[basshunter]

Chambers fished very well for macs last Friday.  My buddy and I iced 7 in about 4 hrs, lost several others.  The bite was best around 1:00 in the afternoon.  I tried to save some money and bought some cheap jig heads for my tube jigs.....I hooked three very solid fish that straightened my hooks.  I forget what brand they were, I'll check and post up what brand NOT to buy.

The ice was ~12-14 inches thick, 50/50 milky/clear, 4-6 inches snow cover.  If you're using a hand auger, look out when you hit the clear hard ice, it can rip your shoulder off!

 

[basshunter]

That's interesting about the possibility of that fish being a splake. I haven't caught much of either (macs or splakes) to be able to tell right off the bat. This particular fish did have "squiggly" lines on the top of its back like a brookie - are those present on lakers as well? If you look closely at the photo you can just barely see what I'm talking about. The meat was brick red, a common color for lakers?

This site says there are splake in chambers... http://www.anglerguide.com/Colorado/index.cfm?TR_ID=402

I've still got to check the brand on those crappy jigheads.

 

[basshunter]

Geeze CT......that fabric is my Ghetto 5000 ice fishing shelter ;D.  I took at $30 tent, cut holes in the corners and sit inside with my heater and actually enjoy icefishing!  I was fishing the NE corner, over some structure I found when the lake was really low a couple of years ago.  The wind was either 40 mph or non-existant.  It felt like we were going to be blown off the ice a couple of times.

 

[basshunter]

I didn't notice if the wind gusts came each time a fish was caught......I hope there's no connection there.

 

[basshunter]

"Fresh Water Basics" = bad tube jig heads! (green package) I'm looking for Gamakatsu's next time-they have never failed me.

 

[basshunter]

Well the whole tent thing arose after a few "unpleasant" ice fishing trips, and a 2 year abondonment of the whole ice fishing scene.  But I must say, although a little cramped - the warm, windless environment of the tent is awesome! (I even cooked steaks for lunch on the stove).  I look forward to the day when I can afford an actual ice-fishing shelter  ;D

My tent is a three person stansport dome tent.  I cut square holes in the two corners opposite of the door (cut the holes so the flap folds towards the door, not the wall).  Once my bucket, storage box, and backpack was inside the tent was very stable against the wind (no staking).  But...I think the saving grace for that was the fact that there was enough snow cover to provide some good traction, I would be nervous on bare slick ice.  I put a storage box between the holes which served as a nice table.  I was fortunate enough to have a snowmobile ride for this trip (hence the storage box), but I will snowshoe in next week and give it a try again.

 

[basshunter]

Yup, Zman's got it. Now that I think about it, I don't know why I left flaps on the holes I cut in the tent bottom. I also think that it is a good idea to stick with small low profile tents, and not large tents. I think the wind would win with those...