IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
New Hampshire => Ice Fishing New Hampshire => Topic started by: fishermantim on Jan 11, 2021, 11:53 AM
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I am wondering what the ice (if any) is like in the smaller coves/bays on Winni?
My brother lives in Moultonborough, and I'm heading up this coming weekend.
I'd hate to make the trip without the possibility of hitting the ice.
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The ice runway guys are reporting 6” out to the bandstand In Alton bay
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some of smaller bays + pockets are wide open
and others have bob houses on them
depends on how the wind hits them, current, dock bubblers & probably a dozen other things that I don't understand very well.
but yes, there's good ice if you look for it. there's also some super sketchy stuff, so advise ice picks, chisel, drill lots of holes + watch your step.
maybe some snow in the forecast so it's going to make everything look white...even the unsafe stuff.
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Tim I took a drive up that way yesterday to scout & was only pissed that I didn't bring my gear. Unless the overnight lows drastically change you should be able to find ice.
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I am wondering what the ice (if any) is like in the smaller coves/bays on Winni?
My brother lives in Moultonborough, and I'm heading up this coming weekend.
I'd hate to make the trip without the possibility of hitting the ice.
Your brother doesn't scout for you? I'd disown him.
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Your brother doesn't scout for you? I'd disown him.
I wouldn't do toss all for a guy who wouldn't bother to come visit if there's no ice....
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lol :roflmao: :roflmao:
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I wouldn't do toss all for a guy who wouldn't bother to come visit if there's no ice....
To each is own, that's my idea of an ideal family member!
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4-5” at Burns on east side of cove out to the camps, some slush on top as you moved farther away from boat ramp
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Your brother doesn't scout for you? I'd disown him.
That’s very valid
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Your brother doesn't scout for you? I'd disown him.
Heck, my brother lives on a private lake and doesn't even fish :roflmao:
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Heck, my brother lives on a private lake and doesn't even fish :roflmao:
Like everyone on a private lake
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Like everyone on a private lake
Valid...all the times I have ever been to his place I think I have seen one boat on it, and maybe 3 or 4 of the houses have docks.
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Every time! The sure can b***h though!
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Valid...all the times I have ever been to his place I think I have seen one boat on it, and maybe 3 or 4 of the houses have docks.
If ever there was a sign people with big money got their priorities all messed up...
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I didn't think there was such a thing as a private lake. The State of New Hampshire holds in trust all the public waters, including all natural lakes and
ponds of ten acres or more in size, navigable rivers, and tidal waters for the use and benefit of the people of the state.
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He’s in Illinois
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I didn't think there was such a thing as a private lake. The State of New Hampshire holds in trust all the public waters, including all natural lakes and
ponds of ten acres or more in size, navigable rivers, and tidal waters for the use and benefit of the people of the state.
He's not in NH, Indiana. A lot of states, a water body is private if entirely surrounded by private property.
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4-5” at Burns on east side of cove out to the camps, some slush on top as you moved farther away from boat ramp
Forest lake has 3-4" under 2" snow. Slush footprints all frozen.
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I see. Well then that sucks.
I heard at a seminar I was at in Maine a few years back given by an attorney that there was old English law stating that no property owner (in Maine anyway) could prevent you from accessing a body of water held by the state for the purpose of fishing or fowling.
One of those things you probably wouldn't want to test in today's world & you'd be explaining it to the cops in the backseat of his car.
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Yeah I believe they can stop you from accessing there property to said lake, however, if it’s not posted it’s fair game until you are asked by them to leave. Me personally, I’d ask if they were around but hey, I’ve been in situations tracking deer or Ice fishing when no one on said land is home or live there besides the summer for weekends and I just Go about my business. I stay clear of there home or camp and leave nothing behind
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Yeah I believe they can stop you from accessing there property to said lake, however, if it’s not posted it’s fair game until you are asked by them to leave. Me personally, I’d ask if they were around but hey, I’ve been in situations tracking deer or Ice fishing when no one on said land is home or live there besides the summer for weekends and I just Go about my business. I stay clear of there home or camp and leave nothing behind
You have it right Frank.
