# Latest Ice We've Experienced?



## icebucketjohn (Dec 22, 2005)

Don't recall not having safe ice on inland lakes this late in the season. 

Ever remember having a zero year of no ice whatsoever?

This sucks. I'm climbing the walls!


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## zpyles_00 (Dec 15, 2004)

i've only been icing for about 17 years now, but i can say i don't remember ever not getting on the ice at all. 

I do see alot of changes though. My father used to take me ice fishing for my b-day the first week of march every year. I know a couple times in the last 5 years, that first week of march we were boat fishing and i specifically remember one year getting a sunburn that first week of march. 

Anyone who says global warming isn't an issue is a fool. But this is a strange year, normally global warming in our region causes colder winters because of all the glacier ice cooling down the ocean water temps.


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## hardwaterfan (Apr 6, 2004)

i think its extremely unlikely that we will not get any good ice this season. it sucks living on the edge of "ice country" but theres nothing we can do about that. the forecast looks normal again. actually the last two years we havent had good (or any) ice at this time and now this year makes three in a row. actually it might be four in a row.


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## backagainbaha (Dec 3, 2004)

It is especially tough when you have a new Vexilar, Mail order Waxies and Maggots and new blades auger blades for the Mako in standby mode!!!!


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## 1977 walleye guy (Mar 11, 2006)

Mainly the reason I've held off on a bait order this Yr......Just don't want to have to fool with storage an keeping them alive until we get some good Ice.
HWF is right about not having any safe Ice until Feb. or so.

Not that I was ice fishing 20 yrs. ago but, but I can remember Ice hanging around until late march, April as a kid. Truth is If we want a guarantee of Ice, start looking for a new job,house up north, north west, or north east my friend. Ohio has become the state where the " freeze" line is..... 

But for the mass of us, relocating for a shot at good ice fishing isn't doable......at least at this time


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## Whaler (Nov 16, 2004)

We'll get it. We didn't get good ice until about this time last year. We were still going out in boats last January then all of a sudden Winter came and we fished on the ice up in to March.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

be carefull what you wish for. If you were to move to minnesota where there is tons of ice. you would get two things. the ability to ice fish all you want. and tougher more crowded fishing conditions. Here in Ohio we have a longer warm water season so I would argue that when the lakes finally freeze we have better ice fishing than in many places. Just look at the number and size of fish that come through the ice at places like the western basin of erie, presque isle, panfish and eyes at places like, piedmont, mosquito, alum, indian, buckeye and im sure many more. Harder to get on but awesome low pressure fishing where the fish grow way faster each year. If you don't beleive me just look at the fishing pressure and the results that people get up in michigan at places like houghton lake. tons of ice and tons of fishermen complaining. I took a trip up to lake hubbard a few years back for 2 days. you could drive on the ice, but you couldn't catch a fish if you had too. You could never go two days on a lake around here with nothing at all to show for it.


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## billybob7059 (Mar 27, 2005)

Ya I think will get Ice good ice around the first week of Feb. or so. Until then all you can go is look at the forcast and pray for colder weather.


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## papaperch (Apr 12, 2004)

Big Joshy said:


> be carefull what you wish for. If you were to move to minnesota where there is tons of ice. you would get two things. the ability to ice fish all you want. and tougher more crowded fishing conditions. Here in Ohio we have a longer warm water season so I would argue that when the lakes finally freeze we have better ice fishing than in many places. Just look at the number and size of fish that come through the ice at places like the western basin of erie, presque isle, panfish and eyes at places like, piedmont, mosquito, alum, indian, buckeye and im sure many more. Harder to get on but awesome low pressure fishing where the fish grow way faster each year. If you don't beleive me just look at the fishing pressure and the results that people get up in michigan at places like houghton lake. tons of ice and tons of fishermen complaining. I took a trip up to lake hubbard a few years back for 2 days. you could drive on the ice, but you couldn't catch a fish if you had too. You could never go two days on a lake around here with nothing at all to show for it.


