# Southwest Ohio ice reports



## ChrisB (May 13, 2004)

No question about it we are going to have ice this year. I drive by several lakes and ponds a week and thought we could all post ice reports of are favorite spots in the area. I hit some spots at Winton Woods today that we at least 3" thick. These were all coves and creeks, the main lake looked like it was getting skim ice a lot of places last thursday. You cant fish the main ice fish the main lake as far as I know. The 3.5 acre pond I fish is froze over but not quite thick enough yet. I only drilled a few holes and it was 2" give or take. Next week it should be on at a lot of places. I'm going to go to East Fork next saturday and fish some coves, they should have good ice on them by then.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

I just checked my pond west of dayton. 2.75" but many folks above Rt 70 are reporting 4-5" already and only 11 miles north of me, Just depends on the watershed. Be safe early on and happy hunting, looks like we will be good in a few more days of this cold weather. 

Salmonid


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

FYI as of yesterday (1-02), Eastwood Lake only had skim ice on half the lake and the wind was eating it up pretty bad.


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## Bassnpro1 (Apr 6, 2004)

A 3/4 acre pond in Springboro had 2.75" as of 10am Sunday. I'll be hitting up some coves on CC for crappie on Wednesday if anyone wants to join.


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## crappie4me (Jan 25, 2009)

the only hamilton county park lake you can ice fish is miami whitewater..i think it has to be a min of 3"


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## AnglinMueller (May 16, 2008)

Anyone know how the ice at acton is doing?


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## Hillbilly910 (Jan 6, 2009)

CC today had a little ice in the 73 bridge cove, not much. Also the river is froze up. Nowhere near the ice i thought it would have, water was realling rolling today.
Havent been to acton yet. As long as they dont close the road down again this year, hope to do some fishing towards the dam.
Heading back to indian till it tightens up down here.
Rush run might be sooner than later too, anybody checked it?

HB:G


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## Yates (Dec 24, 2007)

ChrisB said:


> No question ice this year. I thought we could all post ice reports of are favorite spots in the area. I'm going to go to East Fork next saturday and fish some coves, they should have good ice on them by then.


January 1st; I fished East Fork today with Starvin, slow but better then last week end, we had some big blacks & whites crappies,... (the river is iced over, no ice on the main lake.) 

January 2nd; WE fished East Fork today, not as good as fri,... (the river is iced over with a little ice in the coves no ice on the main lake.)... we fished upper & lower end..

January 3rd fished today, it was the slowest of the last 3 days, we had 25+ but it was a tough bite, big wind, very cold, fished upper & lower end... may be the last week we can get out... (Iced over the river...cabin run...popular... black run also the back of elam creek...)*...Not Safe Ice...*


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## TPfisher (Aug 31, 2009)

Hillbilly910 said:


> CC today had a little ice in the 73 bridge cove, not much. Also the river is froze up. Nowhere near the ice i thought it would have, water was realling rolling today.
> Havent been to acton yet. As long as they dont close the road down again this year, hope to do some fishing towards the dam.
> Heading back to indian till it tightens up down here.
> Rush run might be sooner than later too, anybody checked it?
> ...


if you could let us know how you do at Indian, that'd be awesome


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## Hillbilly910 (Jan 6, 2009)

aint gonna make it today, buddy is plowing/salting. We did purty good last week at long island.
Gonna hafta fish local now. Will be fishing whitewater(in IN) for the next few days.
sucks because this snow will shut the road down at acton lake, you can still access from ramps to the beach, but thats about it, the entire south end or deep water is a hike, and not a short one.

HB:G


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## ChrisB (May 13, 2004)

Thanks Yates, hopefully by Saturday or Sunday it will be safe in wind protected coves. I drilled some holes and fished a pond near my house yesterday. Caught a bunch of gills on 1/32 glow jigs tipped with waxys. I couldn't locate the crappie but there wierd in that pond. Never know where they will be. Ice was 3" thick. I was fishing in 4 fow and from what I've seen and heard crappies and gills are still shallow. It makes me feel safer knowing if I fall through(which happened a few times as a kid!) it's only to my waiste or so. A little trick I learned. Turn on your shower full blast on cold and jump in. It will help you learn to handle shock and stay calm. Be safe!


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

anyone know any shops that are carrying Spikes (Maggots) in the Dayton area?


