Ice fishing on Ririe Reservoir.

Here is my latest article from the East Idaho News.

http://www.eastidahonews.com/2016/01/228260/

Ice fishing again

I am glad to be able to ice fish again.  It was a great day with some old fishermen that I enjoy fishing around.
Here some are waiting for a school of kokanee to come in.

A thief on the ice - a bald eagle steals one of the fish from another fisherman.

After catching my limit of kokanee, I found and herd of Mule deer and one of them was this large buck.

This evening I found one of the Great Gray owls and enjoyed it flying over my head, missing me twice by about a foot.  Just another wild day in Idaho.

Eagle attack

Yesterday I went ice fishing on Ririe Reservoir for kokanee and trout.  It had been slow for the last two weeks for me, so I decided to take one more trip to see if fishing had improved.  It was spitting snow and the wind was cold so I set up my ice shelter.

I had caught a trout when a school of kokanee came in.  I had caught four and threw them out on the ice as I tried to continue catching them.  I heard a swooshing sound and saw two bald eagles fly by the shelter picking up two of my kokanee.  My camera was in my sled outside and I was minus two of my fish.

I was surprised that the eagles would dive within eight feet of my red shelter to pick up my fish.  A fisherman about a hundred yards up the lake told me an eagle had stolen a fish from another fisherman during the week and had been so close that it wing had hit the man.  It was probably the one of the two that raided me.

I had moved one of my rods about 30 feet away to fish some rocks for trout while I continued catching kokanee.  I had just caught a trout when the man yelled at me that an eagle was coming.  I dropped the fish and ran for my camera.

Here is what I got from this attack:

At about 12 feet away, I messed up some of the pictures as the eagle was moving too fast and the sky was very cloudy and dark.

I did not get another trout, but went home with a trout and six kokanee. 

The most important things I went home with was images and memories of another great day in the Wilds of Idaho.

Ririe Reservor ice fishing

I am going to fish more this year!!!!!  So last evening after school, I headed for Ririe Reservoir to ice fish for kokanee salmon, trout and perch.  A friend of mine, Kirk, had been there most of the day and caught a perch as I walked by.

He had a pile of fish already on the ice, but the kokanee were coming through in small bunches and deep under the ice.

Even with the ice from four to seven inches deep, not many people are fishing the lake - that is fine with me and the few of us enjoying the outings.  But at 4:15, my fish finder indicated a large school of kokanee just under the ice.  Five minutes later I had all my kokanee.  I dropped down to the bottom at 77 feet down to fish for perch.  They were also feeding heavily.  I finally had to leave by my headlight.

What a great way to spend an evening in the Wilds of Idaho.

Last ice fishing trip?????

Yesterday I may have finished my ice fishing at Ririe Reservoir for the year.  The ice is still a safe 12 inches deep, but it is starting to crystalize and the four wheelers have broken the ice at the docks for about 12 out from the bank.  That along with a three-day seminar that I am incharge of next weekend, may cause me to put up my gear for the year.

It was a great day, as I was able to land about 15 kokanee and ended up with my limit.  They will taste good.

On the way home, just outside of the town of Ririe, I saw flocks of Trumpeter swan and Canada geese that were using a pond created by the melting snow.  In the spring waterfowl will feed heavily in these stubble fields before migrating north.  We should have snow geese showing up any day now.  When the snow geese come in, it is one impressive sight.  I will keep you posted.

Just another great day in the wilds of Idaho.

SkyWatch Friday - Fishing sunset

On the way home from ice fishing on Ririe Reservoir, the sun was just snuggling into it slumber for the night.  Deer were enjoying the view as I passed them, but it was too dark for me to capture them.  Sunsets are created by impurities in the air; short lived, but beautiful.

Just the close of another wild day in Idaho.

See other pictures of the sky at http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Winter hangs on - Will it ever end?

Went ice fishing yesterday again and the temperature was below zero.  I set up the ice house so I would relax, take naps, hide from Scout Troops and hopefully catch some fish.  I was successful on all accounts.

By mid morning I had my six kokanee, but none of the huge ones I got the week before.

As I was leaving several people recognized me and we talked fishing and ice conditions.  The ice is still a solid 14 inches deep and still growing.  This week are are predicted to get snow, rain and warmer tempatures.

The deer will be happy so see some of the snow leave also.  On my way home I snapped this picture of mule deer digging stubble out of the snow.  Hopefully they will make it.

I had a great day enjoying the wilds of Idaho for another day.

SkyWatch Friday - hunting eagle

Last week, before the two storms, while ice fishing Ririe Reservoir a Bald eagle flew over the hill looking for discarded trash fish for a meal.  I was sorry I did not have one to give it.

It was a mature large one that circled me several times.

See other great pictures of the sky at http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Bombing eagles

Fishing was great over the weekend.  On Friday while catching kokanee through the ice at Ririe Reservoir, we were visited by a pair of bald eagles looking for a meal.  Several trash fish had been caught by fishermen and left on the ice.  I was too far away for good pictures as they picked the fish off the ice.  But one kept flying over us looking for a handout.

Bald eagles are mostly scavangers while their cousin, Golden eagle, love to hunt and kill their meals.  This makes baiting balds, much easier than the goldens.  All you need is a dead fish laying on the ice to get them to come investigate you.

This eagle finally gives us a wave "good-bye" as we pick up our catch and head for home, closing another wild day in Idaho.

SkyWatch Friday - Sunset over Ririe Reservoir

This week will ice fishing Ririe Reservoir, I caught the sun just after it set.  A great day of fishing and the end of another wild day in Idaho.

See other great sky pictures at :  Skywatch Friday


http://skyley.blogspot.com