(oops, edited to add length - not weighed, thrown back) 27 inches

maybe 8

Ice chunk "caught" on Iron Lake, also May 13th. Not measured. :-)

Perfect fish, nice job.

quote VoyageurNorth: "Ice chunk "caught" on Iron Lake, also May 13th. Not measured. :-)

"

You really mean it when you say you're going ice fishing.

Is that white iron or iron

Iron Lake, up on the Canadian/Minnesota border.

I hate to point it out, but i couldn't help notice that you fine gentlemen did not have your life vests on while in those frigid waters. Especially after all the posts recently about the dangers.

"Safety First"

Nice Fish!

Beauty! Keep em coming.

quote crutch5: "I hate to point it out, but i couldn't help notice that you fine gentlemen did not have your life vests on while in those frigid waters. Especially after all the posts recently about the dangers.


"Safety First"


Nice Fish!"

You are right though I do know they said they had them on under the coats. But Erik, bad bad for no lifejacket with the fish!

I have so much respect for people that return the big fish to the water.

I know soooo many people that think the BWCA can produce endless large fish and have a feeling of entitlement when they catch fish at all. Makes me sad.

Tom

Since I was on a solo trip the last 4 days I thought a lot about the PDF recommendation and decided to wear mine even though I had misgivings. Since I had packed an auxiliary dry bag with a big towel and a super warm garment outfit and kept it in front of me in the canoe, I attempted to calculate whether it would be better to forgo the PDF so as to maximize swimming speed, at the expense of buoyancy. Staying afloat is not terribly relevant if you cannot get to shore because your PDF so slows your swimming so much as to leave you hypothermic and still far from shore. A situation to avoid.
Jon

Very nice fish Erik .

Booya!! Nice fish!!

Heading to Iron on Wednesday, wondering what the water temps are like and if the walleye spawn in on yet?

quote Primitiveman: "Since I was on a solo trip the last 4 days I thought a lot about the PDF recommendation and decided to wear mine even though I had misgivings. Since I had packed an auxiliary dry bag with a big towel and a super warm garment outfit and kept it in front of me in the canoe, I attempted to calculate whether it would be better to forgo the PDF so as to maximize swimming speed, at the expense of buoyancy. Staying afloat is not terribly relevant if you cannot get to shore because your PDF so slows your swimming so much as to leave you hypothermic and still far from shore. A situation to avoid.
Jon"

I highly recommend you try the following. Take your canoe out with all your gear on (boots, clothing AND LIFE JACKET). Tip yourself about 15 yards from shore when the water is 40 degrees or less. Come back and tell us what a fast swimmer you turn out to be in those conditions.

I tipped after running some rapids in late October several years ago. I was with a guy that was training for ironman Wisconsin. We were only about 30 yards from shore and PREPARED to possibly tip. There was a moment where both of us thought we might not make it to shore.

Gag reflex when you hit the water, heavy boots, cannot breath, feet sinking, etc. Thank the Lord we had our jackets on at the time.

That ice chunk looks like it might go 10....

quote Primitiveman: "Since I was on a solo trip the last 4 days I thought a lot about the PDF recommendation and decided to wear mine even though I had misgivings. Since I had packed an auxiliary dry bag with a big towel and a super warm garment outfit and kept it in front of me in the canoe, I attempted to calculate whether it would be better to forgo the PDF so as to maximize swimming speed, at the expense of buoyancy. Staying afloat is not terribly relevant if you cannot get to shore because your PDF so slows your swimming so much as to leave you hypothermic and still far from shore. A situation to avoid.
Jon"

How fast can you swim carrying or balancing atop an auxiliary dry bag?

quote VoyageurNorth: "Ice chunk "caught" on Iron Lake, also May 13th. Not measured. :-)

"

Kinda looks like Bob Woodward sitting in the front