# Ice???



## outdoorsjunkie08 (Dec 4, 2006)

When will the first ice come??


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## J-fish (Jan 5, 2007)

When the water reaches 32 degrees
Sorry couldnt resist. not sure but there was ice on skeeter and ponds last week should be soon.

There's one!!!


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## wave warrior (Oct 2, 2005)

3 weeks MAX!!!! i hope...


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## zpyles_00 (Dec 15, 2004)

depending on how much rain indian got over the weekend, i'm guessing we could be on by this weekend if you're stupid..... I mean brave.


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## 1977 walleye guy (Mar 11, 2006)

Zpyles.... with all that warmer water flowing into indian, your kidding right ?

At the earliest I'd say two weeks on small water's, but i hope sooner!!! can't wait!!


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## smallie75 (Dec 9, 2005)

Larger lakes like Mosquito will not have safe hard Ice until late January if at all. We might have a 1-2 week window at some point. Smaller lakes like Findley, Portage, will have some Ice mid January. Ponds should have thick enough Ice to fish, if lucky, the first week of January. The ice fishing gets less and less every year. We can get a good year, but they are calling for a warmer winter on average this year. My trips are planned above Ohio- it's the only weather you can count on. Weather up till the first of January shows no signs of good ice making-- you'll see some nights in the low20's and think it will make ice, but if the wind is blowing like it has and usually does it just stops the ice maker. The biggest problem here is, we need 2 solid weeks of frigid temps and little to no wind... then having 30 highs during the day and 20 at night, the ice will hold. We get too much of 3 days of really cold, then 2 days in the 40's with sun,wind,rain........Bottom line is that you can never put a date on it.......we have a better chance with a boat then with a shanty! 


maybe this post will backfire on me and we'll all be drilling holes in 2 weeks!!!


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## zpyles_00 (Dec 15, 2004)

I'm not sure, i think i can get out on the back waters of indian this weekend........ put it this way, i'm packing my gear and driving up first thing sat morn to find out! 

If you never hear from me again................. I was wrong lol !!!!

I stood on my pond this morning about 2 ft off the bank and it has an areator that runs 24/7 1.25acres and 15ft deep


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## erieflyguy (Dec 6, 2007)

Skeeter won't have what I consider to be "safe ice" (at least 6 inches) for another 5-6 weeks, I'd guess.

I really haven't noticed a decline in ice fishing season as some people say. I think it was about three years ago now, I was on a small pond, three days before Christmas that had 8 inches of good solid ice which all melted off the next week and we didn't have much of an ice season. But that was a fluky year. I usually don't get out until mid-January and fish through February. 

That's how it's been for the 10 years I've been ice fishing. They're calling for a fairly warm week, but I'll believe that when I see.


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## JIG (Nov 2, 2004)

With all the rain we got and the Res like Skeeter and Milton, itll be awhile. Most the small ponds and lakes are clear and temps back up into the 40 range weekend might put it off for awhile. Pending on the next snap off cold weather that rolls south, Ill give it a month. Wether its safe ice is another thing. With ALL the melting and freezing that comes with the season change we need cold nights with no snow. From then itll be 1 week.


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## backagainbaha (Dec 3, 2004)

erieflyguy said:


> Skeeter won't have what I consider to be "safe ice" (at least 6 inches) for another 5-6 weeks, I'd guess.
> 
> I really haven't noticed a decline in ice fishing season as some people say. I think it was about three years ago now, I was on a small pond, three days before Christmas that had 8 inches of good solid ice which all melted off the next week and we didn't have much of an ice season. But that was a fluky year. I usually don't get out until mid-January and fish through February.
> 
> That's how it's been for the 10 years I've been ice fishing. They're calling for a fairly warm week, but I'll believe that when I see.



That was 2 years ago as I recall. I was in between jobs and had time off before x-mas. Me and my pops got out 4 times the during the 2 weeks before x-mas and never out again. The reason I know it was 2 years ago- is that my father bought me a Clam for X-mas and we never used it till last year.


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## captmike (Feb 16, 2007)

the water temps are staying down. as long as we don't get some crazy 50 degree week or a bunch of warm rain we just need a couple cold calm weeks. never know when we could get them.


