Done

[Bender]

I'm afraid it's over, lakes are all frozen up this morning. I checked 3 of them around here and there was pretty heavy ice at the ramps. 

[dartag]

Union lake is wide open.  always the last one to freeze.  15 degrees when i left for work at 5:30 this morning.     there is always the Hot Ponds.  ever been there.

[Bender]

Yep, might try that tomorrow. Hopefully the area by the ramp isn't frozen. Does it usually stay free of ice?
If'n I knew how to get to Union I would have gone there this morning, but I have already started other stuff today.

[Bass_Cat]

Hey Chris,

If you decide you want to go to the hot ponds and have room, let me know. I've never been there but have heard good things about it.

Mark

[TCook]

What kind of numbers and size is common to catch out of the hot ponds right now?

[Bender]

I went there a week ago and we had just over 50 fish in about 5-6 hours. Not much size to them, biggest was probably about 2.5-3 pounds.

[Waterfoul]

I think I'm done too.  Having trouble with my tow vehicle at the moment and I really need the garage space to work on it... so the boat has to go outside and under cover.  Once it does I'm not going to un-do everything.  It was a great year though!!

[dartag]

the ramp at union is clear.  there were a bunch of divers and a kayaker there this afternoon.  them divers are fun to catch.  they really take line with them big fins.

when you were at the hot ponds did you see any bald eagles.   would love to see them there  some time.

[Skulley]

The last few times I went to the Hot Pond the water levels were fluctuating hourly.  At one point it was about two feet at a time.  Was weirdest I have ever seen it in quite a few years.  Mostly in the middle of winter.  On Election Day which was my last trip there water levels were changing rapidly.  Got there at sunrise and water was up.  By mid-day they had dropped 10 to 12 inches.  By 1500 the water was back up and an hour later when we ran back to Bolles, the water had dropped 18 inches plus........and still falling.  That Thursday two days later same deal so since it was the last day I got home early, winterized, and put my baby to bed for a long winter's sleep.     That was the last above average warm day we've had. It has been unseasonable cold ever since.     That was two weeks ago.  http://glakesonline.nos.noaa.gov/plotcomp.shtml?station_info=9063085+Toledo%2C+OH  This link are water levels at Toledo which is the closest measurement taken to the Hot Pond.

BD           

[Bender]

the ramp at union is clear.  there were a bunch of divers and a kayaker there this afternoon.  them divers are fun to catch.  they really take line with them big fins.

when you were at the hot ponds did you see any bald eagles.   would love to see them there  some time.

No bald eagles, just the cormorants crapping right next to the boat. Somebody needs to train the eagles to kill those things.
We'll be to Union Lake around 7:30-8 tomorrow morning. I'll try to catch a diver on the float-n-fly. McCarter has requested ketchup and pickles on his cheeseburger when we get there for lunch, I'm not picky.

[Waterfoul]

You want to fish with the bald eagles?  Fish just about any lake north of Grand Rapids.  We see them all the time.  Litterally.  Little Whitefish, Big Whitefish, Brooks, heck even Wabasis... we see Eagles nearly every time we fish these lakes.  Even more further north in areas like Baldwin.  Gotta love fishing with the eagles!!!

[Bender]

No bald eagles, but fish! We started at Union Lake (see Steve's Loon post below) and when there are no fish AND it is cold it really stinks. About 11:30 we decided to go to the hot pond. We had heard there was ice in the ramps but we decided to chance it. We got there and had to launch up the Raisin River. There was quite a bit of ice (video coming) but we made it through. The lake was a little rough and I cut just a little too far going in and hit some gravel/sand but we made it and started snagging shad immediately. 
We caught many bass, but not huge numbers and not many with good size. We go to our final spot and it was loaded with fish.


We started with small bass, then got a couple bigger ones, then the sheephead moved in, then the catfish, then McCarter hooked into his monster. The big one below was caught and landed on a jig on 8 pound Seagaur line on a spinning reel and weighed in at 20 pounds.





Now I am officially done for the year, winterizing the boat this week.

[fuzzygrub1611]

The HotPond. What a place to finish the season. Me and Bigdog,2 trips, about 175 fish. Great time!!!!!!!!!!!