# Has anybody ventured on Congress today?



## Pikedaddy (Jul 20, 2005)

I am just curious what the Congress lake rd section is looking like? I thinking about driving out that way tomorrow and checking unless somebody tells me first. I know it has to be close , but this snow is not going to help us this weekend.

good fishing,

Pikedaddy


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## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

Nick and I stopped there on our way to Palm Rd. and there was one shanty out there in the bay North of the grass island. We may go check there in the AM, but it will be either there or Palm Rd. again. Report forthcoming... LOL


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## Pikedaddy (Jul 20, 2005)

Thanks Carl,

Did you do any good over off of Palm?


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

Drove past there NY Eve around 3:30. Saw three guys walking out with sleds.


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## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

We caught 18 w/ 4 nice keepers. Nick got his first Fish Ohio gill of 2010.

We'll be back out there today, possibly Congress Lake Rd side.


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## paintED (Mar 8, 2007)

Went out on the congress lake rd side along with joerugz around 430 yesterday.walked toward the grass island and set up just about 150yards west of it. did really good using marmish fang jig tipd w/wax worm and 4lb fireline crystal ice.I love that line it has a 1lb diameter.for those that arent familiar with that area and are heading out steer clear of the pipe. it runs under congress lake rd.you can note its location by looking at the lake side of the guard rail. it should be still painted with hash marks. maybe I will go out and re paint it today.


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## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

I'll be out there later this afternoon. Nick is going to his cousin's house so I'll be all by my lonesome.


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## Pikedaddy (Jul 20, 2005)

Please let me know how it looks Big Daddy. I will probably be going there tomorrow . Today I will be fishing a private pond that I can only fish on Sunday . 

Thanks, 

Bob


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## ParmaBass (Apr 11, 2004)

Seemed to be around 4-5" out of the Palm Rd. area today. Fishing was pretty slow, I only fished from around 9-Noon. Caught maybe 10 gills that averaged 4" and one Bass that made the Gills look HUGE, I swear the thing just hatched!  I've never been out of that area before, the deepest water we could find was only 3'-4' is that about as deep as it gets off Palm Rd. without walking for miles?

Here's the catch of the day.....


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## Eliminator (Aug 26, 2006)

Your lucky to find 4 fow around any of that area, don't get a false idea that you'll touch bottom if you go through because there's 4' of dead vegation and silt.


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## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

Had a good day off Congress Lk Rd. at Mogadore. Ice was 4 inches...

Pulled 30 or so gills with cfish... Only 5 or 6 would have kept. It was a load of fun though. Cfish had something break him off. LOL

Saw several OGFers out there and have a great pic of joerugz shanty in the sunset. LOL!

I hope everyone had as much fun as we did today.


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## WestBranchJoe (Jan 13, 2009)

I was out there for about a half hour today. I was alone and knew I was not going to be out long so I did not bring my shanty. That wind was wicked without it. I needed to get bait and check the ice to make sure I could get out there on Tuesday when I take my dad out for an evening. Without my flasher and shanty it was a short trip. but it felt great to be out on the ice. it seemed that every where away from the pipe had 3-4" .

~Joe


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## mrphish42 (Jan 24, 2008)

I hit this area today for a couple of hours (Spur of the moment decision) Fished away from the shanty's, they were all to the east of me. I stayed out in the little deeper water closer to CLR and straight out to the north shore......Ice is thicker there than I thought it would be......Believe that Big Daddy would have been the closest to me.....Not a soul fished in the area that I was in.......My vex read at 7ft...... most of the 30 fish I caught were within 1ft of the bottom......Appx. 1/2 would have been keepers (but this wasn't a fish gathering mission) just a time-out session for me. Ended with an 11" perch. In the parking lot, a guy headed in was behind me, quiting also. We exchanged greetings, then he asked me if I was mr/so and so.....I acknowleged I was and it turned out to be "keepinitreel", a guy that I fished with last year on one of Marks outings. At one point today I counted 13 shantys and a couple loose bodies fishing......glad to see numbers on the increase....stay safe guys....jON sR.


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## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

Here's my pic of joerugz shanty at sunset. Taken w/ cell phone. 










We were sitting in 5 to 6 ft of water right next to some weeds. Fish would come up from bottom and WHACK! I even managed to get a few to follow the bait up a couple feet off the bottom. Shortly before we left, I thought I heard Joe say he got a crappie.


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## lovin life (Jan 2, 2010)

Hey everyone ! I'm new to this site. A fellow ogf'er told me about you guys in Gander Mountian this weekend. Great site ! I'll be taking a buddy of mine on his first ice trip Tuesday and want him to have a good time. I'm back ice fishing after a 14 yr absence and have never fished anywhere besides Palm. Anybody that will be out tuesday morning about 9 a.m. I'd be glad to take some pointers on the congress lake side. I really want to fish the deeper waters but am lost on where to start. Or any tips on this site would be great. I don't have a fishfinder for the ice (maybe next year), but i do have boundless energy and enthusiam. I pull a Shappell two man shanty and will be in the congress lot about 9a.m. tuesday.

Thanks everyone !


