that forms near the mainland.

"This ice stays locked in by the Bass Island complex. There's nowhere for it to go until it melts in March," Hageman said. "The ice off of the mainland is constantly moved by the wind, so it's more dangerous."

He said reports of rescued ice fishermen off the mainland usually have a negative effect on the island ice fishing business.

"People just don't understand the difference," he said.

But to those who have fished the islands before, Lake Erie ice fishing can be a great time.

"We really love it," said Lloyd Moore, 29, of Columbus who was fishing with his father, Lloyd, two to a shanty. "Getting together with a group of guys and coming up here is a lot of fun. We stayed the first night in Port Clinton, then flew over, fished yesterday and stayed in a bed-and-breakfast last night. That gives us two good days of fishing.

"It would be even more fun if we were catching more fish . . . but it's still a good time."

The day before, when they were fishing four to a shanty, it got a little crowded, so much so that one of the guys, Ken Spangler, lost his balance and bumped a small television, a frying pan and a fishing lure off of a shelf, knocking them into one of the fishing holes and down to the bottom of the lake.

"We think all the fish are down there watching television. That's why they're not biting today," Moore said.

Hageman said fishing hasn't been great, but mostly steady this year, with a few walleyes and more perch being caught each day.

Gehring said the wind is an important factor.

"The wind we had here earlier in the week has made the fishing more difficult," he said. "It isn't so windy here today, but down underneath the ice, the current is still swift and that affects the fishing."

"It's always better when you can fish straight down," Peters observed, looking at his line go to one side of the hole. "You can feel the current and see what it does to your line."

Ice guides are usually booked up on weekends, so the best opportunities are often found during the week. The cost varies from $65 to $150 per day, depending on whether the package includes an overnight stay.

Transportation to the island costs $60 (Dairy Air), $66 (Griffing Air) or $44 (Hardwater Airboat) round-trip.

Anglers should wear layers of warm clothing, ski masks and, probably most important, warm, insulated boots. A pair of ice grippers for the bottoms of the boots will come in handy.

You can bring your own tackle or the guides will supply it, along with bait, augers and heated shanties.

And don't forget your fishing license — all state fishing regulations apply, including the limit of six walleyes and 30 perch. After Feb. 29, you'll need a 2004 license and the walleye limit drops to three with a 15-inch minimum size limit.



LAKE ERIE ICE FISHING

• When: All this month and early March (weather permitting).

• Where: Northwest of South Bass Island.

• Ice guides: John Hageman (419) 285-2029), Bud Gehring (419) 285-3615, Pat Chrysler (419) 285-4631 or Jim Massie (440) 967-3395.

• Cost: $65 and up (per day).

• Transportation: Griffing Island Airlines (419) 626-5161, Dairy Air (419) 285-5057 and Hardwater Airboat (419) 285-3106.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/daily/0203outdoor.html




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Lake Erie Ice Fishing Guides 2004

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Fishing/iceguides.htm

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http://www.walleyecentral.com/photopost/data/500/104461WB_Ice_2-11-04.JPG