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## zpyles_00 (Dec 15, 2004)

just went outside for lunch and all hopes of getting on the ice this weekend, in ohio anyway, have went down the crapper lol 

it's almost hot compared to what it's been the last 3-4 days, and the ice was forming so well too!


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## zpyles_00 (Dec 15, 2004)

It wouldn't be so bad if i didn't wasn't going to be off work for 11 days straight!


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## Ted Dressel (Dec 16, 2006)

I went out to lunch today at the local metro park.The pond there had ice,but I'm sure it wasn't safe.By this weekend it will be open water with the temps rising.


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## smallie75 (Dec 9, 2005)

Early two week report shows major ice making possibilities starting the 30th of the month-- I see lows in the teens and possible single digits.....


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## peple of the perch (Sep 13, 2004)

Im thinking 2 weeks. But hopefully sooner.


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## icefisherman4life (Aug 5, 2007)

I live near the portage lakes and the majority of them have a thin sheet of ice on top. Lord I hope they get thick quick


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## snake69 (Sep 26, 2005)

Two yrs ago, we were fishing Mogadore during Thanksgiving weekend. Less than 2 weeks after that, Mosquito was loaded with shanties, like 30-40. The ice was well into 10" before the weather took a ****. The very brave were still fishing on 3" of ice and 2" of water on New Years! I quit about Dec 27-28th that year. We got another week, week and a half in Feb and that was it!


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## fish master (Dec 24, 2005)

I went by skeeter yesterday and to bad to say.. i seen no ice as of yet. i feel the itch wanna get out tthere.. by the way does anyone happen to have an auger that they would lilke to sell. 8'' perferbly. just pm me:B


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## Hoosier Daddy (Aug 19, 2005)

Got out on a small private pond in NW Ohio yesterday.

3 inches of good ice. Another 3-4 inches of white ice.

Two nice gills and a ton of dinks.

Anyone else been out in OH yet this year?


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## zpyles_00 (Dec 15, 2004)

nope, and please don't rub it in too bad lol


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## zpyles_00 (Dec 15, 2004)

A drive to northern MI or out to MN during my 11 day vacation keeps gettin more and more intysing.................. if only I had someone to split the gas with.................???????


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## 1catdaddy1 (Jan 29, 2007)

if you even think about ice anywhere but michigan-wisconsin and so on right now, you are crazy- next two days in the upper 30's to low 40's depending on your location-but i am wishing for ice quickly.good luck to all and please be safe,a few fish aren't worth falling through!


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## zpyles_00 (Dec 15, 2004)

Hey Catdaddy, whats your name? 

Just wondering if I know you or not. I do alot of running round in U-Town.


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## papaperch (Apr 12, 2004)

In my 50+ years of icefishing the critical average was fishable ice between Christmas and New Years. Sometimes a little earlier sometimes a little later.
I remember about 30 years ago some wholesaler ordered 2 gross of hand augers. The previous year he had sold out 3 times and 1/2 way into the season he had to turn away auger sales as he could not get anymore that year.

That season I do not think it ever got colder than 40 degrees. Christmas eve I was picking nightcrawlers in my backyard that year. Next two years had a little ice season. The tail end of the seventies was more than cold enough and great ice seasons were had. Except the snow was 6ft deep in some spots. My wholesaler friend never got back into stocking ice tackle as it took too long to get rid of all of them.

Thats why retailers around here do not embrace the ice season too iffy. Of course this just happens to be my favorite pastime. So I suffer along with the rest of you.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

Looks like we get one last warm up this weekend then its ice making weather as far as the eye can see. Lets just hope that we don't get any heavy snowfall to slow things down. Im guessing that alot of people will get out for the first time between christmas and new years just like papaperch said!


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## minnowseinetackle (Sep 28, 2007)

We are really excited about the ice too! We watched this video and we think it is very important for everyone who will be hitting the ice to be aware of...
http://www.lake-link.com/icefishing/icesafetyvideo.cfm


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## smallie75 (Dec 9, 2005)

Thanks for sharing! The point of leveling out your body and kicking was a great point!


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