Lake John

[arkansas angler]

Shouldn't be too long now for north park


Ice Fishing/Conditions Report
 Lake John/Cowdrey/Delaney Buttes
 22, November, 2015

All current conditions are, have been, and will be dependent on weather, and what the elements have in store for us in the critical next few days. Presently, there is ice fishing happening on both Cowdrey Lake and East Delaney. Reports are that ice is about 3-4 inches. Lake John, North and South Delaney went from open water to a lid of clear hard ice on Friday night when temps dipped below zero with no breeze. Even with Saturday’s rise in mercury and testing gusts, Lake John held its own with minimal damage and came through last night in fairly solid order. However, today’s weight assessment tests proved Lake John’s cover is not yet ready for ice fishing. Tomorrow, I will try doing more analysis on North and South Delaney to see how those surface overlays are holding up.

[Sawtooth]

I got the same e-mail this morning.  Can't wait to hit North Park this year!

[lefty2053]

Bill is the best place to get those reports.

[Sawtooth]

Here's the latest ice report (below) for North Park from Lake John Resort.  The 10-day forecast does not go above freezing, and at night there will be single digits.  That should thicken the ice pretty fast.  I'll be there early Sunday to get my fix.

Ice Fishing/Conditions Update
Lake John/Delaney Buttes
25, November, 2015
 
                One more update before T-Day.  I didn’t get around myself but received a couple of reports today,
not to mention that I can see a pair of groupings down on the ice from the Resort here at Lake John.  The report I received from John was about 3 inches of ice and the fishing “wasn’t too bad early in the day”.  A friend saw fishermen on each of the Delaney’s, so that tells me that the ice is still there, and at least strong enough to hold up skinny people.  Actually, my guess is that Lake John and the D’s are very similar in thickness and strength.  The last several nights have only been in the mid-20’s with daytime highs near 50.  The ice didn’t seem threatened, but it didn’t get as thick as it would have with colder temperatures.  The weather is supposed to decay over the next several days which may make things better — or worse.  Snapped a pic today —  check out how clear the ice is !
 
Stay tuned,
Bill.

[Ogerswalleye]

Buddy went on Wednesday no snow on the ice then fishing was slow for him did catch some, nothing like the usually early ice.

[Sawtooth]

I think they got a little snow in the last few days.  I'll be there tomorrow (Sunday) at sunrise and report back later.  Reports of much larger fish over the summer are encouraging.

[Sawtooth]

Spent a short day at John on Sunday.  Was on the ice at 8 am, and left at 11 (Had tickets to the Bronco-Pats game - wow, what a game!)

Ice at a little over 5" and solid.  Nice few inches of snow cover.  Eight degrees, sunny and calm - beautiful day.

Started about 60' off shore in 14', and nothing was happening.  So I put my Jawjacker within 30' off shore (just off the picnic tables below the Resort) in 12', and had a hit within a few minutes.  Totally shocked when I reeled him in and saw he was by far the largest fish I've ever hooked in John - Cutbow probably 20" - Bill at the Resort says that size is running about 4 #.  Got too excited.  Tried to scoop him out from below while keeping the rod above my head and keeping the line tight.  Got him nearly 1/2 out when he broke off.  Realize now the line is a little old, so big mistake on my part.  I screamed so loud, I got a lot of looks from fishermen across the lake.

Stayed at that shallower hole and caught another three - all  fat, but only about 12". Did sight fishing along with the flasher and could watch them approach the jig.  They seem hungry - not a lot of lookie-loos just sniffing around.  Kept two for my mother to eat.  Stomachs JAMMED with small stickleback minnows.  Caught all of them on small jigs tipped with mealies. 

I love early ice at John, and already planning for next weekend when I don't have to leave so quickly. 

[lefty2053]

Nice report. I fished John one time back in 1987. I had a hand surgery and my friend had to drill all the holes. I don't even remember if we caught any fish or not.

[Warrpaint]

Spent a short day at John on Sunday.  Was on the ice at 8 am, and left at 11 (Had tickets to the Bronco-Pats game - wow, what a game!)

Ice at a little over 5" and solid.  Nice few inches of snow cover.  Eight degrees, sunny and calm - beautiful day.

Started about 60' off shore in 14', and nothing was happening.  So I put my Jawjacker within 30' off shore (just off the picnic tables below the Resort) in 12', and had a hit within a few minutes.  Totally shocked when I reeled him in and saw he was by far the largest fish I've ever hooked in John - Cutbow probably 20" - Bill at the Resort says that size is running about 4 #.  Got too excited.  Tried to scoop him out from below while keeping the rod above my head and keeping the line tight.  Got him nearly 1/2 out when he broke off.  Realize now the line is a little old, so big mistake on my part.  I screamed so loud, I got a lot of looks from fishermen across the lake.