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## mrphish42 (Jan 24, 2008)

Carl.....really glad you had some fun.....Nice photo shot. That shanty below the sun-set, back towards CLR.....is my "BLUE/GENTZ/CLAM/GUIDE. I thought I saw someone up near the "suken island", that resembled your stature (if you were wearing your "BLAZE ORANGE CAMO'S")......Hopefully by next weekend....we can pretty much start to fish about anywhere we care to.......have a great and full-filling season. jON sR.


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## keepinitreel (Apr 11, 2004)

Nice to meet everyone - Big Daddy, Cfish, and mrphish42. Jon, I would like pick your brain some more about mogadore.

Man it was nice get out. My shanty would not calm down in the wind as it took me for a ride down the lake(I was literally wind surfing) so I shut it down and braved the elements.( need to get stakes). I used the marcum vx-1 I purchased from bassmastermjb for the first time and it worked like a charm - thanks Mark. 

Caught 20+ gills in 7ft they seemed to like the maggots better than the waxies. 

Would love to find the crappie in this lake as well as the perch - I guess that goes for everyone else.


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## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

Mr.Phish, glad I got you in the pic! LOL. I really like fishing that area of Mogadore, especially early ice. Like so many others, the Congress Lake Rd. area is where I was taken ice fishing by my Dad and older brother. It's always good to go back there and work the bluegills. Gets my ice-fishing juices flowing pretty good. 

After this week of cold, everything should be locked up pretty good.

See you on the ice!


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## mrphish42 (Jan 24, 2008)

Carl............THANK YOU/THANK YOU/THANK YOU..................tHE PART ABOUT YOUR PAST IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT......TRADITIONS/ROOTS (so to speak) ...Those are the things that specially (ICE FISHING) ......bring to mind. Dads/Brothers/Grandfathers/Uncles/Friends/just any body that would take a young person out "ICE FISHING" was surely headed for "SAINTHOOD"........In 1959 I was introduced to the ice at Palm Rd. Cause it had the first ice.......then as time passed, it was on to Congress Lake Road (and Oh the traffic jams) within days or a week or so. Westward Ho........CLR towards 43 was the targeted area......Then the ice at the boat house area of 43 was next........ Then the grandest part was to come........all the lake to the WEST of 43 was now Fishable............Man did we ever cover some ice in all the years to come........But when guys like BIG Daddy(Carl) bring up some of their personal history and memories.......sure gets my blood to pumpin.........Thanks again.... I haven't missed a season since and won't until I'm gone ( and that gets closer with each passing year) ICE FISHING as is said ........IS TO KNOW IT/ IS TO LOVE IT .... and that grows deeper and deeper with the passing years of experiencing it........BEGINNINGS?TRADITIONS? ROOTS? .......THATS WHAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU THAT HAVE FOUND THE LURE TO THE ICE, WILL AND CAN EXPECT TO EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF YOUR LIFETIMES..........TRULY, I REALLY HAVE A HARD TIME TO FIND JUST THE RIGHT WORDS TO EXPLAIN IT....BUT YOU TOO, SOMEDAY WILL LOOK BACK ON YOUR LIFETIME AND FULLY UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU PASS THE FIRST 50 YEARS ON THE ICE AND START WORK ON THE SECOND HALF OF 100 YEARS.......I WISH THIS TO EACH AND EVERONE OF YOU THAT HAVE BEGUN TO FALL INTO THIS "winter trap"......jON SR>


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## WestBranchJoe (Jan 13, 2009)

Big Daddy and mrphish42, 

You guys are 100% correct. 30 years ago I started ice fishing with my dad on CLR and this year my son will take his first tentative steps on the ice exactly where I did all those 30 years ago. Last year I took my nephew who's dad does not fish or hunt out to CLR for his first ice adventure. My son, nephew and myself have spent the last 2 months making jigs, getting the gear ready and now it is finally time to make the memories for them (and myself) that my dad and I made when I was there age. I will also be heading to CLR this Tuesday with my dad so we can continue to make memories for ourselves.


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## mrphish42 (Jan 24, 2008)

West BranchJoe......Keep in touch with me and we'll see about hookin up on Mog. this season ........Will send you a PM..........jON sR.


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## joerugz (Feb 28, 2007)

Thanks Carl for stopping by and jibbering with me and paintEd. I did catch mostly crappies....small ones though. Thanks for posting a pic of my home made shanty. I'm proud of that thing. I too, started fishing with my dad at that place 35 years ago. I love the surrounding beauty of the area. Nothing better than being warm in the cold wind and catchen some fish!

Nice seeing you again and I'm also having a great time catching up with fellow OGFers like mrphish, icebucketjon, fish2win and quik2fix. It seems a few years ago I would mention the site and guys would look at me like I was nuts....now every one I ask is on this site!

OH! and its also nice that I haven't seen on bit of trash left on the ice yet.


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## joerugz (Feb 28, 2007)

mrphish42, In the pic, it looks like you just kicked your shanty out of the back your truck while you where driving down the road and started fishing after parking your truck! I know it drops off quickly against the road, but you could have slapped "high fives" with the passing cars..lol


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## sam kegg (Jun 23, 2007)

Im going to take a looksy today at the lake, Im going to try and get on the ice tomorrow with my dad any recomondations on where to stay clear off and where to fish?


