The Chippewa Retreat Ice Fishing Invitational

by | Feb 7, 2015 | Uncategorized | 1 comment

February 6-7, 2015 – Day 1

 

blog-Feb-6-7-2015-1-icefishing-in-wisconsinThe weather was balmy up in Northern Wisconsin in comparison to other years (2010 and 2014) for our annual ice fishing trip out of Chippewa Retreat Resort in Manitowish Waters.  Day 1 offered little wind; overcast skies and temps steady around 16°.  Our party, hosted by friend George Hillenbrand II, enjoyed a casual departure for the lake as well.  We woke up around 7:30 then ventured to the famous Little Bohemia Restaurant for a needed greasy breakfast.  We didn’t arrive on our lake until 10:45 AM.

 

blog-Feb-6-7-2015-2-ice-house-in-wisconsinAwaiting us were friends (Wisconsin fishing guides Joe Pestka, James Pestka (JR) and Brett Jolly).  JR and Brett had at least a dozen tip-ups rigged and ready to drop down ice holes with live minnows in hopes of northern pike, perch, walleye, crappie and more.  Head guide Joe had the “shack” (icehouse) to a steaming 65° and the bacon grease was sizzling.  The bacon isn’t so much for the eating but rather the best oil imaginable for cooking curly French fries and fresh fried pike.

 

blog-Feb-6-7-2015-3-icefishing-tipupOn a normal year, minutes after the tip-ups are set flags begin to pop and in come the fish.  But Day 1 proved as slow as slow can be.  We watched and watched while few flags popped.  The ones that popped rarely had a fish on them.  Most were light bites that pulled just hard enough to trigger off the flag of the tip-up but the fish didn’t consume the baits.

 

blog-Feb-6-7-2015-4-wisconsin-fish-fryThe day wasn’t a total bust however.  Getting blanked on the ice in WI is unheard of.  Despite the slow fishing there were eight pike caught and one bluegill.  Not one pike was big but Joe cooked up what little we had and made a scrumptious lunch for us all.

 

blog-Feb-6-7-2015-5-wi-ice-fishingWe packed it in earlier than normal.  When it comes to ice fishing you need to know when to call it or the sport can get old fast and you’ll drink too much.  At 3 PM we returned to Chippewa Retreat where we enjoyed yet another amazing meal.  This time was at their new restaurant, The White Oak Grill, followed by late night cigars.

 

Day 2

 

blog-Feb-6-7-2015-6-joe-peskaDay 2 was designed to make up for the slow Day 1.  We went to a lake they fished several years back.  This was the one year I missed and they ran down seventy flags and landed more than forty fish!  Brett was here two weeks ago with a family and they experienced similar luck.  But it was bad news when we arrived at our casual 10:45 again.  Joe was quick to exit the shack and tell us they had no flags since they arrived at 8.

 

blog-Feb-6-7-2015-7-jeff-currier-and-rick-schreiber-icefishingSomething was definitely wrong these past two days.  Whether it was the weather, barometric pressure or what no one knows.  From 11 till 2 we caught only a few more pike than we did on Day 1.  I however lucked into this slightly larger pike of 28”.

 

Our organized fishing is over and tomorrow morning everyone is free to relax or do as they wish.  I’m going fishing again with the guides for a few hours.  Then it’s a classic Wisconsin Sunday with shooting pool followed by an afternoon of dice and cigars.

 

Jeff Currier Global Fly Fishing

1 Comment

  1. Erik Moncada

    Of course you lucked into a 28 inch Pike… Of course you did!

Welcome to the Blog of Jeff Currier!

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I started fly fishing at age 7 in the lakes and ponds of New England cutting my teeth on various sunfish, bass, crappie and stocked trout. I went to Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin, where I graduated with a Naturalist Degree while I discovered new fishing opportunities for pike, muskellunge, walleyes and various salmonids found in Lake Superior and its tributaries.

From there I headed west to work a few years in the Yellowstone region to simply work as much as most people fish and fish as much as most people work. I did just that, only it lasted over 20 years working at the Jack Dennis Fly Shop in Jackson, WY where I departed in 2009. Now it’s time to work for "The Man", working for myself that is.

I pursue my love to paint fish, lecture on every aspect of fly fishing you can imagine and host a few trips to some of the most exotic places you can think of. My ultimate goal is to catch as many species of fish on fly possible from freshwater to saltwater, throughout the world. I presently have taken over 440 species from over 60 countries!

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