Author Topic: ice conditions (Read 12350 times)

Iceman Cometh · « **Reply #30 on:** Jan 01, 2005, 07:33 AM »

stinky,
you guys "up north" (from here in Yates City, anyway) sure are lucky to still have ice! I haven't fished in quite few days now. The ice barely got thick enough here to hold my fat butt, before it was all gone! I can't believe your's has held on so long, (there's something wrong with the phrasing of that sentence, just can't figure out what it is(LOL))!

stinky · « **Reply #31 on:** Jan 01, 2005, 01:35 PM »

Iceman
Mine has held up for years. Oh you mean the ice. LOL We dropped to about 22 degrees last night and most of the water on top has refroze so today it looked pretty good.
I may get out tommorrow because I have been takeing care of a hand I had surgery on last Thursday. I have some friends doing the leg work for me till I can go back out. There is no snow cover and only one nite expected to be above freezeing so we will continue to make ice.
We aren't that far from you really we have folks come up from Peoria all the time it's about 3hrs for them. I had another friend get a 6# walleye on thursday Nice fish I saw the picture.
Bob

John_BZ · « **Reply #32 on:** Jan 02, 2005, 02:08 PM »

Well It is finnally happening here in the fox chain area. we are loosing a lot of good ice

. most remaining is likely marginal to unsafe. All the rain yesterday afternoon and last night as well as the tempurature for the past three days made the likelyhood of getting on a lot of lakes a sketchy preposition at best. And it looks like we aint getting it back for a couple weeks unless the weather info is wrong. Yesterday there was 6" of decent ice with the bottom 3" still in great shape and the top 3" honeycombed and worthless before all the rain. This sucks cause the pike where on fire pretty much no matter where you went. The south bay on channel and most of petite lake is probably still fishable because those areas hold ice like a champ but i dont feel like tempting fate cause i've already gone through once this year. if anyone tries to get out let me know how it went.
-John

HEADHUNTER · « **Reply #33 on:** Jan 02, 2005, 05:57 PM »

I checked out Crystal Lake today, there was about 4-5 inches still there and about 10 people in the middle of the west end area. You could not enter the lake by regular means, the pier was the only way out for the outer rim was melted. You also had to fish in about a half inch of water. Looks like the high temps for the week will be around 32-34 and down in the teens at night for weds thurs and fri. I would think that predicting a couple weeks until safe ice might be an exaggeration. How dare you!

stinky · « **Reply #34 on:** Jan 02, 2005, 06:09 PM »

Head hunter I agree that we will fish all week. May have to take a little time and be safe about it but there is still plenty of good ice. The back channels will refreeze first and the big thing to watch for is soft or thin spots with weeds comeing through the ice.
Bob

HEADHUNTER · « **Reply #35 on:** Jan 02, 2005, 07:29 PM »

Bob, I agree, saftey first. I was out for 30 minutes today, didnt get a nibble. Felt the wind, saw the water beneath my feet and said, "it aint worth it today!" Last thing I wanted was to float away on a 40ft piece of ice!

John_BZ · « **Reply #36 on:** Jan 02, 2005, 09:16 PM »

I got out to check a lake in southern wisconsin and found the ice wasn't in as bad of shape as i though it was going to be. seems to be pretty tough this year. I saw some people out fishing on various lakes in the area on my way back home. Good news in that the national weather serice says that it is going to be cold enough to make ice now.http://www.crh.noaa.gov/forecasts/ILZ006.php?warncounty=ILC097&city=Lake+Villatheres the forecast for those interested. I wish the meteorologists could be a little more accurate and stop saying its going to be hot then cold.
Anyway i'm going to try to get out tommorow mourning

stinky · « **Reply #37 on:** Jan 03, 2005, 03:04 PM »

JohnBZ there are a few of us that may go out in the morning. We know some back channels that have good ice and are safe so we may go there and let the lakes tighten up a little more. We will probably try a lake on wed.

John_BZ · « **Reply #38 on:** Jan 03, 2005, 08:48 PM »

I checked the ice on fox lake today cause i live on columbia bay. its running about 4-5" out there except in the middle of the bay and in front of channels. I fished a lake in southern wisconsin with my buddy today and we caught a total of 16 northerns in about 4 hours and a couple perch on our tipups. I'm either going hunting or ice fishing tommorow during the day as i am off this week. the way its looking i'm going fishing again.

stinky · « **Reply #39 on:** Jan 04, 2005, 04:49 PM »

John BZ Myself and some friends went out for about 3 hrs on a back channel. I brought home 25 nice gills and crappie. The gills were small at 7" big at 9" the crappie were 9" to 11" all in all a great day. All the fish were caught on plastic

Bob

stinky · « **Reply #40 on:** Jan 07, 2005, 03:46 PM »

Just to let everyone know there is still fishable ice on the Fox Chain of Lakes.
The middles of most lakes have some open water but most of the shallows to about 8fow are ok. Just take your time go with friends and use a spud bar and don't over walk the use of the spud bar.
Bob

Toolman · « **Reply #41 on:** Jan 08, 2005, 12:05 PM »

I Checked a couple ponds in the Lacon IL area today and only about an inch of ice with the forcast of a couple warm days...Bummer!

toph2o · « **Reply #42 on:** Jan 08, 2005, 01:59 PM »

Nothing safe in the peoria area, Guess I'll hit the fishing show next couple of weeks while the weather tries to straighen out. 50's next week?? toph2o

HEADHUNTER · « **Reply #43 on:** Jan 08, 2005, 02:22 PM »

MAN, I dont know what I would do if I lived in Central IL. WE had safe ice before xmas. Thawed a little but nevertheless, people have been out.
I keep reading these posts and I my prayers go out to you guys for some ICE!