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## hunt4smallies (Feb 4, 2009)

WestBranchJoe said:


> I was out there for about a half hour today. I was alone and knew I was not going to be out long so I did not bring my shanty. That wind was wicked without it. I needed to get bait and check the ice to make sure I could get out there on Tuesday when I take my dad out for an evening. Without my flasher and shanty it was a short trip. but it felt great to be out on the ice. it seemed that every where away from the pipe had 3-4" .
> 
> ~Joe


Hey WBJ im new to site. been ice fishing mostly farmponds since 5yrs old.not triing to find your spot but what is this pipe you talk about???


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## hunt4smallies (Feb 4, 2009)

sam kegg said:


> Im going to take a looksy today at the lake, Im going to try and get on the ice tomorrow with my dad any recomondations on where to stay clear off and where to fish?


My brother and i were there fri. sat. were some spots that looked kind of yellowish that when you walked on was mooshy on top made it to big island drilled hole about 100 yrds off shore (4") good ice went in 20yrds 2"of bad ice 2" of water 2" of good ice!?!? was not thrilled about that stuff...caught 40 between 2 couple hr days,nothing big but was great get out there!!!


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## sam kegg (Jun 23, 2007)

Thanks hunt i will be sure to stay away from that 2 inch area!!


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## joerugz (Feb 28, 2007)

There is a pipe going under the road (Congress Lake Rd) connecting the east and west (main lake) side of the lake. It's usually open or very thin at best. Like paintEd mentioned, there is a painted mark on the guardrail showing where the pipe is. If you're walking north onto the lake from the main parking area next to the dock, the pipe is on your left (west) up against the road. Avoid that area. 

I remember ice fishing on the east side while a boat was fishing on the west side pipe area.


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## mrphish42 (Jan 24, 2008)

Huntforsmallies........read paintedEd's post #6) he explains where to find the pipe.... which is a culvert pipe that runs under Congress Lake RD. JOERUGZ........PURELY A OPTICAL ILLUSION......HAHA... I HAVE DONE QUITE WELL, IN ALL THAT AREA NEARER THE ROAD OVER THE YEARS. WHERE THE WATER RUNS CLOSER TO 7/8 FT.......DRAW BACK IS ROAD NOISE AND THE PROVERBIAL "HORN/BLOWING JERK/JERKS, THAT DRIVE BY TOSSING CRUDE REMARKS OUT OF HIS BODY ORIFICE THAT UNBEKNOWNST TO HIM, WAS SWAPPED AT BIRTH WITH THE OTHER ANAL ORIFICE AND HE HAS ONLY THIS METHOD OF REMOVING CRANIAL AND DIGESTIVE PRESSURES......... BUT,BOYS WILL BE BOYS...........OTHER THAN THAT.... THE ATMOSPHERE IS EXTREMELY REWARDING.........AND SOMETIMES I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE THE LONGER HAUL TO THE BAY ON THE NORTH SHORE OR TO THE POINT OF THE BIG ISLAND.....jON sR.


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## sam kegg (Jun 23, 2007)

I checked out that area yesterday and its not hard to miss(open water) Im picking up my dad and heading out to palm rd today I herd someone had a good day out there 40 gills, atleast thats what the guy said at the bait shop


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## WestBranchJoe (Jan 13, 2009)

mrphish42 I will definitely stay in touch. I mostly ice fish mogadore and if you see my shanty out there stop by an say hello. I have a frabill outback and on one of the doors is a welcome sign for all OGF and IS members. So if any members see me feel free to stop by and introduce yourselves. 

I would have responded yesterday to you and hunt4smallies but soon after I posted the UPS man showed up with my Marcum lx-3 tc and I had to go play with my new toy lol.

I am taking my dad out to CLR today but I don't think we will be there until 6:30 pm. So I hope we can pick up some crappie.

Does anyone know if the snow got bad on the ice or was there enough wind to keep it blown off?


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## hunt4smallies (Feb 4, 2009)

sam kegg said:


> I checked out that area yesterday and its not hard to miss(open water) Im picking up my dad and heading out to palm rd today I herd someone had a good day out there 40 gills, atleast thats what the guy said at the bait shop


Hey sk how was the ice there off palm?


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## hunt4smallies (Feb 4, 2009)

Im gonna try to get back to clrd wed. or thur. anyone been there since weekend? Did snow hurt ice???


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## mrphish42 (Jan 24, 2008)

WestBranchJoe.........I'm with ya on that new Marcum Locator... guy.....Sometimes you gotta/gotta/gotta......just do it........Here's hoping that it's going to be all you expected it to be........I just got switched from a FL8 Vex to a FL18........and I'm totally elated with it.....it does all I"ll ever want......Well guy.........good luck to you and dad in your quest for crappies.........We'll cross path there this season......good fishin....jON sR.


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## sam kegg (Jun 23, 2007)

Palm rd was pretty thick. 5 to 6 inchs didnt catch a thing but it was still fun


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