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Like everyone on a private lake
They sure are good at the lake association thing though....
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Your brother doesn't scout for you? I'd disown him.
He would if he were home all the time, or had some free time to check.
Unfortunately he and I are both busy with work.
I have the "keys to the kingdom" as I helped him build the house.
(My BIL and I helped him with yard cleanup back in Nov.)
As I've told friends and family, I do not push my luck when it comes to ice fishing and ice safety.
I've seen and heard enough to make me never want to put myself at risk with a stupid decision.
Of course the forecast is calling for rain on Sat. so I'll see how the whole weekend looks....
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As I've told friends and family, I do not push my luck when it comes to ice fishing and ice safety.
I've seen and heard enough to make me never want to put myself at risk with a stupid decision.
If you don’t want to put yourself at risk, the best verification you can get is with your eyes. Use a spud/chisel, drill some holes and measure the ice. Recommended amount is 4” of clear ice.
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Unfortunately he and I are both busy with work.
Me too...so I just pm people until they give me vague dangerous ice reports. I never check myself too busy to protect my own life. Much better off taking the word of kind strangers on the internet. ;)
So lemme ask...you don't consider that "pushing your luck when it comes to ice fishing and safety"?
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Me too...so I just pm people until they give me vague dangerous ice reports. I never check myself too busy to protect my own life. Much better off taking the word of kind strangers on the internet. ;)
So lemme ask...you don't consider that "pushing your luck when it comes to ice fishing and safety"?
I didn't just fall off the turnip truck (like that old saying?)
I fully plan on checking, and I have certain places I fish regularly. My first thing on new waters is to find (if possible) the shallowest water to head out from.
90% of the ponds I fish have shallow water where people can access the ice. That's not a "safety plan", but I know if I fell thru I could literally walk out.
Now, first time on ANY water I cut test holes and measure thickness roughly every 5 feet.
If the ice meets MY comfort level (4-5" clear ice) I proceed further out and repeat.
If at any point I get a "gut feeling" of uncertainty, I head back.
Like I said, I have no desire to go for a swim or get wet, so I follow this process every year. I can recall numerous times when I didn't like the conditions or the "feel" of the ice and went home or on to try "site B". I can remember driving for over an hour from the outskirts of Boston to southern NH. My travel was rewarded with success, but my home ice was crap and I had to check multiple spots.
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I didn't just fall off the turnip truck (like that old saying?)
I fully plan on checking, and I have certain places I fish regularly. My first thing on new waters is to find (if possible) the shallowest water to head out from.
90% of the ponds I fish have shallow water where people can access the ice. That's not a "safety plan", but I know if I fell thru I could literally walk out.
Now, first time on ANY water I cut test holes and measure thickness roughly every 5 feet.
If the ice meets MY comfort level (4-5" clear ice) I proceed further out and repeat.
If at any point I get a "gut feeling" of uncertainty, I head back.
Like I said, I have no desire to go for a swim or get wet, so I follow this process every year. I can recall numerous times when I didn't like the conditions or the "feel" of the ice and went home or on to try "site B". I can remember driving for over an hour from the outskirts of Boston to southern NH. My travel was rewarded with success, but my home ice was crap and I had to check multiple spots.
I’m the same way. I live in central Michigan and have been a life long ice-angler. I don’t mind going on 3” of clear ice but when it comes to the weather we’ve had the last decade and 4” of thawing slush on 2” of clear ice, I’m staying home. Couple that with the limited spots that I ice fish, you could say that I do miss out on some good fishing every season. But, I also come home every time too.
