Trying to Decide

[uncleshorty]

This post is addressed to those who fish in western PA. 

Over the past two years for how many weeks in Feb has there been at least 6 inches safe ice?  How many weeks in the '15/'16 & '16/'17 ice season were you able to SAFELY fish, (I NEVER go out on ice thinner than 6")?

I'm asking because I'm considering giving up ice fishing.  I used to travel to PA in early Feb to ice fish.  But the last two years there doesn't seem to have been enough safe ice to make the trip worthwhile.  The logistics take a lot of effort and expense.  The trip takes significant frequent flyer miles.  Then to have very limited ice time due to conditions seems like a waste of time/effort/resources.

So, to help me decide whether to put time and effort into something more productive I'd like to know how many days you've fished in Feb over the last two years.

Thanks.

[Chute82]

Feb 2015 it was -15 f here in western PA on this date had lots of ice

[Kov619]

On this date 2017 .....64 temp and no ice.... in Western PA....

[Chute82]

On this date 2017 .....64 temp and no ice.... in Western PA....

Heading back to the great white north tomorrow morning.....will be thinking about you guys

[Kov619]

Heading north tomorrow to Erie to dip the boat...open water in bay

[Eddie Spaghetti]

I suppose you might be able to see exact posts from the conditions pages from 2016. But, I think we kind of had a later season of "good"  ice. I'd say from 1/23 thru 2/20 you might have been able to find good ice in western PA.

[uncleshorty]

Thanks for all the replies. 

I was up in Feb of 15.  Coldest Feb in PA history, fished almost every day.  Loved it! 

Last year I had other commitments and couldn't make it up.  But reading this site and watching the weather I don't think I missed much. 

This year, phtttt!

I wonder, could I trade some tip ups, ice rods and an auger for a stamp collection and some opera tickets???