An icey 1st fish of 2020

[Skunk City]

Between the garbage weekend weather, high rivers and gusty winds, it's been a while since I've done anything besides the trout streams. Had an open window to scout some of my early ice spots and found a solid 3.5" to play on. Before I busted out the jigging rod, I made sure to check the thickness of the ice with my spud bar every few feet, while wearing a PFD and safety picks. I've also made a habit of leaving a 50ft rope on the shoreline where I walked on from, you just never know! No fish is worth a 33 degree swim for!

Being that I wasnt planning on fishing and had no live bait, I drilled a few quick holes and started jigging. Wasnt marking a thing on my flasher until a nice suspended mark came in and wacked my jig. Nice fight from this pretty rainbow that went back to the icey depths to live another day. First and hopefully not last fish through the ice of 2k20! Do the ice dance boys, we need it this year!

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h252/QuikSilverSRT4/Fishing%20Photos/20200128_152540_zpsgly8wxc2.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/QuikSilverSRT4/media/Fishing%20Photos/20200128_152540_zpsgly8wxc2.jpg.html)
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h252/QuikSilverSRT4/Fishing%20Photos/20200128_153557_zpsr3u9v3xz.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/QuikSilverSRT4/media/Fishing%20Photos/20200128_153557_zpsr3u9v3xz.jpg.html)

[thmyorke1]

https://i.postimg.cc/HWbRX3Vp/skunk1.png

https://i.postimg.cc/02x3fmw7/skunk2.png

fixed photos, nice bow :)

[JDTuna]

Very nice dude! Way to get it done.

[Cuz]

I fell in with a friend up to my chin at LH many years ago. It was pure miserable. I still don't know how we climbed out of the hole. Not going again unless the ice is 5". Not worth taking a chance.

[FASTEDDIE29]

Oh thank God someone else found some ice in a year that’s worse off than the year of NO ICE, 2012! Well done Sir Skunk! They fight very well through the ice! Next week looks like Spring. February will bring cold and snow but by then it will be too late. :D

[RWole]

I agree with Cuz 100%, ice not safe enough with the warm temps.
Its not worth it.

[acabtp]

nicey pisces dicey iceys https://www.njfishing.com/forums/images/icons/icon14.gifhttps://www.njfishing.com/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif

[phil]

I went to check out silver lake yesterday. There were already 2 guys out when i got there thought that was a great sign. I walked about 50 feet spudding and never hit more than twice before going right through. Maybe they entered @ a different spot than me but that ice wasnt more than 2 inches lol. Wound up at ryker and caught a few pickerel. Pathetic season.

[icebadger]

ice trout are always a nice catch. well done on the skinny stuff. glad to hear that you were checking as you go. i have not checked out the far northern parts of the state yet maybe there is thicker ice up there.. 4'' is all that i have found lately. be safe all...

[Chrisper4694]

I agree with Cuz 100%, ice not safe enough with the warm temps.
Its not worth it.

all relative...if you know what you're doing it's just as safe as anything else, but if someone isn't comfortable they def shouldn't be out there.

every guy that goes through and dies is either overly confident and not doing it properly or they don't have the right safety equipment.