# First sign of open water



## WALLEYE WALLHANGIN' (May 10, 2008)

Who's going? First weekend the can area is open we will be out.looking like late march hopefully sooner!


----------



## WEISSGUY (Mar 14, 2012)

Me! Not a Hard Water guy, so I got the itch!


----------



## WALLEYE WALLHANGIN' (May 10, 2008)

The dhjs and per 10s are screaming from the basement&#128540;


----------



## Jim Stedke (Dec 5, 2005)

What we need is an open ramp. The lake will be open up before the ramps usually. 

There ain't nobody any more anxious than me.

COME ON SPRING!!!


----------



## steelies'n'eyes (Jul 12, 2012)

Amen. I'm dying here...


----------



## island troller (Nov 14, 2007)

Jim Stedke said:


> What we need is an open ramp. The lake will be open up before the ramps usually.
> 
> There ain't nobody any more anxious than me.
> 
> COME ON SPRING!!!


You are right Jim on an open ramp as the lake will open first. Once it's close I always check the ramps daily and try to get out the very second one is open. It usually means dodging ice bergs on that first launching. I guess it's just an obsession I have to see if I can be the first one out on open water or least that first possible day.


----------



## Sculpin67 (Dec 11, 2007)

I'm going early. I normally go out of Wild Wings. Is there someone that might open earlier, or do the canels open before the lake?

I love the sound of breaking through the ice..... while I'm in my boat, not when I'm on top of it...


----------



## ErieGoldSportfishing (Feb 5, 2009)

WALLEYE WALLHANGIN' said:


> Who's going? First weekend the can area is open we will be out.looking like late march hopefully sooner!


Late March? Have you been out there lately??


----------



## Meat-Man (Mar 30, 2014)

Outside board!!!


----------



## Fishtank133 (Feb 19, 2012)

I requested april 20th through april 27th hoping that will be MY opening weekend. Lets hope the spring bite is in full swing by then! Still a little ways away! I have a FEVER! and the only perscription is netting some walleyes!


----------



## WALLEYE WALLHANGIN' (May 10, 2008)

MageeEast said:


> Late March? Have you been out there lately??



Yeah last week- not interfering in your scoops - she's changed a lot in 2 days..


----------



## Brahmabull71 (Jul 30, 2014)

Pretty sure this is going to be me...


----------



## Igotgills2 (Apr 23, 2013)

+1 Meat man.


----------



## boatnut (Nov 22, 2006)

I got taught the 3 R's in grade school. Far as I got. Readin' writin' and route 23. I'll be taking 441 from northern Florida on Saturday or Sunday and picking up rt. 23 NE of Atlanta and taking a few days to get back to the lake. Looking forward to the 2015 open water season!


----------



## ErieGoldSportfishing (Feb 5, 2009)

WALLEYE WALLHANGIN' said:


> Yeah last week- not interfering in your scoops - she's changed a lot in 2 days..


Still 16-18" of hard ice today. Next week cools down a bit. I'm looking forward to ice out but it looks like it will be a while.


----------



## Deadeyedeek (Feb 12, 2014)

boatnut, probally pass ya on the way down sat, gotta go to Cocoa beach, for a few days, pick up a boat and bring her back..might be good to get away.


----------



## WEISSGUY (Mar 14, 2012)

I'll be behind you Brahmabull71!!


----------



## Cashregisterface (Jun 1, 2012)

Nice cartoon bull. I'm sure that caught everyone's attention


----------



## hearttxp (Dec 21, 2004)

boatnut said:


> I got taught the 3 R's in grade school. Far as I got. Readin' writin' and route 23. I'll be taking 441 from northern Florida on Saturday or Sunday and picking up rt. 23 NE of Atlanta and taking a few days to get back to the lake. Looking forward to the 2015 open water season!


Mike I made my return trip from the Fla Keys Monday. Was a great month.

Will be up at Catawba next week to pull cover off and start prep work. 

I know I will be done before the ice clears out of the harbor and will be waiting to launch.


----------



## SPLMAX SAM (Jul 10, 2010)

I am ready


----------



## tomb (Oct 9, 2004)

WALLEYE WALLHANGIN' said:


> Who's going? First weekend the can area is open we will be out.looking like late march hopefully sooner!


You will have plenty of company. Hope we're not breaking ice the first weekend of April like last year.


----------



## WALLEYE WALLHANGIN' (May 10, 2008)

Sledgehammer ready..


----------



## Hetfieldinn (May 17, 2004)

Seems to always be around March 22nd when it opens up and is fishable, no matter how thick the ice was. Might have to dodge some icebergs, though.


----------



## pelagic (Jul 12, 2012)

Today's modis....Is that all open water on the north end with cloud cover, or really thin ice? 

Its going to go fast...just need some good winds to break it up then push it east of the islands:T


----------



## zeroguage419 (Nov 17, 2013)

pelagic said:


> Today's modis....Is that all open water on the north end with cloud cover, or really thin ice?
> 
> Its going to go fast...just need some good winds to break it up then push it east of the islands:T


Where did you find today's modis imagery? I looked on NOAA and all i could find was yesterdays.. Anyway, that north end looks a little scary!


