# Antrim Ice fishing



## Gfhteen (May 20, 2004)

Anybody ever ice fish Antrim? I wasn't even sure if they allowed it so I called the division of parks and recreation and they said they don't recommend it and it's "at your own risk" but you are allowed to.


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## canoe carp killer (Apr 2, 2014)

Never been there myself but I drive right by it. I'll have to check it out.


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## HookBender (Apr 2, 2012)

Is Antrim spring fed?


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## SneakinCreekin (Aug 22, 2014)

I heard it was allowed. 


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## FOSR (Apr 16, 2008)

I've never seen it allowed. Maybe they've changed the rules, but I always saw ICE UNSAFE signs and I've never seen anyone out on the ice.


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## Gfhteen (May 20, 2004)

I am less thanks 2miles away and drive past it on 315 everyday too. I thought I remembered signs that's why called to ask if it was allowed.


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## canoe carp killer (Apr 2, 2014)

Gfhteen said:


> I am less thanks 2miles away and drive past it on 315 everyday too. I thought I remembered signs that's why called to ask if it was allowed.



If I get off early in the morning I'll check it out. If all goes well I'll be trying my hand at ice fishing for the first time at buckeye tomorrow. 


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Antrim is ground water fed and receives flow influence from the Olentangy (warmish). I would not ice fish it 

Although there is no code on the books prohibiting it, if the Parks Director (or authorized agent) or Police deem it unsafe, they can prohibit it.


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## supercanoe (Jun 12, 2006)

I ice fished it a couple of times years ago.


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## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

Seems like the west side around the deck and the point tend to have open spots even in the coldest weather. Like Mushi said, you might want to avoid around the exchange pipe on the east side too.


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## Lucky Man (Apr 8, 2014)

Probably a very bad idea! 

I grew up near "The Quarry" long before Columbus got it, and knew Jack Antrim (his family owned it). A lot of very qualified sober swimmers drowned in that lake because of the currents. None of us locals would ice skate on it, those who did paid dearly for it. The ice could easily be very thin in spots that appear to be solid. It my book definitely not worth it!


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## jake222 (Dec 26, 2014)

How does Antrum have a current? 


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## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

spring fed on the mid to northern end(last to freeze) maybe safe on the southern end....in any case if you venture out be extremely careful and don't go alone, have rope just in case .....so someone can help pull you out


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## Lucky Man (Apr 8, 2014)

I was always told the currents were because of the very the deep water, steep quarry walls, and spring fed. It was always somewhat of a mystery but they are definitely there.


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## Govbarney (Jan 3, 2011)

If you try to ice fish it I am told CPD will kick you off , it's a city wide no ice fishing policy. 

I wish you could ice fish it though, or I just wish Columbus , had lakes and ponds like the ones that the Cleveland metroparks stock with trout late fall primarily for ice fisherman.

At the very least I'd like to hear an explanation as to why I can't take a Kayak on Antrim....?


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## SneakinCreekin (Aug 22, 2014)

Govbarney said:


> If you try to ice fish it I am told CPD will kick you off , it's a city wide no ice fishing policy.
> 
> I wish you could ice fish it though, or I just wish Columbus , had lakes and ponds like the ones that the Cleveland metroparks stock with trout late fall primarily for ice fisherman.
> 
> ...



No doubt. I would love to kayak it. 



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## HookBender (Apr 2, 2012)

Antrim, The Never Ending Challenge!




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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

There is no city wide ban on ice fishing just offered at our own risk. Ice activities may be banned at lakes to keep the ice skaters off though.

Current or not, we can walk all around on Antrim right now and ride our quads out there if they'd let us by next week.

Were headed out to test a few lakes now.

Central Ohio Ice


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## jake222 (Dec 26, 2014)

I hear Antrum is like 100ft deep been told by a few people I have seen a few guys pull out 6+ lb bass the trout fishing has sucked for me the past 2 years though 


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## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

jake222 said:


> I hear Antrum is like 100ft deep been told by a few people I have seen a few guys pull out 6+ lb bass the trout fishing has sucked for me the past 2 years though
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone


Antrim is upwards of 30 feet. I don't think I would want to walk out on the ice on Antrim...

http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/Portals/wildlife/Maps/Lake Maps/PDFs/antrimlake1.pdf


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## jake222 (Dec 26, 2014)

Thanks sbreech


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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

I just walked across Antrim. There are fishable holes the entire way. No blood around them yet.


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## ying6 (Apr 21, 2004)

I might be wrong but that doesn't look like an ice fishing hole. Looks like thin ice to me. I wouldn't want to walk on that. Even worse if there is snow covering it.


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## OnTheFly (Jul 30, 2010)

Yeah that hole looks pretty questionable.


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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

Those are spud bar holes to check the thickness but are big enough to fish thru. 

Ice under the old milky stuff was crystal clear ranging from 4-6"

Here's a pic from closer to the edge where the ice is thicker


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## OnTheFly (Jul 30, 2010)

Ok thought they were just natural holes. That looks like a big spud hole.


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## Gfhteen (May 20, 2004)

Wouldn't a auger be easier way to check instead of smashing holes?


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## tsproperty (Jan 29, 2013)

You the man bjp! Good to see someone getting out and putting the gossip to rest. Those are some dang big spud bar holes. There are a lot of rumors about the lake. I've been going there and reading about it for years. It's way more shallow than what most people thing (10-30') and I can't imagine any mysterious currents that I hear talked about. 

