Arctic Blast

Monday and Tuesday, January 6th and 7th brought temperatures so low that most schools in the state were closed.  Marshalltown School District was no different, classes were cancelled both days.  So Christmas vacation was extended two days, so what else was there to do???  Go ice fishing!
Monday, David Bowles (a fellow teacher) and hit a private pond here in Central Iowa.  The temperature was -13 degrees as we pulled away from my house.  With the wind figured in, the temperature was -48 degrees.  We had a quick plan to set up the shack once we made it to a deep basin in the pond.  After a few holes and David checking with the Vexilar, we found the fish quickly and set up the shack and got the heat going.  We spent the next 3 hours or so catching some nice crappies and bluegills.  It was fantastic, as the weather didn't affect us at all.  The worst part of the trip, as always was packing up and getting all the gear back in the truck.  A wonderful day on the ice had ended.


The next day brought us to Hickory Grove Lake, just west of Marshalltown for some morning fishing.  The temperature was a little warmer, well, it was above zero.  Wind chill was about 20 degrees below zero, again, we had a game plan and a location in mind that I knew we could catch some fish.  We set up in a deep basin around a large brushpile in 23 feet of water.  Fish cruised through the area all morning long for us.  We caught dozens of crappies and bluegills.  I ended up keeping a few for my neighbors to enjoy a meal of bluegills, something they appreciate very much, as they are unable to fish for themselves anymore.  Once again, we beat Mother Nature, and we were able to enjoy some area lakes on a frigid winter day.  Yes, the weather was very cold, but we had the proper clothing, laying is most important, and we had the comfort of a shack with heat.  It just goes to show that a properly laid plan can create a wonderful time in the outdoors.
 

 



David and I with a few keeper bluegills