breaking ice... oh how iv missed it!

[wrangler]

got out today and hunted over frozen water for the first time this year... forgot how much i love walking through frozen flooded ice fields!  anyhow, managed to get some mallards to deke in to the pond i broke up, took home 4. still seems REALLY slow, for me anyways. gonna hit up rawlins tomorrow mornin for snows.

[Skyhigh]

. gonna hit up rawlins tomorrow mornin for snows.

hopefully its not on a QHU as I believe its a no hunt day (Sun/Mon) and the dike is shut down...Good luck if your going on non enrolled QHU land....I hear they are feeding at night and roosting the bay during the day...but it changes daily..

[wrangler]

naw, not a quality hunt. it is non enrolled land... i herad the same thing from my cousin on friday about the feeding/flight pattern. he said the same thing, its totally reversed from last week... anyhow, at least i'll freeze my ass off! oh, and what do you mean the dike is shut down? never seen it shut down before?

[Skyhigh]

There is large portions of the dike at the end of the road (WDFW NF access) now closed to hunting...Its in safety zones...

[h2ofowlr]

They screwed the dike up, but made it better for those that were willing to do the work and work there way through the pot holes to get to the bay.  Anchored up in my layout boat and shot a quick limit with the snows.

[wrangler]

oh yeah... i know about the closed portions, a little ways to the south from the end of the road. i always jump off the dike where it makes the first sharp left turn and head out in the flats. thought you ment they had the whole thing closed... i might check it out for ducks mid morning if the geese are all headin out to the bay. will be my first trip to north fork this year.

[jordano]

ha I can't wait to go back to Eastern WA and see the whole basin frozen  makes everything go down to the river 

[h2ofowlr]

I'm taking tomorrow off.  3-days of breaking ice and my shins are bruised something fierce.  I hit the big bruise on my right shin this morning and about pissed inside my waders.  Time to throw the shin guards on under the waders.

[Fishnclifff]

Hit Ridgefield this mornin.

Broke a nice hole, set the dekes.  Watched the sunrise, watched the ducks about 500-600 ft up leave to the north.

We went out to pull the dekes, call it a day,

 went thru the ice, under water, came up thru the ice.

Now I'm home in front of the fireplace,, I think I will wait for rain.

[Forrestrover]

Hit Ridgefield this mornin.

Broke a nice hole, set the dekes.  Watched the sunrise, watched the ducks about 500-600 ft up leave to the north.

We went out to pull the dekes, call it a day,

 went thru the ice, under water, came up thru the ice.

Now I'm home in front of the fireplace,, I think I will wait for rain.

Yikes! Sounds horrible! Glad you have a fireplace.

[Planeguy4]

Hit Ridgefield this mornin.

Broke a nice hole, set the dekes.  Watched the sunrise, watched the ducks about 500-600 ft up leave to the north.

We went out to pull the dekes, call it a day,

 went thru the ice, under water, came up thru the ice.

Now I'm home in front of the fireplace,, I think I will wait for rain.

Cliff, Wow sorry to hear about your ice diving adventure. I thought I saw your brother out there just prior to your deke p/u, with a propane torch, thinning out that spot of ice? Hummm... I'll be in Kennewick with the big birds this weekend. Have a good hunt....scott

[Fishnclifff]

   He told me he was gonna warm up the dekes so they would float better.