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## ChrisB (May 13, 2004)

Dinkbuster, I get my stuff from Wholesale in Hamilton. They have a whole galaxy of spikes and mousees. A good website too!! Here is there info=Wholesale Bait Co., Inc. 1405 Pleasant Avenue Hamilton, OH 45015 
513-863-2380. I've also ordered spikes off a website before and it worked out great! I put them in the freezer and they lasted all season. I get back with you on the name of the site if there still in buisness.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Dink, Gander carried them last year and tomorrow I am gonna head over there and pick up some spikes, mealworms or waxies,whichever look the best, let me know and ill get you some if you want.
Salmonid


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## Hillbilly910 (Jan 6, 2009)

Hoping to check a couple places today(after i get done ice fishing of course) planning on checking Acton and Rush Run. Will let you know this evening.

HB:G


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

http://www.wholesalebait.com/location.php

1405 Pleasant Avenue
Hamilton, OH 45015
(513) 863-2380


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

FYI, Gander in Hubriar Heights has waxies, mealworms, redworms, white spikes ( sold out of pink spikes) fathead minnows and bass minnows right now.
I picked up some waxies and spikes and another package of spikes for you Dink. Funny how they are almost sold out of shanties and sleds so far this year and told me they probably wont be getting any more in all 12 people shopping there today were in the 10 ft Ice fishing isle....

Salmonid


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## chrsvic (Apr 20, 2005)

Thanks for the tip on Glandular Mtn. I want to get some mealworms to feed the birds, those can be hard to find, and of course difficult to mail order in this weather.

The guy at the bait store in Troy likes mousies - not sure what species those are technically, but ive done well on those and waxworms.

Chrsvic
BTW, Huber Heights is a.k.a. Hubertucky.


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## Hillbilly910 (Jan 6, 2009)

South-eastern IN

whitewater has 3-5 good ice on the north end. Fishing was super slow today, lookers only no takers.

Brookville lake has ice from the fairfield causeway north, and is solid pack from kents north. Drilled 2" of good solid ice slightly snow covered, just waiting for it get thicker.

OH

Acton had 4.5-5" at the boat ramp, only drilled a couple there, and didnt venture out very far, ice looked very good there.
drilled a bunch all around the beach. Theres about 20 yards of old ice( 4-5" cloudy ice) the newer ice is all basicly 3" good super clear ice, about an inch of snow covering it. I would wait till it reaches 4" before ide consider hiking around to fish. the road to the dam and tailwater is close(sign is up anyway).

Rush run had 6" in front of the boat ramp, slightly cloudy and slicker than dog snot, creepers a must where there is no snow. Followed an old shanty trail back into the timber, no eveidence of fish caught, he was using red worms for bait, hard to say how long ago this person was on. 4.5" average ice back in the north end where the timber is.
There is OPEN WATER east of the dam, rather large opening. Stay away from that end, you should be fine at rushrun.

Please make your own decisions about whats safe and whats not, im just relaying what i found. The ice froze funny this year, alot of variance in ice thickness, spud and drill your way around.

Might have a CC report tonight.

HB:G


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Nice report HB910! thanks, I just got out for an hour or so on my pond,( 5-6pm) Near Dayton, drilled 4 holes, all had right at 5" of good clear ice, half windblown, half with 1" of ice on it. anyways for my troubles, I got 3 fish in each of 2 holes, all 6 golden shiners from 5-7", couldnt find the perch, crappies or gills today as i couldnt locate one of my sunken trees, a few more holes and Ill hit paydirt. Not too bad today with your back to the wind. 

Salmonid


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## Bassnpro1 (Apr 6, 2004)

CC is wide open from what I saw. I was wanting to hit a cove that usually has the first safe ice on that lake and it was open water . Ended up fishing a pond in Springboro that had 3" of super clear black ice. Lots of good bluegill, one being 10". 7 bass with the biggest being 15" and a surprise 10lb channel,.


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## Hillbilly910 (Jan 6, 2009)

my buddy didnt check it tonight, but i kinda figured it was open. We stopped couple days ago at the campground ramp, it was froze just a little piece behind the island(the little one by the ramp). If the wind would ever lay down, it would freeze up just about overnight. Also, this snow will help make ice, but it wont help what ice we have...danged if ya do, danged if ya dont

HB:G


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## Yates (Dec 24, 2007)

...3 People Fall Through Ice At Indian Lake
Posted: 8:24 am EST January 8, 2010

LOGAN COUNTY, Ohio -- Authorities said three people fell through the ice at Indian Lake, but were not injured Thursday.

