2020 Ice season, Shirley's bay

[Piscivore]

There is also baitcasters on hwy 15 south of Carleton Place.

Most of the time I pick some up at Manotick and keep them alive in my basement in a 5 gal bucket with an aerator, a water change every two days and some water conditioner from the pet store. That keeps them alive for a couple of weeks and they are ready to go when I am. Some have made a few trips out to the ice and back. I individually freeze any that die and keep them in a bag in the freezer for bait to tip hooks.

[Happy Hooker]

How is the ice on Shirley's, is the road ok to drive out on after all the snow?
Ice thickness should be good ?

[Happy Hooker]

Got out on Tuesday, 15 inches of ice by the shacks, 8 small perch i sauger in 10 ft of water.
Noticed some big fish on my lowerance, lookers but no takers.
Hope to get back out later this week.

Hooker

[Happy Hooker]

Got out on Tuesday, 15 inches of ice by the shacks, 8 small perch i sauger in 10 ft of water.
Noticed some big fish on my lowerance, lookers but no takers.
Hope to get back out later this week.

Hooker

[reefhawg]

Update: I just hit "Live Bait Shop" on Roger Stevens Dr. for minnows. Never knew about it but always good to have another option.

I use:
Serge - 90% of time he can get you setup within hours. I have his # in my contacts.
Al's - as mentioned, lots of tackle too
Manotick bait shop - tackle as well

[levitch]

I might get out to Shirleys Bay this Sunday for the first time ever.
Very excited.

[smitty55]

I might get out to Shirleys Bay this Sunday for the first time ever.
Very excited.

Full moon, make sure to stay late if you can. Good luck.

[CCLad]

We moved our hut Way out 2.2kms from the launch. Fished from 330 - 7 1 ling. It was slow. Going to give it another go prob on Wed. We are a little deeper than I normally set up out there rt now so if the bite doesnt pick up, we will have to move it again. Sigh - I getting old and it seems like WAAYYY more work than it use to lol.
CCLad.

[levitch]

We moved our hut Way out 2.2kms from the launch.

Did you drive out that far? or walk it? How thick was the ice out there?

[smitty55]

We moved our hut Way out 2.2kms from the launch.

Did you drive out that far? or walk it? How thick was the ice out there?

Most years there's plenty of ice out in the current areas, specially this late and I've driven out further than that countless times. Depending on current strength I always found it to be 6-8" behind the bay so once we had 12 -14" I would start venturing out with the truck but staying in the bay and walking ahead with the auger to check the ice. At first I'd just leave the truck like 50 yards inside out of the current and walk out to fish but once there was a good 10" of ice we'd all just drive all the way out.
I can't comment on conditions this year, or even how much snow is out there or pressure ridges for that matter. Some years I've seen some dandy ones that we had to detour to find a good spot to cross.

Cheers

[CCLad]

Hey Smitty, I replied to your pm... Theres a good 14 inches where our hut is now. There are no pressure cracks this year either. As mentioned in the PM we are going to move it a little further out today and into slightly shallower water..

Those who do not know the area out there use caution there are some shoals out there where I am sure the ice depth is different than where we are situated...

[smitty55]

Hey Smitty, I replied to your pm... Theres a good 14 inches where our hut is now. There are no pressure cracks this year either. As mentioned in the PM we are going to move it a little further out today and into slightly shallower water..

Those who do not know the area out there use caution there are some shoals out there where I am sure the ice depth is different than where we are situated...

I responded Tim, check your pm.

[levitch]

https://imgur.com/a/GbrXEHC
made it out there.. didn't go too far out...no fish, but a few bumps

I dont know how to post pics on here

[smitty55]

https://imgur.com/a/GbrXEHC
made it out there.. didn't go too far out...no fish, but a few bumps

I dont know how to post pics on here

Imgur is the best for posting pics. Click on your pic on the site and a new window will pop up like this


Click on copy BBCode and then go to your post. Right click and paste. All done.

Cheers

[CCLad]

Hey Smitty, we moved the hut but not without several issues we had to over come... I didnt put it exactly where you mentioned but in the area. We got 14 walleye, mostly males. 1 3lbs er though. Then I got this beauty - that was a first.

Stugeon Feb 16 2020.jpg (200.81 KiB) Viewed 13107 times