You will recall I had a post on ice fishing on Eagle Nest Lake last week. Well, today’s paper has some safety tips on ice fishing. It takes 4 to 6 inches of clear ice to support you….When it melts and re-freezes it can be weakened….Don’t go out on ice near open waters…Ice should be 8 to 10 inches to support a vehicle..A good rule is not to take a vehicle on the ice unless other vehicles are there already….Now wait a cotton-picking minute, I can just see a parking lot full on a lake of 8 inch ice and you are saying “now its ok to go out there” but a while ago when there were only a couple it was kind of dangerous…Whoa, no sir, I’ll just wait ’til summer, thank you….

For the Birds, Bill Dyroff reports those little buggers are visiting around, not staying put. You remember the report last week, huh?…Well, Bosque Del Apache light geese is now 2693 down from 20,264 last week and Middle Rio Grande Valley’s sandhill crane are 24,019 up from 20,577 last week. Bitter Lake had 20,912 light geese…I am thinking maybe some of those guys are throwing parties, inviting the ladies from other locations and just having a big time while down here in New Mexico…Reckon?

On the contest at Eagle Nest Lake Ice Fishing  last week, those folks were not scared. Jon Courtnay of Santa Fe won the biggest trout prize of $576 with a 18.75 inch Rainbow. Biggest perch was won by Bill Dooley of South Fork, Colo, a prize of $336 for a 12 1/2 perch. The youth division was won by James Chaves, Jr. with a 9 3/4 inch yellow perch. There were 199 brave souls out on the ice, but they did not report the number of 4 x 4 and jeeps out there, which I would be curious to know. Apparently, no one fell through the ice…Whew, thank goodness….

The Boss was not too happy with Girlfriend so now I am going to try, “My Lady”. Now that’s a good name, ain’t it? Check back in next week for reports on black eyes or such…I’m kidding, she does not beat me….well, not yet anyway…Naw, she’s a good’un…good’er than gold…good’er than silver…good’er than a pile of chocolate candy…well, it almost rhymes..So, I’m taking My Lady out for Mexican food at Los Compadres today (if it stops snowing). It gonna be a good day, folks, a good day….