Deputies in Logan County said the victims were on snowmobiles when they fell through the ice. All three of them pulled from the water.

No one was injured


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## Mason52 (Aug 21, 2009)

C C is wide open but for some ice along the protected shore lines that are out of the wind and maybe some coves


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## FSHNERIE (Mar 5, 2005)

I'll check E.F in morning,coves schould be iced over


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## gulfvet (Apr 14, 2004)

dinkbuster1 said:


> FYI as of yesterday (1-02), Eastwood Lake only had skim ice on half the lake and the wind was eating it up pretty bad.


Did you happen to check Blue Lake while you were there?


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## catmando (Aug 21, 2006)

gulfvet said:


> Did you happen to check Blue Lake while you were there?


Can you fish that "blue lake" and do fish even live in it?


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

gulfvet said:


> Did you happen to check Blue Lake while you were there?


last i was over there was on 1-2-10 and blue lake was completely frozen over but only had a thin layer. my guess it is thicker than the big lake right now. 

blue lake has fish, just not many and what few there are grow big. that water is so darn clear and deep its hard to get anything to hit. have caught some really big bluegills, crappie, LM, and even trout out of that Blue lake during open water but they all came from fishing 12+ ft deep. that lake is so deep it would scare me to be out on it unless it was 12+ inches thick. when lake is at normal level it averages 40ft with one area near 50ft. 

from what my Grandfather told me that "blue Lake" was part of a 3-lake Paypond that included what used to Bill and Lola's paylake on Valley street way back in the day. when they dug out Eastwood they absorbed on one the lakes into the new lake and RT.4 cut off what became B+L paylake.


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## jmenchhofer (Jan 12, 2007)

Does anyone know how think the ice is at Loramie, and if anyone's doing any good there?


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## ChrisB (May 13, 2004)

Didn't get to make it out today. Some things fell though plus the Bengals game. I was wondering if any of you wanted companie out on the water. I'll stay out as late as you wont and buy bait/refreshments/gasmoney. Don't have a car right now. I have a lazer 6" auger and a hummingbird fish finder along with some light tackle. A bucket with an big bubbles airrator. Plus knowledge of several lakes in the area. I live in the Mount Healthy area and hopefully someone else lives around here so they dont have to drive to get me just to drive back to where they used to live. I'm not going to get a car for a month or so. My fishing partners and friends hate the cold and after are last trip they wont go anymore. Pm me and lets get on some fish!


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Dinkbuster, Fishdealer and myself hit my pond this afternoon for about 3 hrs and it totally sucked, total catch was 1 -2.5 lb channel cat by the catmiester himself ( Dink) 2 golden shiners not big enough to be bait, 2 mediocre bluegills and a nice perch, drilled a ton of holes in my 3/4 acre pond and 2 fishfinders barely showed more then just bottom. Just couldnt find them I suppose but most fish came out of 6-8 ft of water and nothing out in the deepest water around 11-12 ft. Oh well it was fun getting everyone together for a while and Ill be hitting it for the next few days to see if I can find them. I hope the bite was better for the rest of you guys from say 11-3 pm. 
Salmonid


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

stopped by Eastwood today on the way home. see where someone made tracks in the snow and was fishing over the deep water to the southwest (left) of the ramp. i stopped and drilled a few holes, ice was only about 2 1/2 inch thick out about 50ft from bank. too thin for me to be out of that big lake, especially with snow on it! 

i didnt walk back there (barriers up at entrance to jet-ski area) but i'd bet blue lake was 4 inch or better since it froze up first.


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## slabchaser (Feb 11, 2008)

Chrisb email me with a phone # and see if we could go this week.


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## gulfvet (Apr 14, 2004)

Catmando, Blue Lake is the borrow pit at the far Western end of Eastwood Lake and yes, it has plenty of fish in it. There are some big bass in there, both SMB and LMB, crappies, cats, sunfish and, i am told, saugeyes and yellow perch although I've not caught any of those... yet.


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## catmando (Aug 21, 2006)

gulfvet said:


> Catmando, Blue Lake is the borrow pit at the far Western end of Eastwood Lake and yes, it has plenty of fish in it. There are some big bass in there, both SMB and LMB, crappies, cats, sunfish and, i am told, saugeyes and yellow perch although I've not caught any of those... yet.


The Blue Pit that is at the rt 4 and Stanley exit???


