Clayton Lake Report (Revised 1 Feb. 2007)

Post by **ratsotail** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 4:13 pm

Hello Ice Fishing Junkies!

My friend Slop and I had rare chance (weather not cooperating) to ice fish in the Ottawa area this week and headed to one of our favorite local lakes. We fished this lake about three weeks ago when we had a small window of opportunity and were not able to canvass the entire lake with confidence. The center of the lake (probably last to freeze) was less than the 3+" we'd like to see under foot.

When we returned Thursday, even after some pretty cold temps recently, we experienced the same thin ice in the center and did not feel comfortable venturing around points, creek inlets, and the deeper portions. I believe the recent snow insulated the ice from building properly. So if you use this report as a gauge to other lakes in the Lanark County region I recommend to exercise extreme caution.

We were able to salvage a pretty good Pumpkinseed bite, mixed with a few Perch, one Walleye, and a couple OOS bass thrown in.

So the weather is starting to cooperate, but ice fishing is still marginal at best. Be careful out there...this season is unlike any in the recent past.

Tight Lines,

ratsotail

Post by **almontefisher** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 4:28 pm

Thanks for the report Ratsotail...We were putting our shack on Clayton this year after a year on Mississippi Lake but it has not been thick enough yet. I had not been there since two weeks ago so I was wondering about the thickness. Glad to hear you got some eye's as I heard the population is on the growth again after many years of not many. Were you just off Beatons Shore???

Post by **Tip-up** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 4:35 pm

Thanks for the update Ratso

Might have to make other plans for tomorrow

Post by **ratsotail** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 7:24 pm

Almontefisher,

We were only able to fish the "bay" leading out from Beaton's shore. Since that was a SW shoreline and gets some shade the ice was about 6", but thinned quickly as you moved out and toward the center of the lake. We did not feel safe venturing past or near the Beaton Point.

Tip up,

I'd be looking for a lake that is long and narrow and has a high shoreline, lots of finger bays, or a lake oriented from SE to NW. I'm sure a few more inches of snow and temps above freezing today did not help.

Stay on top and tight lines

ratsotail

Post by **bucketmouth** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 8:05 pm

Nice to see you got out Jeff

Ya fish 5 hole? Or was the ice too thin to walk that far?

Post by **slop** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 11:02 am

Bucket....no 5 hole bud

could only get to the back end of 'the highway' and the 'Huddy' holes.

I also did not have my VPG so i was fishin blind. I paid Ed a visit yesterday and picked up the 2 VPG's that i had ordered for Christmas but seeing though we've had a little misunderstanding with mother nature, i was not in a rush. Hopefully lay a beatin' on the fish tomorrow.

Post by **OBD** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 11:09 am

Nice report, thanks

Oliver

Post by **Spence Scout** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 8:11 pm

They eye population is definetly not going up on that lake! Thats for sure.... Dont know who told you that!

Post by **bts** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:27 pm

Spence, what are you basing your information on?

Post by **Bear** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:27 pm

walleye bite

, not a whole lot going on today, 4 inches or less of ice ..... shook our heads watching sleds,atv's and even a vehicle out there

some perch and a few dinks, that was all for the day

only one bite for me

Post by **ratsotail** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 2:38 pm

Bear,

Our group of three fished Sunday as well and were able to traverse anywhere we wanted on the lake. With that said we still drilled through a few spots that had been under snow drifts and only had 3+". The most we saw was about 10". Lots of thumping sounds were heard the morning and evening as the ice was building

! Beautiful weather in the afternoon, albeit sunny (I like cloudy days). Great conditions for drilling lots of holes by hand. May need gas auger by next weekend!

The mid-afternoon bite was tough, but the evening flurry made up for a slow day. We caught the gammit of fish, but really had to work for them.

I shook my head at the Quads, snowmobiles and the two snowplow trucks I saw plowing snow in the shallows. I don't think those folks would have felt comfortable if they knew how thin the ice was in some spots. Happy to report there were no incidents.

Tight Lines,

ratsotail

Post by **Spence Scout** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 7:22 pm

bts,

I have camped there for 19yrs, I am also an aquaintence of a good friend of mine who has een there since he was in his early teens... Hes now mid 50's... He has seen the fishery deplenish over the years.. He told me and has shown me pics of large eyes... Now there are still large eyes out there. But its not common. He used to tell me that a 6lber caught a weekend was normal.. Now 2-5 of those a season out of everyone i see come and go is good!

Post by **Bobber** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 12:24 am

Hey Jeff, thanks for the report. I hear you when you talk about the different thicknesses of ice. You may drill a hole in one place and see 6-8 inches, but you don't really know what's going on down there. 20t away it could be a lot less. Caution if a definate must.

Thanks for the report.

Post by **ratsotail** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 8:19 am

Rob,

I've only lived in Ottawa the last three winters, but based on all I've read in posts and news print this year we are having a winter like no other in memory. With that said I've been watching the weather trends for the next two weeks and it looks like the prediction posted here several weeks ago regarding the coldest outbreak since 1978 may be around the corner. Check the map out on the link and the article: http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/p ... hreats.gif
http://wiadomosci.onet.pl/1471308,10,1, ... ,item.html

The good news is it's going to stay very cold. The bad news is it may be tough to get the huts out to withstand the temps

!

Good news for a slow start to the ice season. Have you taken a peek at Mississippi yet?

ratsotail

Post by **big-o** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:20 am

Spence Scout wrote:bts,

I have camped there for 19yrs, I am also an aquaintence of a good friend of mine who has een there since he was in his early teens... Hes now mid 50's... He has seen the fishery deplenish over the years.. He told me and has shown me pics of large eyes... Now there are still large eyes out there. But its not common. He used to tell me that a 6lber caught a weekend was normal.. Now 2-5 of those a season out of everyone i see come and go is good!

Yep we have heard all of this before... just like Quinte is dead... the problem is, your buddy is probley fishing the same way he did 15 years ago... you have to change tactics, waters are more pressured for sure, but the fish are there you just have to look for them. in some cases the water is clearer, so you have to adjust to clear water presentation, in other cases the water might be stained... again you have to adjust, I'll bet if you take Et out... he will find those 6 pounders on a regular basis... because he will adjust to the conditions.. not just fish the way his dad did 30 years ago

Fish-Hawk.Net

Clayton Lake Report (Revised 1 Feb. 2007)

Clayton Lake Report (Revised 1 Feb. 2007)

Eye population