Shirley's Bay 2022 Ice season

[Mav]

This group is awesome. I have been a member on this site since 2014 and I have to say it is great to see such a great group of anglers giving great advice. I am part of other fishing groups and there is nothing but negativity on almost every post but with this site it really feels like a true fishing group where we help each other and are happy to share information so we are all successful. Hats off to everyone here and keep up the great discussions.

Tight lines everyone

Amen to that. I love the group here on Fish-hawk. There's some great guys and great advice to be had. I appreciate the fact that everyone I've had conversations with was positive and supportive. Let's keep it that way!!

[SirCatfish]

Hit up Shirley's Bay twice over the weekend, for someone used to having to hike in all of my gear on random back lakes, let me just say that the ice road is a welcome change!

Friday had a decent 23ish inch pike strike my dead stick within 2 minutes of dropping down, my buddy caught an nice 18 inch burbot shortly before dark, and we both caught half a dozen smaller sauger.

Sunday saw tons of marks on my fish finder without much action for most of the afternoon (I think they were all tiny saugers from how they interacted). Primetime bite was short but fierce with roughly half a dozen better sized fish landed and a few nice marks I just couldn't get to commit. Only ended up keeping 1 fish on the smaller side.

I have a question for everyone on here, I've been fishing various lengths of the Ottawa River over the past 3-4 years (last 2 years I've been much better equipped), I've fished Petrie, Buckham's bay, Wendover, the Nation etc, each with varying levels of success. Which spots are your favorites to hit up? I've enjoyed fishing Wendover by the launch and I've landed my biggest Ottawa River walleye there last year at 24 inches, but the current there makes it tough to mark fish and feel bites. In terms of constant action, Shirley's has definitely been the most productive, but the average size seems to be a lot smaller.

So where's everyone's favorite local well known spot to hit up?

[CCLad]

Shirley's bay is pretty much the only spot I ice fish. Great fishing.

[Happy Hooker]

How slushy is out on the ice road, hoping to head out tomorrow.

[Fordpodolski]

Hoping the conditions aren’t too bad- old man is coming into town and we’re planning on doing an overnighter on Shirley’s today/tomorrow. Anyone ever do an overnight/have any luck late late there? Latest I’ve ever fished there would be around 8pm..

[Fisherman89]

Hoping the conditions aren’t too bad- old man is coming into town and we’re planning on doing an overnighter on Shirley’s today/tomorrow. Anyone ever do an overnight/have any luck late late there? Latest I’ve ever fished there would be around 8pm..

Got pretty cold and windy last night. Did you end up overnighting it?

[Fordpodolski]

Hoping the conditions aren’t too bad- old man is coming into town and we’re planning on doing an overnighter on Shirley’s today/tomorrow. Anyone ever do an overnight/have any luck late late there? Latest I’ve ever fished there would be around 8pm..

Got pretty cold and windy last night. Did you end up overnighting it?

We did, yep! Had a window from 4:45-6ish last night with small sauger, got 1 burbot around 8:30, then absolutely nothing all night. A few small walleye/sauger around 8 this morning then nothing. Had 3 buddy heaters in an insulated Otter pop up so was very toasty night, but had ALL tie downs and anchors out haha.

The road is good if you’re in a truck, hard to navigate on an ATV or sled. Yesterday it was a bit of a slush bath, but drove the truck out this morning to pack up and it was all hardened back up.

[JimW]

Please help spread the word....

Hope to see some fellow anglers on the ice this weekend...

Stop by.. say Hi... check out the Taiga Dog... fill out a ballot for a chance to win some great fishing tackle!!

Fish-Hawk.Net will be at Shirleys Bay with the base model Taiga Dog to check out, go for a ride...
we will also have information on the other Taiga Dog models.

Look for the Taiga Dog flag out on the ice.

We will be there at 12 noon and staying to fish the evening walleye bite.

[JimW]

Anyone been by Shirleys since the crazy weather??? Slush, water, snow..???

[Fordpodolski]

I was going to check it out this morning but haven’t had the time…. Been lurking waiting for someone to post up as well! I will probably head over around noon or so to see how the ice is looking..

[Fordpodolski]

There are a few people out, but crazy windy- can’t even see off the launch with the snow. There may be some slush under the snow, but no standing water anywhere..

[JimW]

There are a few people out, but crazy windy- can’t even see off the launch with the snow. There may be some slush under the snow, but no standing water anywhere..

Thanks for the update. As long as the winds are not too terrible. I will be heading out to Shirleys Bay Sunday afternoon... first time in probably 10 years or more.

If anyone is out stop by say HI and take a ride on the Taiga Dog!!! And get your name in the draw for some FREE FISHING TACKLE.

Look for the Taiga Dog and my pop up hut.

[Fordpodolski]

There are a few people out, but crazy windy- can’t even see off the launch with the snow. There may be some slush under the snow, but no standing water anywhere..

Thanks for the update. As long as the winds are not too terrible. I will be heading out to Shirleys Bay Sunday afternoon... first time in probably 10 years or more.

If anyone is out stop by say HI and take a ride on the Taiga Dog!!! And get your name in the draw for some FREE FISHING TACKLE.

Look for the Taiga Dog and my pop up hut.

Was curious if you braved the storm! Hoping to get out tomorrow as well all things considered- hope to see ya out!

[hardfishing]

There are a few people out, but crazy windy- can’t even see off the launch with the snow. There may be some slush under the snow, but no standing water anywhere..

Yeah gale force winds on Saturday boys, with all the wind id bet 90% of the slush is frozen by now, sun should be a great day for whoever is venturing out, I had some success out about 1.3km from shore right on the ledge on Tues, got 1 16"eater and missed a nice one, got tangled in my transducer at the hole, for got to pull it out lol , 430-530 am was the best time, had nothing in the evening but 3 or 4 sauger and a few 3 lbs burbs, GL everyone on Sun.

[JimW]

Well fished Shirleys yesterday afternoon for the first time in 10 plus years, a tad windy again. Talked to a few people about the Taiga Dog tracksled and then set up for some fishing. Marked some small fish and had a few nibbles ... dinky perch most likely. Around 6 pm caught a small sauger, closer to 7pm had a couple other good hits but lost the fish, thinking burbot. Finally around 7:15 pm caught a nice 26" burbot. Nothing else for the next hour packed up shortly after 8 pm and headed back to shore.

Not a lot of action but better than nothing and added 2 new species to my 2022 fish species caught list.