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Author Topic: Ice conditions around Madison?  (Read 5530 times)

Offline Madgill

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Re: Ice conditions around Madison?
« Reply #30 on: Dec 17, 2013, 06:06 PM »
Ha, that Mud Lake area will be the new zoo, just like Monona Bay! Good to hear they finally provided access. I have done well in the past week poking around on the upper Madison chain, but that's done now, got skunked this morning! Enough fish for me in the freezer, time to hit Wingra for that wallhanger crappie!

Offline wedkarz

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Re: Ice conditions around Madison?
« Reply #31 on: Dec 18, 2013, 12:47 PM »
time to hit Wingra for that wallhanger crappie!

Funny you mention that.  I was out on Wingra for a bit yesterday and found this big guy laying on the ice. Not sure what the deal was, he was clearly eaten by something. Hard to believe a fisherman would just leave him there. Crappie of a lifetime, nearly 16". I've never seen one that big.


Offline Madgill

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Re: Ice conditions around Madison?
« Reply #32 on: Dec 18, 2013, 04:27 PM »
Yikes! Thats, a nice Crappie, It would be on my wall if I caught that! So strange to find that just laying on the ice. My biggest was 14", and that was 20+ years ago, Wingra does have some big ones, always fun to fish there! Have not been out there yet this year, but will hit it soon!

Offline jigginfireman

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Re: Ice conditions around Madison?
« Reply #33 on: Dec 18, 2013, 06:46 PM »
Funny you mention that.  I was out on Wingra for a bit yesterday and found this big guy laying on the ice. Not sure what the deal was, he was clearly eaten by something. Hard to believe a fisherman would just leave him there. Crappie of a lifetime, nearly 16". I've never seen one that big.



Thanks for sharing. WOW. Your right fish of a lifetime...

Offline cyclones30

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Re: Ice conditions around Madison?
« Reply #34 on: Dec 18, 2013, 07:37 PM »
I was out tonight for a bit, a couple others were out too. Caught a few dink bluegills and that was it. By the time I left, I had maybe an inch of water/slush all around me and the hole. Guess the weight of the snow is pushing it down a bit.

Offline wipanfisher

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Re: Ice conditions around Madison?
« Reply #35 on: Dec 18, 2013, 07:45 PM »
I fished upper mud yesterday and was surprised by the size of gills and lack of fisherman. It was a tuesday afternoon not sure what it will be like on weekends with legal access now. It is a bit of a walk and no atvs or snow machines allowed so that will keep alot of peaple from goin out. Cant belive i just found this site about a month ago finaly signed up today. Alot of readin to do.

Offline cyclones30

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Re: Ice conditions around Madison?
« Reply #36 on: Dec 31, 2013, 07:06 PM »
Anyone have ice reports for Mendota? I'm sure people have been on Univ Bay by now but I haven't been by in a while. Also, is there free access or any parking at Mendota County park on the NW side? I've been to the Middleton ramp in the NW corner during the summer but this park looks closer to areas I'd try to fish. Can you still get on from the Middleton city ramp as well by the seafood restaurant?

I'm debating about places to try to get on Mendota, might buy a lake access pass finally tomorrow so I don't have to be picky about where we get on the ice.   Thanks!

Offline nicjohnsrud

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Re: Ice conditions around Madison?
« Reply #37 on: Jan 02, 2014, 12:56 PM »
Does anyone know if the Lake St. landing in Middleton is public? If so, anyone fish anywhere around that bay on Mendota?

Offline cyclones30

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Re: Ice conditions around Madison?
« Reply #38 on: Jan 02, 2014, 01:14 PM »
nic that's the one I was mentioning and wondering about as well. As far as I could tell this summer it's public and free when we put our kayaks in. I believe they have a donations box there to help support it, it's owned by the city/town/village of Middleton. (coming from IA, I don't understand the differences)  I'm also wondering about the Mendota Co Park they have just east of that ramp a little way. It doesn't look like I need a lake access pass for that one but I've never been.

I went on Univ Bay yesterday for a few hours and didn't mark a thing. I tried holes shallow in the weeds all the way out to about 55 FOW and nada. (had my FL-22 so I couldn't go past 60)

I'll be trying other parts of the lake, or other lakes, before I go back there again.

Offline hookemhard

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Re: Ice conditions around Madison?
« Reply #39 on: Jan 02, 2014, 04:14 PM »
nic that's the one I was mentioning and wondering about as well. As far as I could tell this summer it's public and free when we put our kayaks in. I believe they have a donations box there to help support it, it's owned by the city/town/village of Middleton. (coming from IA, I don't understand the differences)  I'm also wondering about the Mendota Co Park they have just east of that ramp a little way. It doesn't look like I need a lake access pass for that one but I've never been.

I went on Univ Bay yesterday for a few hours and didn't mark a thing. I tried holes shallow in the weeds all the way out to about 55 FOW and nada. (had my FL-22 so I couldn't go past 60)

I'll be trying other parts of the lake, or other lakes, before I go back there again.

I actually think there is some sort of fee at the County park, but Im not 100% sure. Seems I saw some sort of sign there this summer.