JR

HEADHUNTER · « **Reply #44 on:** Jan 08, 2005, 02:24 PM »

FYI, Crystal Lake's west end has over 8 inches

toph2o · « **Reply #45 on:** Jan 09, 2005, 06:49 PM »

We have been right in the middle of cold and ice or warm and rain. It can't decide what it wants to do. looks like more rain comming in then turning cold again, I dont like rollercoasters. I Have new equipment that is just sitting there. toph2o

stinky · « **Reply #46 on:** Jan 10, 2005, 04:51 PM »

toph2o
The fox chain is only about 3 hrs north of Peoria for a good days fishing. Some of you central Il guys ought to come up and try. We had one guy get a 51" musky thru a 7" hole fishing for walleye

Cheapshanty · « **Reply #47 on:** Jan 13, 2005, 11:20 PM »

Any perch in their?

zaraspooker · « **Reply #48 on:** Jan 14, 2005, 02:02 PM »

talk about extremes....What is with the weather in the burbs?

What is the Chain looking like now. Last I heard it was 3-5 but slushy? After the recent rain I have not heard anything, but with this bitter cold we should be refreezing pretty quick.

Help aprreciated........

John_BZ · « **Reply #49 on:** Jan 14, 2005, 07:34 PM »

Yeah there are perch in the chain but they aren't ussually a primary target for most. Next chance i get i'll check the ice since i am but a stones throw from fox lake. 3-5 inches seems about right though.

Illinois · « **Reply #50 on:** Jan 15, 2005, 03:07 PM »

Is anyone fishing Lake Marie yet? How about Mineola Bay on the Fox? If so, are you catching anything? I have been out once this season on Pistakee Lake. We were out on the Monday after New Year's. Didn't do too bad, 3 crappie and a bunch of bluegill one over 9 inches.

bucky93 · « **Reply #51 on:** Jan 15, 2005, 10:16 PM »

Went to Mautinos today. The main lake had about 6 on it. Though we didn't have much luck. My brother and i caught 6 little gills. Gonna try tomorrow at the hennipen canal and maybe a little private pond.

Iceman Cometh · « **Reply #52 on:** Jan 16, 2005, 06:35 AM »

Anyone been out in Central Il.? Gonna try and hit some local farm ponds today. If I do, I'll post ice conditions here later. According to the forecast, looks like we may make some good, lasting ice finally(of course, how many times have you heard/seen posted for that this year in Il., huh!).

Toolman · « **Reply #53 on:** Jan 16, 2005, 06:57 PM »

Finally... some good news!

I check one of my favorite lakes in the Lacon area to day, there was 6" of ice thoughout the entire lake. I only had a few minutes to fish though. There were a couple of Large lakes that weren't even closed yet, but most small ones are closed and appear to be pretty safe.http://

stinky · « **Reply #54 on:** Jan 17, 2005, 02:17 PM »

Illinois
the lakes are pretty good there is still some open water on Marie where the flow is. They have been getting some nice eyes thru the ice on Marie.
The south end of Pistakee has been produceing so have fun. Even with the cold watch out for some holes that may not be very thick.
Bob

rangerdave · « **Reply #55 on:** Jan 19, 2005, 08:02 PM »

any word of channel lake?hey ILLINOIS i to was out there that day. before sunup to about 3:00.i got 24 nice gills and 4 keeper crappies (the crappies were deeper). but my buddie who i was with stayed in the shallows kept 47 nice gills. all were on spikes andhe used a white demon and i used the ever so faithful MARMOOSKA. last time out and itching BADLY.ill be somewhere up there this weekend.

toph2o · « **Reply #56 on:** Jan 19, 2005, 08:30 PM »

Small lakes near peoria had 6 inches of ice this week. Caught 25 small bluegill, thew them all back. Anyone been iin Banner Marsh yet?? I may try the east side this weekend for crappie toph2o

Iceman Cometh · « **Reply #57 on:** Jan 19, 2005, 10:15 PM »

toph2o---
check your PM's.

zaraspooker · « **Reply #58 on:** Jan 20, 2005, 09:29 AM »

For once I do not have to work on Saturday, and I was curious if anyone wanted a fishing partner. Would love to go up to the Chain, as I have never fished it before. I have been icefishing for 2 years now, and can always use a few more tricks in my bag. I have a two man portable and a heater as well.....Thanks for any replys.

Dan

stinky · « **Reply #59 on:** Jan 20, 2005, 10:06 AM »

Rangerdave and zaraspooker
There is plenty of ice on the chain about 10" or better. There are plenty of places to fish but watch out for the dark spots they aren't as thick and every lake has them usually where there is a current or spring.
Let me know what you want to fish for and I can give you ideas where to go. I am leaveing sunday for the New York Trap attack so I will be loading everything I need sat. I can possibly meet you somewhere and give you some ideas just message me and I will be glad to help.
I was on Lake Catherine yesterday and took home 12 nice gills and crappies. They were burried in the weeds and if you didn't get the jig through the weeds you didn't catch any fish. On some lakes they are getting white bass in 20' to 30fow. Crappies in about 18fow and gills 4 to 8 fow.
The evening and early morning bite in some lakes can produce some nice walleye's. Remember that the walleye's on the chain have to be 14 to 18" to keep and you can have 2 that size and 1 over 24".
Bob

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Author Topic: ice conditions (Read 12350 times)

stinky

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stinky

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Toolman

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Cheapshanty

Toolman

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