The anticipation is over. We are on the brink of fishable ice on the Southwest end of Lake Superior. If you know where to look, there is safer, fishable shore ice in places along the main lake, inside some harbors,and some thinner ice over deeper water where some risky individuals are already venturing out to. I spent some time on the edge of an ice pack looking down a hole through the thinner ice.
Big rainbows were cruising and circling around. I dropped my jig down provoking movement to entice one to bite. A rainbow would come in fast and bump it 3 or 4 times before taking it. A smaller fish, maybe 3 or 4 lbs. I couldn’t get my jig back down fast enough and already had more big rainbows coming in and swiping at it. Another came in fast and sucked it right in. This one was would go maybe 5 or 6lbs and made some good runs before making it through the hole. I lost another, I missed a few more. Then another came screaming in taking up my jig and through the ice he came. It was a good day. I have dreams about days like this, watching down a hole through the ice as these giant rainbow trout circle around, waiting for one to take.