I've never actually fished it on the ice. I do suspect that someone will call 911 if they see people out there. Just because some many people drive by, and there are always a few city folks who think everyone is gonna die if they go out there. Cops will get tired of being called and probably kick people off. It's a shame you have to get out of the city a lot of times to keep from being bothered. I bet the fishing would be great on the ice if you can find the fish. Good luck. Maybe try some spots not so easily viewable from the freeway. 


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## Gfhteen (May 20, 2004)




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## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

bjp said:


> There is no city wide ban on ice fishing just offered at our own risk. Ice activities may be banned at lakes to keep the ice skaters off though.
> 
> Current or not, we can walk all around on Antrim right now and ride our quads out there if they'd let us by next week.
> 
> ...


you don't have a clue what is safe, if you think this in your post, and I see you think Hoover is safe too....I have been out on Antrim years ago skating with open water where the spring is.....Hoover , I have been on it when the ice was above the water(Gap between the water and ice) from them letting it out or being used by Columbus's residents.....Hoover fluctuates so much ....every time someone flushes there toilet,takes a shower,etc hoover is the source 

here's an example.....Alum Creek with 10inches of good ice, 20ft.deep of water....and I find a soft spot 2inches thick....with current from the ground and warm bubbles coming from it, keeping the ice thin....in a 4ft area
trust me it's safe till it isn't and you go through .....and Alum has many of these soft spots on it.....the ice boats have found them in the past ....that is why NO motorized vehicles allowed 
I was warned the year before that there were soft spots further from the dam, well I sure found it....1 leg went through going back to get my gear when moving, I just drilled a hole a few feet from it, I did chip at it to see how big it was and then used the snow shoveling to pile snow all around it to mark it....and left.....I haven't been out from the dam since.....especially alone like that day.....no way did I think that would happen with that much good ice I was drilling.....so heed the warning....the places you think are safe, aren't 

.


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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

Don't know why people are so negative ^^^ I went out to find out for myself yesterday. My only suggestion to people is just be safe and listen to your gut instinct when you're out there and take a spud bar.


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## tsproperty (Jan 29, 2013)

I'm with you bjp.


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## Lucky Man (Apr 8, 2014)

Well I think we have a tail of 2 lakes! It was a lot deeper, when I was a kid, then the DNR map shows and there was a road bed going into the quarry that I waded out on to fish, that does not show up well on the DNR map. So I did a quick internet search and it turns out Antrim was filled! That could have eliminated most of the currents that I knew about.


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## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

Alright, dudes, if you aren't scared then stop talking about it and show us some fish. 

I heard the currents are there because some secret limestone caves were opened up when they were quarrying. That's what filled it up with water and why they closed the quarry...so Antrim is essentially bottomless...anything could be swimming in there. 

The state record Saugeye is from there. How many years has it been since they stopped stalking those breeder trout? What are the chances that a few have been hanging all these years in the deep cold water no one can cast to from shore? ...The possibilities make the mind wander and wonder.

Go get 'em!


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

That five foot deep hump near the north end looks pretty good...


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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

Deazl666 said:


> That five foot deep hump near the north end looks pretty good...


I totally thought the same thing. Mind started thinking how to fish it when there isn't ice. 

The water was so clear yesterday when I looked down in the water, I bet u could see the bottom if u drilled a hole right over it


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## OnTheFly (Jul 30, 2010)

See you out there this weekend


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## FOSR (Apr 16, 2008)

In Other News, after the game:



> Some students and fans got a taste of tear gas as they tried to celebrate at Mirror Lake on south campus.
> 
> Police used tear gas to break up celebrating fans who wanted to take a dip in the water, even though it was frozen.


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

bjp said:


> I totally thought the same thing. Mind started thinking how to fish it when there isn't ice.
> 
> The water was so clear yesterday when I looked down in the water, I bet u could see the bottom if u drilled a hole right over it



It'd be a long cast but you could make it with a Senko.


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## tsproperty (Jan 29, 2013)

Let's see some fish on the ice if anyone goes out this weekend. I'm not going to be able to make it. Good luck!


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## Dana.Birrell (Apr 23, 2012)

As far as the Fish Ohio Saugeye is concerned, I'm sure that lake is full of them. Yeah, it's not stocked, but if you were a saugeye and you could escape a river to get into a spring fed lake FULL of easy pickings food, would you not?


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## tsproperty (Jan 29, 2013)

So did anyone ever go out there and fish?


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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

tsproperty said:


> So did anyone ever go out there and fish?


Tried with no luck. I've turned my attention to mother Erie


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## percidaeben (Jan 15, 2010)

So just talked to my Dad and he said there were a couple guys out there ice fishing Friday the seventh. Said he went for his walk along the river back there and on his way out Columbus Police were there telling them to get themselves and their gear off the ice.


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## SpooledGT (Jan 26, 2015)

Anytime I've ever been on Antrim ice (not I recent years) the police have run us off. A couple times the police helicopter flew down on us and told us to get off the ice... You may get away with it for awhile until someone reports it or they just happen to see you..


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## tsproperty (Jan 29, 2013)

SpooledGT said:


> Anytime I've ever been on Antrim ice (not I recent years) the police have run us off. A couple times the police helicopter flew down on us and told us to get off the ice... You may get away with it for awhile until someone reports it or they just happen to see you..


These two reports is exactly what I was saying. I think we agree there is no inherent safety issue that doesn't exist anyway, but be assured (unfortunatly) the cops will be called. Especially if you are anywhere near 315. I think you could be alright on the south side mostly away from the public view.


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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

That's Columbus Ohio for us. Passers by have nothing better to do than worry about our safety. 

Ice fishing at Antrim is kinda like how I convince myself to continue caring about the Cleveland Browns.

It's better to have cared and lost than never to have cared at all...


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