I’m also conflicted on getting/giving ice condition reports on the internet. In one hand, it’s good for those of us that can’t just go drive and check any given body of water on a whim. In the other hand, you have to trust internet sources and even though ice reports given are often rather accurate, it creates the crowd mentality for the lurkers and then you have to consider the actual fishery. In the third hand, you have guys that want to give accurate safe reports but also don’t want to dip into the second hand. Sure, most of us that are registered users here and actually contribute to the forum are smart enough to use their best judgment. But, there’s the lurkers that go to a thread and only look for “it’s good at ——— lake”. People that want to give legitimate advice aren't only concerned about the crowd mentality but they are also legitimately concerned about others safety out on the ice. If someone that is comfortable on 2.5” of ice says “it’s good” and a guy only sees that and brings 4 of his buddies and all of their gear and maybe an ATV then fall through, that’s on everyone involved from the advice given to the advice taken. Or, maybe the ice is actually “good to go” but dude forgot to mention the 3 springs that are close to safe travel lanes or that a flock of 700 geese were just resting in that prime spot a day ago and what looks like safe ice is literally just skim ice.
So, giving and receiving ice reports on forums and social media needs to be taken with a grain of salt and every body of water needs to properly checked first hand by any angler planning on fishing that body of water.
Having said that, for those of us that have to mostly rely on second hand information, good luck. And for those that give second hand information, ask those that are asking what they consider safe ice and try not to give vague info. A lot of guys just want to know if they have to pucker and penguin walk or if they can actually bring their gear with them. I know it’s a vague question, but it’s an important one.
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I've been out different places and found good ice and fished with good results and have been out with Spud bar going right in so to eaches own I didn't leave home empty handed
(https://i.postimg.cc/mcZCS0st/IMG-20210110-055201-332.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/mcZCS0st)
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It's not all bad....there's good ice....just not ice everywhere...
We've got great weather for fishing, easy travel on ice, easy parking (mostly)...when it's -5 windchill nobody is going to want to fish....if there's 3' of snow, guys won't like that either. It's always something...
So, I say get out & fish...or stay indoors & watch TV...whatever floats your boat.
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Jigmaster5,
X2 Well said
John
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...I’m also conflicted on getting/giving ice condition reports on the internet. In one hand, it’s good for those of us that can’t just go drive and check any given body of water on a whim. In the other hand, you have to trust internet sources and even though ice reports given are often rather accurate, it creates the crowd mentality for the lurkers and then you have to consider the actual fishery. In the third hand, you have guys that want to give accurate safe reports but also don’t want to dip into the second hand. Sure, most of us that are registered users here and actually contribute to the forum are smart enough to use their best judgment. But, there’s the lurkers that go to a thread and only look for “it’s good at ——— lake”. People that want to give legitimate advice aren't only concerned about the crowd mentality but they are also legitimately concerned about others safety out on the ice. If someone that is comfortable on 2.5” of ice says “it’s good” and a guy only sees that and brings 4 of his buddies and all of their gear and maybe an ATV then fall through, that’s on everyone involved from the advice given to the advice taken. Or, maybe the ice is actually “good to go” but dude forgot to mention the 3 springs that are close to safe travel lanes or that a flock of 700 geese were just resting in that prime spot a day ago and what looks like safe ice is literally just skim ice.
So, giving and receiving ice reports on forums and social media needs to be taken with a grain of salt and every body of water needs to properly checked first hand by any angler planning on fishing that body of water.
Having said that, for those of us that have to mostly rely on second hand information, good luck. And for those that give second hand information, ask those that are asking what they consider safe ice and try not to give vague info. A lot of guys just want to know if they have to pucker and penguin walk or if they can actually bring their gear with them. I know it’s a vague question, but it’s an important one.
Exactly why I NEVER ask about any specific water unless it's so well known that even Ray Charles could find it.
I will only ask about a "region" and then rely on my own testing to verify if that particular water meets my comfort level.
That's why I like to have a Plan A, B and maybe C when I plan on heading out. More options mean more possibilities.
Above all I still want to play it safe.