2018 Valier, Montana Ice-Fishing Derby Recap
This past weekend, I assembled a crew from North 40 Outfitters to support the Valier Area Development Corporation’s 2018 Ice Fishing Derby on Lake Frances. The VADC is an devoted to making Valier a better place to live and visit. When living and visiting revolves around a fishing destination, I’m all about it.
Sydnee Thomason, from our fishing department, joined me. Thomason is a local Montana ice-fishing veteran and spends time on the ice every week during the hard-water season. We also had two guys from our corporate office, and we were joined by Robert Hambley, an ice guru from Shelby.
A Fly Fisherman Tries Ice Fishing
My ice-fishing experiences are limited and scattered over decades. A few holes in Wisconsin, a few holes in Alaska, and until recently none in Montana. I’m one of those crazy people who dons Gore-Tex waders and stands in water slightly above freezing, in air temps sometimes below freezing, just so I can keep casting flies in open water. This year, I decided to give Montana ice fishing a serious try.
Lake Frances 7:30 a.m., January 13
We purchased our derby tickets and found a place to park near the lake. It was still very dark. I’d brought a headlamp, but the batteries were dead. We struggled to organize and load gear with cell phone lights and quickly realized our sled was too small. We distributed some items, floundered around until we found a path through the trees, and trudged forth onto the lake. Despite a brisk wind, we were breathing heavy and sweating when Thomason called a halt and said, “Drill here.”
Tech Talk
I drilled lots of holes with the Eskimo P1 Rocket 10” Auger and it worked great. We donated it to a raffle and it went home with Ralph Peterson, who was super stoked. For pike, we rigged HT Polar Tip-Ups with Pauzke fire dyed smelt in red, gold and chartreuse. We tied our own quick strike rigs with 40-pound fluorocarbon and did some single treble rigs with the same. We ended up having about 10 flags go off. Our only northern pike ate a gold smelt on a quick-strike rig with dual #2 clown color Northland Baitfish image blades.
All the flags we missed were on the single treble rigs and every smelt was gone. Our walleye came on the single treble with a chartreuse dyed smelt. He swallowed it. We caught perch on a number of lures, but the 1/8 oz. Johnson Snare spoon, tipped with red maggots, was the money combo. I managed to keep enough decent perch for fish tacos, which my son, Kyle, said were the “best ever.”
What we learned
Bring a working headlamp or three.
If you need something, just say, “Robert.”
We set up in 20’ depths hoping for pike, but mostly found smaller perch. The winning perch came from 40’ of water.
Our setup zone was better for late in the day walleye.
The winning pike came from a shallower channelized zone that the local experts seem to know about.
We should have moved to shallower or deeper water, but we were having so much fun, we stayed put, tailgating and catching smaller perch. Definitely not a derby winning strategy, but fun was had by all.
When using tip-ups, check them for a flag every two minutes. You may miss out if you don’t. We should have paid better attention.
If you go into Hambley’s ice house, you will forget all about the tip-ups.
Be courteous of your neighboring ice fishermen and give them space. But, you can always saunter over for a chat and share stories and information.
We answered lots of questions about equipment and what we carry at North 40 and we gathered good information about some new products to add for next year.
We had a great time and plan to return in 2019, even more prepared.
Highlights
Feeding off Thomason’s excitement at 5 a.m. in the North 40 parking lot.
Watching the sunrise from the ice.
Having Robert Hambley show with up with a four-wheeler after we trudged all our gear onto the ice.
Grilling burgers after we set the tip-ups.
Yelling “Flag.”
My first pike though the ice.
Fishing for perch via Aqua-View, next to the wood stove in Hambley’s custom hard-side house.
Product testing some of our lures and rigs. Trying and failing to destroy a Yeti Bucket with a quad, an Ice Auger and a .45.
An Eskimo/Jiffy auger drill off. Eskimo won.
Catching enough perch for fish tacos.
Making Thomason a perch sandwich.
Grilling brats after we finished the burgers.
Seeing wide eyes on the rookies when a pressure ridge cracked, feeling like an earthquake.
Meeting lots of great people.
Thomason catching a nice walleye after tournament hours.
Magnificent sleigh rides in the Otter sled, courtesy of Hanbley.
Pulling out the Jet Boil and French pressing some French roast for the ride home while “Warming up the truck.”
Closing Thoughts
Thomason says, “Ice fishing is the hard-water sport.”
Comparing ice fishing to winter open-water fishing, I’ve found that ice fishing can be a much warmer activity than standing in a freezing river. Insulated huts and houses with propane and wood stoves fends off the chill. Hanbley ice fishes from a little box that runs about 95 degrees. Also, ferrying gear, drilling holes and running for tip-ups will keep your core temp up.
Hungry? Ice fishing with a bunch of friends or family is pretty much like tailgating at a football game.
I think I might have to split my time between ice and open water now, at least until March.