How was the ice in University Bay? I keep toying with hitting Mendota, but think we are headed to Kegonsa Saturday.

Offline cyclones30

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Re: Ice conditions around Madison?
« Reply #40 on: Jan 02, 2014, 04:38 PM »
I had 6-7" where I drilled each time but I was alone and first time on that lake so I was cautious. It looks like there were plenty of tracks and holes before this weekend's snow including a set of ATV tracks but hard to tell with new snow drifted on top now.

Offline zhunter72

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Re: Ice conditions around Madison?
« Reply #41 on: Jan 02, 2014, 08:20 PM »
I had 8 inches on Mendota today 44' of water, off Governors Island. Had the ATV out too. There are some slushy drifted over spots though.

Offline PerchAssault

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Re: Ice conditions around Madison?
« Reply #42 on: Jan 04, 2014, 05:40 PM »
The gills were crazy biting today at the Ice Duels event on Monona Bay. Plenty of good ice and eager fish...
If I\'m not fishing, I\'m probably thinking about fishing...And if I\'m thinking about fishing, I\'m probably not getting much else done so, I might as well go fishing...Yeah, I just said that!

Offline cyclones30

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Re: Ice conditions around Madison?
« Reply #43 on: Jan 14, 2014, 02:44 PM »
Thanks for the info! I guess as long as we're talking about lake access, is Wingra Park free? The one with the building with kayaks and such during the summer. I've parked there a few times and didn't see any signs that said otherwise but figured I'd make sure.

We're taking a group of students out that have never ice fished this weekend for free fishing weekend and we're debating where to go for some action. Any places that normally have something biting to keep people interested? (where you'd normally take kids I guess)

Offline cyclones30

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Re: Ice conditions around Madison?
« Reply #44 on: Jan 14, 2014, 04:37 PM »
Mostly college students from states that don't get much if any ice. Thanks for the tips!

Offline Madgill

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Re: Ice conditions around Madison?
« Reply #45 on: Jan 14, 2014, 05:59 PM »
Wingra Park parking is free, a lot at the end of Knickerbocker street, just before the boat rental place. That would be a great place to take first time students! Walk off the landing and to the right a bit. I have not fished Wingra yet this year, but it never dissapoints! Lots of small gills, crappies and perch, but you never know, some nice fish in there! Good action for first timers, that's where I learned to ice fish over 50 years ago, been hooked ever since. Those Wingra fish are the best tasting fish of all the Madison lakes, even the small bluegills, gutted scaled and baked are just yumo!  I have hit all the usual Madison spots this year, best fishing ever, enough fish for me, tired of dealing with the zoo of people out there! Now you can't beat the peace and quiet of Wingra, always great to be out there, like a little northwoods lake in the city. I did fish Monona Bay for the first time last Sunday afternoon for an hour or so, very small, finecky fish, should have hit Wingra! Good luck, have fun and get those students hooked on ice fishing!
 

Offline onabucket

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Re: Ice conditions around Madison?
« Reply #46 on: Feb 21, 2014, 11:32 PM »
I was driving toward downtown this evening on John Nolen Drive, and I saw a bucket and auger that were only about halfway above the ice, they look to have been abandoned.  It almost looked like somebody fell through there, and left them half submerged.  Hope everyone's OK.  This was on the lake (east) side of the causway/bridge, near the middle of the span, maybe 40' off shore.  Careful out there guys.

Offline onabucket

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Re: Ice conditions around Madison?
« Reply #47 on: Feb 22, 2014, 10:35 AM »
I think you saw the students art work

No, I know where that is, just before you go under the terrace--good thought though.  Those are little people in a row or something like that--on the isthmus.  This was on the bridge part of the drive that crosses the lake.  To my left was the north part of the south triangle, then the bay.  To my right was the main lake.  I was driving so I didn't get a really good look at the whole thing, but I'm almost completely sure that what I saw was an auger and bucket.  It was near a patch right by the riprap that I was looking at because it either had been opened up by the rain or had a lot of water pool up on top.

Offline onabucket

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Re: Ice conditions around Madison?
« Reply #48 on: Feb 22, 2014, 05:35 PM »
was it close to the bridges then     I made the mistake getting a little to close one year      SPLASH

Yup, real close.  Too close I guess.

Offline bigstorm

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Re: Ice conditions around Madison?
« Reply #49 on: Mar 19, 2014, 08:02 AM »
I hit Geneva on 3/15 and then last night, some of my best fishing of the season so far. Hope to get out 1 more time this weekend.

Offline Madgill

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Re: Ice conditions around Madison?
« Reply #50 on: Mar 27, 2014, 06:10 PM »
I was out on Waubesa this morning (Lake Farm), shoreline still good, ice was over 16", but getting soft. Darn windy and wet out there today! Gills bit early, but shut down around 7:30. One more shot at it tomorrow, then I'm done for the year!

Offline cyclones30

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Re: Ice conditions around Madison?
« Reply #51 on: Apr 02, 2014, 10:04 PM »
They just showed 2 guys that were on Mud lake that had to call 911 and get rescued. Said the ice was good at shore when they got out, when they went to leave it was water all around them.

I've been done in the area for a little while now, but some people need to be a little smarter...

 



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