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

catmando said:


> The Blue Pit that is at the rt 4 and Stanley exit???


no he is talking about a smaller lake at the rear of Eastwood Metro Park. its back there on the left across from the jet-ski area. its been know as "blue hole", "blue lake", and "dead mans pond". all depends on who you ask lol. 

the blue lake you are talking about at stanley is an old "lime pit" that they are currently cleaning up.


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## Hillbilly910 (Jan 6, 2009)

gonna try acton in the afternoon. Will let ya know how it goes. Probably start out around the beach, but ive been know to hike miles on ice. Brown carharts and orange sled, if your out and about, stop and say howdy.

HB:G


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## ChrisB (May 13, 2004)

Hillbilly910 said:


> gonna try acton in the afternoon. Will let ya know how it goes. Probably start out around the beach, but ive been know to hike miles on ice. Brown carharts and orange sled, if your out and about, stop and say howdy.
> 
> HB:G


I'm real interested on how Acton is doing. Slabchaser took me out icing yesterday. 4" of clear were we went. He should me how to use a vilixar!!! Man those things are awesome. I riased a couple fish but only ended up with two gill. At least now I know how it's supposed to be done after seeing him pull out a 12" crappie and some slab gills!


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## Hillbilly910 (Jan 6, 2009)

acton was normall today, sketchy ice and dink bluegills. Found little gills just south of the sugar beach pier, 12fow. probably could have caught them till i ran out of bait. 4" ice was about the average, found some more some less.
Drove down to the dam, the very best ice i found was 3", most a little less. Again found a swarm of little gills in 12fow. went out of the actual dam afterwhile, drill a blank hole in 15fow, drill another in 22fow, after about 20 minutes of jiggin(jiggin raps and blade baits) i stir up some fish, by the signatures they looked big, but hard to say that deep. Anyhow, i jigged everything i had down after them, got only one or to to chase, most just ignored it.

Short answer, stay away from the dam, lotsa water coming up, temps not reaching hard freeeze= soft spots, and thin ice.
If you go to the beach, just avoid the wet spots(there are a bunch) and use your head, drill/spud often.

HB


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## sc83 (Apr 16, 2008)

Was duck hunting around CC and decided to check it out and it is froze solid from bank to bank at the 73 bridge. Not sure how thick or how long it will last with this warm up comin.


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## ChrisB (May 13, 2004)

Checked my creek and a pond by my house. It's dead for a while. The ice is slush with an inch or two of clear at best. Hopefully the weather stays one way or the other. I cant stand no open water and ice you can't fish on!!!


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

was at CJ today (1-17) out from the campground, had a lot of slush and pooling water on top but still good ice between 4-6 inches. when we left though we jumped across a big crack that loosened up and had water coming through and both ice sheets were moving when we got near the crack. wont be back out there anytime soon! check out my thread "CJ Channels 1-17" for a cool video. will have it up here in a few.


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## Hillbilly910 (Jan 6, 2009)

just as a broad spectrum, there is most likely no place with safe ice in the southwest OH area after the last 3 days. I havent checked any of them to say, but none of the places had enough ice to withstand much water or warm temps, and we have both on them right now. When i was at acton last, fishing at the dam(on 3" of ice) some of my holes had began to open when i was leaving, and it was just barely above freezing at the time, lotsa snow.
I cant speak for small ponds(normally go downhill first), but the lakes in the area are gonna be dangerous at best. 
Just hoping for a nasty could february like normal, and consider this months ice fishing a bonus.

HB:G


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## Bassnpro1 (Apr 6, 2004)

Checked a pond in Springboro this morning that had 4.75" of good CLEAR ice


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## Kisto (Dec 29, 2006)

Two questions actually.... Is there still ice on Rush Run even with the warm weather? And have they already stocked a lot of trout yet this year?


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## Hillbilly910 (Jan 6, 2009)

educated guess, but most likely still ice on rush run(NOT SAFE ICE), might be some open edges, but should mostly be froze. early to mid next week should be lookin at open water.
I cant remember for sure, but i was thinking the early stocking was march-april.

HB


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## ChrisB (May 13, 2004)

March 22nd was last years stocking date. There usually isn't much switching of dates every year, so to be safe at least by april. I love the spring trout from castillia. They are an inch or two larger than the ones the stock in the fall. At least it was that way when I fished Rose lake.


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## ChrisB (May 13, 2004)

After the warm front blows threw this weekend, it gets cols and stays cold the next week. Temps just above freezing during day. Hope enough ice survives after Saturday and Sunday.