Stayed at that shallower hole and caught another three - all  fat, but only about 12". Did sight fishing along with the flasher and could watch them approach the jig.  They seem hungry - not a lot of lookie-loos just sniffing around.  Kept two for my mother to eat.  Stomachs JAMMED with small stickleback minnows.  Caught all of them on small jigs tipped with mealies. 

I love early ice at John, and already planning for next weekend when I don't have to leave so quickly. 

Hey sawtooth if you had your jaw jacker set up with two treble hooks then we landed it sat the 5th. 20.5 inch cutbow.

[Sawtooth]

Not me.  I had a very small plastic jig - single hook.  But glad you caught a beauty like that.  Any pics?

[Dude]

Sawtooth, Here's the fish, Warpaint was referring to with the tackle lodged in the throat.

[arkansas angler]

Nice fish Dude

[Sawtooth]

Sawtooth, Here's the fish, Warpaint was referring to with the tackle lodged in the throat. 

Yeah, I'd love to claim it.  It has the same cheek plate of mine, and seems about the right size, but unless my little single hook jig multiplied in his mouth, it ain't mine. 

I was back there last Friday, but only caught smallies.  Still fun, but no cigar.  Ice up to 8" now.

Very nice catch.  Thanks for the pic.

[SLAYERFISH]

Newbraskans fishing for trout in Colorado?   Whats wrong with this world??

[lefty2053]

Newbraskans fishing for trout in Colorado?   Whats wrong with this world??

Yea that is about as weird as a Colorado guy going to Wyoming. They call us Goat Ropers up there. Which reminds me of a joke. Not on the board though.
I used to go to The Wheatlands all the time.

[Dude]

Newbraskans fishing for trout in Colorado?   Whats wrong with this world??
[/quote

Colorado has the closest fishable ice I'm aware of. 

Talked to a gal at Eskimo the other day (ordered a new gas tank) and she said they don't have ice yet in Wisconsin.  Curse this nice weather.

Hoping to be back to Colorful Colorado again this upcoming weekend.

[Sawtooth]

Newbraskans fishing for trout in Colorado?   Whats wrong with this world??
[/quote

Colorado has the closest fishable ice I'm aware of. 

Talked to a gal at Eskimo the other day (ordered a new gas tank) and she said they don't have ice yet in Wisconsin.  Curse this nice weather.

Hoping to be back to Colorful Colorado again this upcoming weekend.

Dude -  Being raised in western Nebraska, I have no problem with Cornhuskers invading Colorado.  Welcome.
My next month's worth of ice fishing is going into storage.  Off to the South Pacific for a 3-week project.  Tough duty - hi of 86, low of 79 every day.  Eat your heart out.   

[Beerslushy]

Yeah we are very lucky to have as much ice as we do in Colorado right now.  It sounds like most fishermen in the rest of the country only have ice in the freezer with not much hope in sight.  Time to count our blessings.  Nice fish Dude!

[SLAYERFISH]

Hey I love Newbraskansas-

In fact I have an annual Nebraska fishing license!  And a Wyoming annual fishing license! And a colorado annual fishing license!  Its all good!

[stinkyfingers]

Hey I love Newbraskansas-

In fact I have an annual Nebraska fishing license!  And a Wyoming annual fishing license! And a colorado annual fishing license!  Its all good!

I'm sorry to report that all the fish have now been reported in Kansas.

[SLAYERFISH]

I'm sorry to report that all the fish have now been reported in Kansas.

 
If Kansass gets enough ice Ill buy a License there too!

[Catfishking]

Hey I love Newbraskansas-

In fact I have an annual Nebraska fishing license!  And a Wyoming annual fishing license! And a colorado annual fishing license!  Its all good!

yeah me to I spend a lot of my spring and summer in Nebraska and Kansas gonna head to Nebraska in a few weeks to ice some perch

[stinkyfingers]

yeah me to I spend a lot of my spring and summer in Nebraska and Kansas gonna head to Nebraska in a few weeks to ice some perch

If you troll through the Kansas forum it looks like those guys are laying plans to head for South Dakota if they can't make ice at home. Guess they don't like to trout fish. I've been reading up on those Kansas Reservoirs for cats and crappie. Lickin' my chops though it may have to wait til Spring