----------



## pelagic (Jul 12, 2012)

http://ge.ssec.wisc.edu/modis-today/

That will have the modis images before the NOAA site will, they also have all the historical images too.


----------



## SELL-FISH (Feb 9, 2007)

Hetfieldinn said:


> Seems to always be around March 22nd when it opens up and is fishable, no matter how thick the ice was. Might have to dodge some icebergs, though.


3-22 is a great day. My bday dinner at Nagoya was a good one. The next day not so good.


----------



## zeroguage419 (Nov 17, 2013)

pelagic said:


> http://ge.ssec.wisc.edu/modis-today/
> 
> That will have the modis images before the NOAA site will, they also have all the historical images too.


Thank you!!!!


----------



## rockytop (Mar 19, 2008)

this is the last one of the day, real clear. http://coastwatch.glerl.noaa.gov/mo...sub&image=a1.15070.1907.LakeErie.143.250m.jpg


----------



## No-Net (Jan 8, 2007)

Looks like a lot of slush on top of the ice but with this sunny and warm temperatures it should open up quick. I would guess by Easter


----------



## scarywater (Jun 5, 2014)

Why does the ice on Lake Ontario, which is farther north than Lake Erie, clear much earlier than Erie?


----------



## honey (Oct 13, 2006)

Lake Ontario does not freeze


----------



## No-Net (Jan 8, 2007)

Lake Erie is the shallowest it freezes over the quickest.
Ontario is deeper in average less likely to freeze over.


----------



## sylvan 17 (May 22, 2010)

That ice looks like it is breaking up fast.


----------



## eyedreamn (Jun 12, 2011)

scarywater said:


> Why does the ice on Lake Ontario, which is farther north than Lake Erie, clear much earlier than Erie?


Lake Ontario also has mad currents. That helps to keep the ice off.


----------



## WALLEYE WALLHANGIN' (May 10, 2008)

Lookin like 2 weeks the way modis shows.


----------



## Jim Stedke (Dec 5, 2005)

It could much quicker than that if we get a good stiff SW wind. The main lake is fractured and would collapse with 5 or 6' waves.

Ice guys beware the SW wind.


----------



## EyeCatchEm (Jan 6, 2014)

Friday will get dangerous with 57 degrees 20 mph south winds and rain 


Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


----------



## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

I redy fish open water,it is only 8",and I have to open that myself,every morning.

sighn of spring
people sink few qads,
coast gard resque few floting fisherman of floting ice,
then 2 weeks after that ,is open water fishing


----------



## eyedreamn (Jun 12, 2011)

Jim Stedke said:


> It could much quicker than that if we get a good stiff SW wind. The main lake is fractured and would collapse with 5 or 6' waves.
> 
> Ice guys beware the SW wind.


I like the way you put that Jim she's fractured. Now it's time to crumble...

I'm pulling my boat out of storage on Monday. Gonna load'r up next week and wait for the fat lady to sing....


And I ain't doing no frickin jiggn its big girl time....


----------



## Jim Stedke (Dec 5, 2005)

Keep me in mind. I just might be able to break away.


----------



## The_Hillbilly (Jun 28, 2014)

The hillbilly will be enroute west as soon as you guys say it's open!


----------



## Overwatchmike (Mar 16, 2013)

I'm heading that way too as soon as hear it's open. Going to start putting all the new goodies on the boat this coming up week... Have to remove the (now) 3 foot piles that are still surrounding it first.


----------



## brent k (Nov 10, 2013)

Got a few things to do to the boats this weekend then i hope to get one trip in before my surgery april 1st. Im about to go just accidently borrow the coastguards ice breaker and make a hole myself. Think they ll notice


----------



## idontknow316 (Mar 21, 2008)

I got my renewed towing insurance card, my trailer sticker for the tags, now to re line the trolling rods and change the oil in the kicker and I'm good to go!


----------



## sylvan 17 (May 22, 2010)

eyedreamn said:


> I like the way you put that Jim she's fractured. Now it's time to crumble...
> 
> I'm pulling my boat out of storage on Monday. Gonna load'r up next week and wait for the fat lady to sing....
> 
> ...


 I like what your saying!


----------



## kraftmatic (Dec 28, 2007)

Any suggestions on what marina opens up first? Thanks


----------



## island troller (Nov 14, 2007)

Did my first launch tour today. Catawba and Mazurik are still frozen in. (Surprise). However I did see some open water off Mouse Island today. ATV is in the barn and the b[YOUTUBE][/YOUTUBE]oat is ready !!!


----------



## Sculpin67 (Dec 11, 2007)

I put a new trailer jack on (old one is in the classified ads), and installed some rod holders. Tomorrow, I am hoping to put the radio in...

My boat isn't a coast guard icebreaker, but it's close...haha. I'm taking my boat to the reefs in two weeks. I just hope I don't need the waders and ice spud to launch it. I'm sure that if there is ice, it won't be strong, right?


----------



## mt111 (Jun 1, 2013)

I'm thinking 2 weeks myself, boats ready . tweaking gear now!!!


----------



## alighthouse (Jul 24, 2006)

Whats site of satellite. View of the lake?


----------