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## ur_averagejoe4 (Aug 18, 2009)

gulfvet said:


> Catmando, Blue Lake is the borrow pit at the far Western end of Eastwood Lake and yes, it has plenty of fish in it. There are some big bass in there, both SMB and LMB, crappies, cats, sunfish and, i am told, saugeyes and yellow perch although I've not caught any of those... yet.


I have been there numerous times this past summer, every other Monday and I've thrown everything and had different stuff on the bottom and didn't get a single bite. I had shrimp, liver, corn on the bottom and threw everything from worms to cranks. Even had my brother and GF out there also and nothing. I've heard there was huge cats there. Someone told me that there is an underground waterway there that is connected to a river or something I forget what he said it was.


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## crappie4me (Jan 25, 2009)

hey hillbilly you been back up to acton since the other day when you was catchin them dink gills?..just curious what its like about now..thanks


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## Hillbilly910 (Jan 6, 2009)

havent been back since, but i can tell you the ice is shot to say the least, willing to bet the dam has opened up, and probably gaping holes in the ice about everywhere. 
We just never got a really good ice before the snow hit, which hindered the arctic cold we had.
I would like to go back and fish it again, however its gonna need about 6 inches even for me. The places im looking to go require crossing the lake, and probably a good couple miles round trip hike.(unless we can find somewhere to get on the ice near the lodge). I would also like to try the dam again, this time i'll have the camera, see what those mystery marks were on sonar.

HB:G


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## crappie4me (Jan 25, 2009)

thats what i was thinkin to..i figured id ask you cause you seem to get around a little up there. thanks


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## reiner52 (Jun 14, 2008)

was at CJ yesterday, open water by the ramp, rest was ice covered but didnt look safe at all,


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## ChrisB (May 13, 2004)

Were going to get a re-freeze this week. My fish pool in the back was ice free at 10 last night. There is now a good inch and a half on it. I figure the places that have ice left after this weekend will be ready to go by this weekend hopefully.


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## Hillbilly910 (Jan 6, 2009)

Checked acton today, and its entirely open... Looked like there may be a little ice left near the dam, and a very little around the dock pillars at the marina. This wind is worse than warm temps.
All ponds in the area were open as well. Rush run might have fared a little better, having some wind protection.
Whitewater memorial in IN had ice at the beach and ice at the dam, definately not good ice, everything inbetween was open and rolling.
In this area a week is gonna be a strech, if the temps remain stable(AND THE WIND STOPS!!!) middle of next week looks doable.

HB:G


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## ChrisB (May 13, 2004)

Good to hear Whitewater has some ice on it. I was going to try there some time this year. I keep forgeting wind is only good if the whole lake has ice on it. The forcast does look good for some ice on the smaller wind protected ponds.


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## Hillbilly910 (Jan 6, 2009)

whitewater still is unsafe, the edges froze 2 days ago, and the most i drilled/step through was 1.5" the old ice that remained is barely 3". Still open water in places there as well.
Also checked a pond that did not ice out, the fresh ice from the melted edges was almost 2", the old ice that didnt melt was barely 3".
Giver a few more days guys, its getting there.

HB:G


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## ChrisB (May 13, 2004)

Hillbilly910 said:


> whitewater still is unsafe, the edges froze 2 days ago, and the most i drilled/step through was 1.5" the old ice that remained is barely 3". Still open water in places there as well.
> Also checked a pond that did not ice out, the fresh ice from the melted edges was almost 2", the old ice that didnt melt was barely 3".
> Giver a few more days guys, its getting there.
> 
> HB:G


Thanks Billy. Come frozen Hell or high Ohio river water I'm gonna get out on some ice this week. I'm rasing fish in my pool and have to keep going out and breaking up the ice on the surface. Bare in mind I pump 60 degree water into it in the daytime. Id like to hear Whitewater is frooze up. All this wind we might get would solidify it by wensday. I'll get out this week and give a report. If I cant find a pond to fish me and TPfisher might hit the tailwater at Brokville.


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## Hillbilly910 (Jan 6, 2009)

CC has skim ice out from the furnace shores ramp, but purty thin. Better ice at the north end, most i found 3", very clear soild ice, id still give it a bit, but its close.

Gonna be out at whitewater tommorrow morning.
If ya go to the tailwaters, dress warm, lotta moisture in the air, makes it much colder than it really is.

HB:G


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