Author Topic: 2013/2014 Loughborough Ice Watch (Read 14866 times)

KtownIce · « **on:** Nov 29, 2013, 09:24 AM »

This may be premature but I am guessing ice up will be early this year. Early enough for fishing by Christmas I am hoping!
Are there any resident members up by Loughborough who can give us updates + pics like last year?

Cheers
A

JZ · « **Reply #1 on:** Nov 29, 2013, 12:22 PM »

Dont worry I will be doing my daily updates with pics once we get something to report, lots of steam coming off the water of the west end this morning but no ice. Around the launch on Division st there is a skim of ice, and the dock is out by the way.

Bigbassmon · « **Reply #2 on:** Nov 30, 2013, 03:44 PM »

Far west end..across the street from me this a.m. As JZ and I were heading out to L. Ontario with the boat..no ice as of yet on Loughborough. May be a bit yet.

JZ · « **Reply #3 on:** Nov 30, 2013, 05:48 PM »

Quote from: Bigbassmon on Nov 30, 2013, 03:44 PM

Far west end..across the street from me this a.m. As JZ and I were heading out to L. Ontario with the boat..no ice as of yet on Loughborough. May be a bit yet.

What you need to do Rick is setup a webcam on your porch and we could have a 24/7 view of the west end!

TheDL · « **Reply #4 on:** Nov 30, 2013, 07:09 PM »

So...how'd you do on the big lake guys?

thread=derailed

JZ · « **Reply #5 on:** Nov 30, 2013, 07:13 PM »

Quote from: TheDL on Nov 30, 2013, 07:09 PM

So...how'd you do on the big lake guys?

thread=derailed

Didn't get out,
Got to the Finkles launch and it was blowing hard and the waves were rolling in, so we called it off.

JZ · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 12, 2013, 07:47 AM »

Hey

bigbassmon gave me the heads up that the west end had a skim of ice so drove over to take a look. At the very west end in the shallows (you can't see it in the pic its off to the right)its iced over. By the launch its still wide open but there is a thin ice skim starting around shore. Still weeks away but a good sign for sure...

Bigbassmon · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 12, 2013, 08:40 AM »

Good idea on the webcam JZ. And with a zoom lens I would know when and who is on fish !!!! Lol

hearn · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 13, 2013, 06:25 AM »

Got out onto Loughborough a couple times last year, really enjoyed it!

Coaxing those lakers up from 90+ ft was a challenge though...think a lot of us were using white tubes close to bottom..

Appreciate the updates, so stoked!

JZ · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 16, 2013, 08:12 AM »

coming along nicely, the area you see in white is ice that was there prior to the snowstorm and in the middle where is looks like water is acutally a thin layer of ice so straight out from the launch its iced over shore to shore. Before you get too exicted the ice is super thin and the slightest bit of wind will break it up but on a positive note it froze up after the snow so atleast it will have a chance to freeze quicker than the snow covered stuff.
90% of the west end is still open water but its cooling quick, you can see in the pics the heat coming off the newly formed ice, out over the open water the fog is so thick you probably couldnt see a foot infront of your face.

KtownIce · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 16, 2013, 09:04 AM »

Thanks for staying on this JZ!

aj dagnall · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 16, 2013, 09:27 AM »

awesome

finlandia1 · « **Reply #12 on:** Dec 16, 2013, 09:49 AM »

I just spooled my trout rods........I could feel the lakers shaking cause they know I am coming soon!!!
LoL. Thanks for the report.... Should make ice quickly.... But Friday's forecast may hurt a bit

addictedtwoice · « **Reply #13 on:** Dec 16, 2013, 10:22 AM »

Is this the lake north of Kingston?

hearn · « **Reply #14 on:** Dec 16, 2013, 10:32 AM »

Quote from: addictedtwoice on Dec 16, 2013, 10:22 AM

Is this the lake north of Kingston?

Yeah

Pics are taken on the west end...

addictedtwoice · « **Reply #15 on:** Dec 16, 2013, 10:55 AM »

Quote from: hearn on Dec 16, 2013, 10:32 AM

Yeah

Pics are taken on the west end...

Thanks, what I thought, a friend told me about it..

JZ · « **Reply #16 on:** Dec 17, 2013, 08:00 AM »

Another -20 night out there last night, won't be long now before some crazy (possibly me) goes and checks out the laker grounds. So good time for a few reminders...
-Its Dec 17, last year first ice on the west end was Jan5th ish then it went away for a week or so, the two years before that it was Jan 13th-15th. Yes its been cold but how the ice forms this time of year is uncharted territory for most unless your 80 yrs old and remember walking to and from school, uphill both ways, in 4 feet of snow.
-Spud your way out, this is even more important on Loughborough because the drop offs are steep it goes from 4fow to 40fow in the span of about 10 steps. Floater suit or lifejack, ice picks are pretty much a must this time of year.
-This lake is open for lakers year round so there is no rush to get out there.
-Respect the homeowners by the launch, dont park stupidly, no excessive noise, dont leave garbage etc etc. The last thing we want is to have someone start calling the bylaw enforcement.
-Respect the resource. For this zone its a 2 fish possession limit for lakers. Not 2 fish a day until your freezer is full, its 2 fish total.
-If you are going to post a report give honest and accurate ice condition, if your not sure or did not measure the ice thats fine just mention that so no one has any false security.
-And finally, the first time this ice season you see a trout rocketing up from 30 feet away to smash your bait try not to crap your pants!

jakkjakk · « **Reply #17 on:** Dec 17, 2013, 08:24 AM »

I took a drive yesterday by the west end ( loughborrow drive ) and it is still open water . Hopefully things will harden up in the next couple of weeks ... off till jan 6th , would be nice to get in a couple of days on the ice before having to go back to work .

