Got ice?

[ctom]

In the last week I have had the occasion to chat with three or four of my friends who ice fish and every one of them has mentioned the ice depth around here. All of these guys have had to install extensions on their augers....extensions of at least 12"....just to get thru the ice and that's AFTER they shovel snow to the ice to bored holes. And right now we're in the midst of another six to 8 day run of temps with night-time lows at around -15 degrees or colder.

After the mess that hit us last week with super wet snow to 12", high winds and drifting, most lakes and river ice has around 20 to 30 inches of snow cover with up to 9 inches of slush under that snow. AND, the permanent ice houses have to be off this weekend. Man, am I happy I quit ice fishing.

[matt]

I was going ask do you got snow 

[grayth]

Up here in Canada ice fishing is well next to hockey a fav pastime - but my greatest fear is when all this melts in the spring the flooding is going to be huge


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[ctom]

I was going ask do you got snow 

I had to clear trails out thru the yard just to fill bird feeders. I have over 30" on level ground where wind and the snow blower hasn't affected the depths. I'm too old to be wading thru that much just to make the birds happy so the blower went thru a couple passes to make sure my feathered buddies have some eats.

[pjmcla]

I feel for you folks.  Our trees are budding and the winter grasses are green.  To think there is 30 inches of snow and minus 0 temps makes my bones hurt.  Hopefully spring will come soon.

[Partycrasher]

Here is what west winds at 40-45 mph will do to an ice covered harbor in one day!  Those poor people in Michigan have all our ice now!  Not that this will last, but we are enjoying a little open water for now.

Marc

[Brent]

we are about 20+ inches ourselves, the rain last week knocked the snow down to bearable levels and travel on most lakes is pretty easy. We dont have a lot of permanent shacks  here in Illinois, most guys stay mobile

[weltzing63]

Up here in west central WI we have about 3 ft of ice, 2ft of snow on top of the ice, with 1ft of slush under the snow. The lakes are a mess! The guys with permanent shacks have until Saturday to get them off the lakes....Goodluck

[ctom]

I've been reading some of the horror stories about local guys getting their shacks off the ice by tomorrow's deadline.

[efishnc]

I don't know how you can be a resident up there, grayth... I tip my hat to you.   

I've been trying to get the wife to move south for the last couple of years, but she wants to stay close to family and friends.  I like the warmer temps not only because they are simply more pleasant to the body, but because I absolutely crave open water fishing.  Ice fishing is ok, but to me it's like putting a Band-Aid on a severed limb - although it may help keep me from losing all my blood, the real healing doesn't start until I get my casting arm back.