I hope you are kidding about not wanting to live in Minnesota because the ice fishing is poor. The biggest ice tackle sports show is held in Minneapolis every year. Almost 100 % of your ice fishing gurus originally lived in Minnesota. Ohio cannot hold a candle to Minnesota when it comes to any type of fishing. Your reasoning about longer seasons mean less and smaller fish. Explain why Floridas bass are so much bigger when they have 12 months every year to catch them. If I thought my wife could handle it . I would have moved there. Unforunately she thinks anything under 60 degress is cold. Believe me the subject has come up. I could afford another house but not the DIVORCE that would go with my new Minnesota house


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## 1catdaddy1 (Jan 29, 2007)

Last year was close to this time for good safe ice,but it is later than 10-15 years ago.Mid-Jan to about the first to second week of March have been the norm for a few years if I am not mistaken.Otherwise,if You have a boat,go for it,basically the same fishing,but different if that makes any sense.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

I am not kidding. Here are my arguments.
Yes- minnesota is the crown jewel of ice fishing. Because its frozen for half the year.
NO- I think you misunderstood me, Im saying that fish grow faster here than in minnesota, therefore the fish are renewed faster. Why do people from wisconsin and minnesota drve to erie to fish????? because there is nothing else like it in their neck of the woods. 

Yes- im sure there is lots of fine ice fishing in Minnesota, I would say its mainly because of their sheer number and size of lakes to fish. It distributes the fishing pressure. I was trying to compare Our short time on the ice to the long time that people in other states like michigan, wisconsin, and minnesota experience. maybe its just my perception but it seems to me that people up there sure go gaga over a 4 lb walleye or a 10 inch perch or crappie in all the ice fishing videos that Ive seen on the net. ( not that I wouldn't either  )

Bottom line- Id rather have 1 week of fishing on erie or presque isle over 3 weeks at some random lake in michgan catching the occasional eye or crappie while getting harassesd by the Michigan DNR on snowmobiles and fighting to catch spooky fish in gin clear water with 200 guys all around using as many tip ups as the can. 

If Ohio was covered in lakes like minnesota It would be the fishing capital of america, and for a few short weeks every year, the best ice fishing ever.


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## swantucky (Dec 21, 2004)

I don't start getting nervous about the lack of ice untill bow season is over. If we don't have ice then who knows what trouble I will get into before river walleye season starts.


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## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

One problem we have is that we get a freeze in early december and MOST of us winterize our boats and put them away to protect our motors. Not many of us want to pull them back out and have to do it over again. Next year i'm going to put it away for a couple weeks, bring it out for a few more after the thaw, and then winterize it in mid-january. Actually, unless its an I/O, we wont have to. Only going to be put up for 6 or 7 weeks. But watch.... next year we'll get a deep freeze by turkey day.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

you know its warm when... I went to the local pond today JAN 10 and the bluegill were hitting the float on the top of the water, bass and crappie were smacking husky jerks in 1 ft of water. It was like fishing in april or may.


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## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

Big Joshy said:


> you know its warm when... I went to the local pond today JAN 10 and the bluegill were hitting the float on the top of the water, bass and crappie were smacking husky jerks in 1 ft of water. It was like fishing in april or may.


You are so right. Look what i caught monday.... from shore.
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/IMG_0007.jpg


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## 1977 walleye guy (Mar 11, 2006)

Big Joshy said:


> . You could never go two days on a lake around here with nothing at all to show for it.



Careful Josh....I might hold you too a little challenge on that.....I know a reservior that has humbled some better Ice fisherman than me .....LOL


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

better than you !!!! is that really saying much 
Give me some ice and Ill show you how its done!


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## 1977 walleye guy (Mar 11, 2006)

Big Joshy said:


> better than you !!!! is that really saying much
> Give me some ice and Ill show you how its done!


ouch brother......HAHA  But I'm a fast learner....


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

im just joking... Im guessing that there are some excellent well prepared ice fishermen in ohio because we get to spend 90% of our winter preparing to ice fish!!!


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## icebucketjohn (Dec 22, 2005)

I can attest to Minnesota being an ice fishing mecca. I was up there from February to Mid-May last year working. I was working just south of Minneapolis and did get to visit the Cabela's store about an hour drive southward on I-35. Man what a store & what an experience!

3ft of ice was something I'd never experienced. Nobody uses hand augers. Everybody has 3-4ft extensions to their power augers.


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## swone (Jan 24, 2007)

Check out last year's temps for january. I don't think we were on the ice much last year after the thaw on the first of the year until February. Sure, we had the week long tease in December, but it was really late before Erie froze last year. I still have hope for this year. Here's a link to last years jan. temps. 

that link didn't work. You can see it under the National Weather Service Climate summaries

p.s. I was thinking of two years ago when we had the early freeze in mid dec. that thawed. We never did get safe ice again.


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## jmenchhofer (Jan 12, 2007)

In my area last year, I don't think I fished until very early February. We probably had safe ice at the end of January. I think we had about three weeks worth of safe ice, so I am still holding out hope for an ice season this year. I would feel a lot better if the extended forecast would show me some lower temperatures, though.


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