KtownIce · « **Reply #18 on:** Dec 17, 2013, 09:21 AM »

Quote from: jakkjakk on Dec 17, 2013, 08:24 AM

I took a drive yesterday by the west end ( loughborrow drive ) and it is still open water . Hopefully things will harden up in the next couple of weeks ... off till jan 6th , would be nice to get in a couple of days on the ice before having to go back to work .

Great advice. If I may add another point, bring a spare set of pants in case you are unable to follow the last point. LOL!

JZ · « **Reply #19 on:** Dec 17, 2013, 09:46 AM »

Quote from: jakkjakk on Dec 17, 2013, 08:24 AM

I took a drive yesterday by the west end ( loughborrow drive ) and it is still open water . Hopefully things will harden up in the next couple of weeks ... off till jan 6th , would be nice to get in a couple of days on the ice before having to go back to work .

There was open water to the east of the west end launch in the morning but the entire area by the launch was ice covered, may have looked open because it was new black ice. I went back in the afternoon and it was ice covered as far as I could see. And after last night I think you will be hard pressed to find open water, unless of course you actually stepped out on this newly formed ice, then you would find open water pretty quick. The biggest enemy right now is wind, especially anything coming from the east, if it starts to blow it could rip the new ice open and we would be back to square one. I might take a bit of a walk out on Thursday and give it a couple good bangs with the spud over 10-15fow. I wouldnt advise it but judging by past experience someone will be out there over 40fow by wed or thurs if the nights stay cold and the wind stays down. Take a look at last years thread, there was a pic of the first brave soul out there on jan 5th or something and if you scroll up you will see a pic of open water two days prior a stones throw from where he was standing.

**Edit**
Well I think I just jinxed us, checked out the window and the wind is blowing form the east and its snowing hard, worst case scenario

Bigbassmon · « **Reply #20 on:** Dec 17, 2013, 05:37 PM »

Looking out my window just before dusk it is now snow covered and looking very tempting. Again as JZ said, it's not ready!!!! We joked earlier today saying there will be someone out there tomorrow. I HOPE NOT!!! I am constantly looking out, worried that someone will try. Hold off!!! Not worth a couple fish.

JZ · « **Reply #21 on:** Dec 18, 2013, 07:55 AM »

The west end is capped as far as the eye can see, but who knows how much ice is under that snow. Not worth the risk right now, we have had 4-5 inchs of snow over the last 36hrs which slows down the icemaking process. It will be a few days atleast before I venture out there.

Jon

hearn · « **Reply #22 on:** Dec 18, 2013, 08:17 AM »

Nice pic man!

Unfortunately it's supposed to be >0 over the weekend...

JZ · « **Reply #23 on:** Dec 18, 2013, 08:20 AM »

Quote from: hearn on Dec 18, 2013, 08:17 AM

Nice pic man!

Unfortunately it's supposed to be >0 over the weekend...

thats not a bad thing it will get rid of the snow

hearn · « **Reply #24 on:** Dec 18, 2013, 09:08 AM »

Ahh true true, just figured there was a fine line between losing snow and losing ice...

hearn · « **Reply #25 on:** Dec 22, 2013, 09:46 AM »

So my friends in Belleville said they were getting some bad rain/freezing over the last couple of days..

Any idea how the ice at Loughborough has held up?

JZ · « **Reply #26 on:** Dec 22, 2013, 11:01 AM »

Bad freezing rain here too, but it hasn't got above zero in sydenham area, there will be a lot of slush on top but this weather wouldn't have hurt the ice, still making ice just slower than if there was no snow cover. As soon as this slushy crap freezes I will got out and punch some holes to check conditions.

aj dagnall · « **Reply #27 on:** Dec 25, 2013, 07:35 PM »

Any new word on the newly formed ice JZ?

Bigbassmon · « **Reply #28 on:** Dec 26, 2013, 08:11 AM »

Just had a report of 4-5" over 80ft off boat launch at west end. I haven't been out but I still see him which is a good thing. JZ will be out there shortly and will have a report when he gets in.

JZ · « **Reply #29 on:** Dec 26, 2013, 09:32 AM »

Just set up on Lobo couple hundred ft from the launch. 8inch of half white half black over 35_ 40fow.
Update-
No fish for me but I did see some caught so that's a good sign. I spent 4.5 hrs in 35-47 fow and didn't mark a single fish. Finally moved out to 77 fow (from the launch that would be ~500m south east) for the last hour and started marking fish, had one or two chasers but no bites. Still had 6 inch of ice at 77 fow again half white half black ice. There were about 5 or 6 groups of people out there including a few guys on sleds. I suspect it will be a zoo out there tomorrow and into the weekend. Play safe it's going to be a loooong season, this is the earliest I have ever been on Loughborough by two weeks!

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Author Topic: 2013/2014 Loughborough Ice Watch (Read 14866 times)