Jumbo perch & bluegills

[Don Pemble]

Was out the last couple of days on the flowage in search of perch and gills and although my partner and I didn't catch a large number of them, we did manage enough of them to make one's eyes open up when they saw the size of them. The gills averaged between 8 and 10 inches while the jumbo perch averaged 10 to 13 inches and very hefty. They were all caught in 14 to 17 feet of water over submerged wood and stumps. Bright colored ice jigs tipped with waxies or crappie minnows worked the best. All our fish were caught between the dam and Donner's Bay Resort. After the last few days of warm and windy weather, the snow is pretty much gone making travel a breeze. I recommend using some sort of ice cleats out there greatly reducing your chances of slipping on the ice.

Good luck out there, and don't forget Saturday, Feb. 26th, ice fishing derby at Donner's Bay Resort, a great event.

Don's Guide Service

[DonH]

Hi Don,

Your signoff says "Don's Guide Service". Does this mean you're back? Not trying to apply any pressure, but if so, that would be great!

Nice to have you posting again. I just wish you were honest. I happen to know for a fact there are no fish from the Dam to Donners Bay. I've tried that stretch many times and have had no luck, and you've witnessed my fishing skills (not counting when I knocked over the minnow bucket or was trying to get my hook out of the trolling motor prop). I refer to that stretch as the "dead sea".

Good Fishing!

[mikesgotone]

Some of our best walleyes have come from the area across from fort flambeau. And try throwin a popper on that shoreline on a calm summer eve, before dark. Oh man. Good stuff. Now I'm gonna close my eyes and pretend its not february in freakin crystal lake Illinois. Aaaaah.

[George G]

Don not sure why you are calling Don a lire but I would have to defend Don as being a straight up person and ne need to lie. He is great. The stretch from the Dam to Donners bay is an excellent area to fish and I have done very well their , not sure why the fish won't bite for you ,but it could be your attitude. Fish sense that you know. Good luck in the future , hint, drag the bottom in the deep channels with a 1/4 oz jig with a fat head minnow , you might get a few surprises. Good luck.

[Don Pemble]

George G,

The remark that Don H made about me being honest was not an attack on me or the areas where I said I had caught fish, he is a great guy and that was just his way of giving me a friendly dig, fisherman to fisherman.

Everything is cool, it's great to be alive, so let's all share the TFF and have a ball.

[trackerguy]

Don, good to see apost from you. Hope this post is the first of many. Have really missed your informed postings of fish activity on the flowage. Forum hasn't seemed nearly as good in your absence..

[George G]

Hi Don , (Pemble), that posting just didn't have the tone of a friendly conversation, but if you know the person well and take it the way you have that is all that counts. Everyone have a nice day.

[DonH]

Hi George G. I was kidding. I've actually fished that stretch many, many times and have made some decent catches. I was trying to poke fun at myself (knocking over the minnow bucket and getting tangled in the trolling motor prop), and say hi to Don.

My sons and I spent a night with Don and his wife at Donners Bay bar a couple of years ago and we hired him either last spring or the spring before (my memory is not what it used to be) and learned quite a bit from the master. He's a great guy and I would never poke fun at him or call him a liar and I hope he knows that.

I also think it's pretty cool that you had his back and were ready to call me a chump for giving him crap. You must think highly of him also.

Now, with all that being said, I still wonder about him for being an ice fisherman! Give me soft water any day.