Lake Louise April 25

On Saturday Patrick and I hit Lake Louise for the last trip of the year. There is still good ice up there, almost 50 inches, I think you could fish there for the next few weeks. As for the Anchorage area, it’s warmed up quit a bit and hasn’t gotten below freezing I would not wander on to the lakes around south central area any more.
The fishing started slow. We thought we might not be able to fish as Patrick’s power auger broke. I had my hand augur but I did not think it would make it through the ice. Fortunately, it did and I think we hand augured 35 holes through 40+ inches of ice; it would have been easier if the blades where new and sharp. We started on the point of an island strait out from the lodge about a mile with no luck. After an hour we walked around to the back side of the island and drilled some holes. It was strange, looked like there had been I ice shack there perversely but was now refroze overflow. As we drilled the holes, turned out we where on overflow that had refroze; however, the area was only covered by 2” of white ice then it seemed like 15 feet of water. We tried there but felt a bit unnerved by the thin ice so we walked out past the over flow to deeper water. Soon Patrick had a Laker on. He had the luck of the day as he caught five Lake trout and the second largest of the year; we are thinking 10 lbs. I think I will let it slip this time since he drove and broke his auger, but since he used my air plane jig to catch them I will have to take a small amount of the credit. I did catch one Lake trout about five pounds I let it go as it swallowed a four inch squid jig. All and all six lakers is a good trip and I think I will fish that same spot next winter.

PS: as you can see bu the moth it was quit warm in the 50 and now my face looks scorched

Byers Lake

I think Joe is ???????????

Patrick, Joe, and I whent to Byers Lake this weekend; I wonder why I like to go there so much, seems every time I go something bad happens. Last time the wind blew the ice shanty away and the over flow was so bad my feet became wet and froze. This time was not much different. We arrived at the cabin and I walked out on the lake, it was warm and there was half a foot of water on top of the ice but I wasn’t concerned as I had rubber snow boots. Well, I stood there for a short time then I felt some cold water around my ankles and soon my whole left foot was soaked. I was a bit ticked; as I thought my feet would be fine so I walked to the cabin to check; sure enough there was a hole in my boot. The good news is that I came prepared this time with hip boots and since it was warn it was not half bad standing on the ice in them; I guess it helps they’re insulated with 900 grams of thinsulate. The other bad thing about this trip was like I said it was warm; I know that doesn’t sound bad to you; however, from an ice fishing stand point it can be bad to be too warm. Friday the ice was a bit rotted on top but after the heat of the sun Saturday I was over my knees in slush in some spots. I think it was in the 60s on the lake. This also had one other draw back, Joe borrowed a snow machine from a friend; unfortunately, the sled happened to be a short track, since it was so warm it spent most the time stuck in the snow. It took all three of us to dig it out and move it. There was five feet of snow and it was hard work, especially after the sixth time. Other than those draw backs the trip was nice. We caught a few Lakers one that was 23 inches and some small BB. I brought home a few flays of fish from one that swallowed the hook and they tasted great. The weather was wonderful, bright sunny and hot from an ice fishing stand point. I got some good shots of Denali and a good sun burn

Patience and her new gun

Patience and I had the chance to try her new gun. She shot several times at a few rabbits. She missed all the rabbits she shot at but She had a lot fun wading through the snow to the one that I shot before she got so wore out she wanted to go back to the car. Could not have asked for nicer weather for April, it was in the mid 20 and sunny with a slight breeze.