Up From the Inky Darkness...

Trophy bass through the ice on a brutal day...it happens!

Ice fishing below the Mason Dixon Line is about a once every 7 year gig. This is one of those 'seventh' year occasions, when ice thickness surpasses the 4 inch benchmark for safe foot travel and fishing. As a result, I have been out for 5 trips to local ice venues and have yet to get skunked. But I haven't caught a ton of fish either. Largemouth bass, yellow perch and bluegills thus far, and mostly bass...some big! As I type this, it is 50 degrees outside, so the 6 to 8 inches of ice won't last long.Here's a recap of the last few trips...

Quality yellow perch like to hang around weed beds. Nice!

A handful of nice yellow perch liked my 1/12th oz. Gold KastMaster spoons at a southern PA lake. The fish were in the weedy areas about 6 to 10 feet deep. A buddy of mine smashed the perch a week ago, along with a trophy in the 16 inch class. We settled for 11 to 12 inchers as our best fish.

Pretty soon, they will be ready to spawn.

Perch of the day went 12 inches.

I have really been trying hard to locate and ice enough bluegills to make a little fish fry for the wife and I. Hasn't happened yet. I get one or two really nice gills every time out...just not enough for a meal. Big fish, though...

Big gills like the smallest Ice Rap with maggots.

My best 'ice-gill' in years was this 10.5 incher. Cool!

Usually, big gills are a ice-fishing staple, but not this year. Every time I try to ice a few the bass come ramblin' in...here are a few of the 25 I caught this past month...

A nice 19-incher on a warm day.

A little bigger at 20 inches.

Another big bass on the Kastmaster spoon!

Most of these fish are coming from a very small area.

All-time, personal best 'ice-bass' at 22 inches. It's 15 below with the wind chill!

What is really amazing is that I caught all but one of these fish in a tiny area about the size of a sheet of plywood...that's it! They, too, took the KM spoons tipped with maggots. And the biggest fish seemed to always bite on the coldest days...5 to 10 degrees out with 15 below wind chills. Crazy! All bass, however, went back down the holes...

Free, indeed...

I was pretty shocked when it seemed like all I could catch were the bass, and most of them were of quality size, including my best 'ice-bass' ever at 22 inches. Also, they were caught in 3 1/2 feet of water...pretty shallow for January. The strikes were featherlight, barely moving the wire strike indicator. Sometimes there was just weight and the fish was just there.

Yes, being set free from capture is a lot like being set free from the bonds of slavery, the shackles of sin. Romans 6:22 puts it this way...
'But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life."

Wow! The result is 'eternal life'. Can there ever be a greater reward than such a freedom as this? Today, I pray, that if you are reading this, and have not crossed over from death to life, that you would do so by trusting in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Your life and heart will change, your salvation secured and you will never, ever be held captive again. You will be set free...indeed!