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Illinois => Ice Fishing Illinois => Topic started by: bassin140 on Jan 25, 2019, 01:46 PM

Title: Central Illinois
Post by: bassin140 on Jan 25, 2019, 01:46 PM
We got a lot of rain earlier this week causing many local lakes to be a muddy mess. They have since froze but too muddy to fish. How are lakes looking in this area? Dawson clean or is it a muddy mess from rain earlier this week? Any insight would be greatly appreciated before I drive an hour and 45 minutes. Thanks guys
Title: Re: Central Illinois
Post by: spcsports on Jan 25, 2019, 10:26 PM
I'm going to try a local pond and maybe a small lake tomorrow or Sunday if it isn't windy. They don't have much runoff into them. Can't say about dawson.  With cold temps next week we should have ice a couple weeks at least.
Title: Re: Central Illinois
Post by: DaWakoKid on Jan 26, 2019, 04:13 PM
Fished White Oak this afternoon in Bloomington. Marked a few suspended in 18-22" but couldn't entice a bite.
Title: Re: Central Illinois
Post by: Triggerbof on Jan 26, 2019, 08:21 PM
Fished White Oak this afternoon in Bloomington. Marked a few suspended in 18-22" but couldn't entice a bite.
(https://i.postimg.cc/cKpcn4cP/FB-IMG-1548555534889.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/cKpcn4cP)

White Oak eh? I got a buddy who lives in one of the houses that overlooks it, this must be you 🤣

I'm down the road a few blocks
Title: Re: Central Illinois
Post by: PoleJerker on Jan 27, 2019, 10:40 AM
Big brother is everywhere :roflmao:
Title: Re: Central Illinois
Post by: DaWakoKid on Feb 03, 2019, 05:28 PM
Took the wife out on White Oak about a week ago. We marked some fish as well but couldn't get a bite. It's nice having a lake we can walk to when we want to fish, but I'd rather make a bit of a drive.
Title: Re: Central Illinois
Post by: Arquero3d on Feb 03, 2019, 09:35 PM
I fished White Oak 20+ years ago. If only I had my Marcum back then!  It was always hit or miss for me.  There used to be some hefty channel cat in there, too.
Title: Re: Central Illinois
Post by: DaWakoKid on Feb 04, 2019, 03:03 PM
That was not. That day we were out there there wasn't any shanties, just us fishing and a few skaters. If you're ever heading out to fish the lake, let me know.

(https://i.postimg.cc/cKpcn4cP/FB-IMG-1548555534889.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/cKpcn4cP)

White Oak eh? I got a buddy who lives in one of the houses that overlooks it, this must be you 🤣

I'm down the road a few blocks
Title: Re: Central Illinois
Post by: spcsports on Feb 06, 2019, 07:47 PM
Well, that sure was a quick season. I can't believe we went from -45 and 8 inch's of ice to this. I wouldn't trust any ice now. Praying for another couple of weeks of cold weather.
Bite was nonexistant Sunday. Caught some crappie and gills in a pond by Jacksonville Saturday. Hope we squeak out one more weekend. Dying to try banner marsh.
Title: Re: Central Illinois
Post by: Jimmy Bomanti on Feb 07, 2019, 11:29 AM

There is nothing wrong with the ice.  We lost nothing from Monday to last night. 
As a matter of fact the holes I drilled on Monday were iced back over yesterday evening with at least 2" of ice.
Title: Re: Central Illinois
Post by: Capn Ez on Feb 07, 2019, 01:33 PM
Warm weather and rain knocked down the snow and ate up the gray ice then refroze leaving some nice black ice and an easy drag on Tuesday in northern IL.  Gonna get to 0 tonight and a high of 11 tomorrow, so I expect to hold on to 4"+ of good ice by tomorrow night.  No snow and no water on the ice is a good thing.  Get out your creepers out and fish on, my brothers.
Title: Re: Central Illinois
Post by: knol86 on Feb 09, 2019, 01:30 PM
Any of you guys the fishermen on white oak today? Ice report? I saw there is a bit of open water. Let me know please.
Title: Re: Central Illinois
Post by: spcsports on Feb 13, 2019, 04:38 PM
Its Wednesday. How is the ice holding up in the Bloomington,  Peoria, Macomb area? Ponds are still iced up @ Springfield but I don't know how thick it is.
Shawn
Title: Re: Central Illinois
Post by: Jimmy Bomanti on Feb 15, 2019, 07:55 AM

Has anyone been out on Evergreen this week?  I was wondering if the water is clear or stained.

Thanks in advance!
Title: Re: Central Illinois
Post by: Hsiftac on Feb 16, 2019, 03:48 PM
Have been one some small ponds in the Peoria area over past few days. 7-8 inches everywhere I’ve drilled. Have driven by some other small ponds/lakes and seen small open water areas near the shoreline.
Title: Re: Central Illinois
Post by: DaWakoKid on Feb 19, 2019, 01:06 PM
I'll be out Thursday and/or Friday between Bloomington and Gibson City. White Oak looks fine as long as you avoid the hole the geese have kept open.
Title: Re: Central Illinois
Post by: spcsports on Feb 21, 2019, 07:13 AM
Bye bye ice. I couldn't step onto a pond Saturday @ Springfield it was too thin. How far north do you have to go for safe ice?
Title: Re: Central Illinois
Post by: IlliniIce on Feb 21, 2019, 07:18 AM
about 8 inches good ice on a small pond in northern fulton county tuesday
Title: Re: Central Illinois
Post by: IlliniIce on Feb 27, 2019, 07:05 AM
checked a couple places yesterday
bigger lake had large open areas in the middle and along the banks
small pond open on shallow end and dark, crusty refrozen ice on rest of the pond
i know there is fishable ice around, but i am going to wait until after this next run of single digit lows before venturing out again
Title: Re: Central Illinois
Post by: Hsiftac on Mar 02, 2019, 11:19 AM
Fished a pond in the Peoria area, edges were bad but 3ft from shore there was 5 inches of clear ice with an inch of mush on top. Caught a good number of bluegill
Title: Re: Central Illinois
Post by: Arquero3d on Mar 02, 2019, 01:33 PM
Tried to fish the home pond in Fulton county yesterday. 4" of honeycombed, saggy ice.  Drilled a hole and was standing in an inch of water before I could wet a line.  Went over to Little Swan instead.  Had 4-5" of better ice, but a good portion of the lake was open.  Poor fishing.
Title: Re: Central Illinois
Post by: Boysfishing on Jan 20, 2020, 09:48 AM
Hi guys,
I’m a newbie and interested in ice fishing with my sons.  Do you know of any ice fishing guides around Champaign?   Thanks!!
Title: Re: Central Illinois
Post by: PoleJerker on Jan 20, 2020, 11:45 AM
Welcome and glad to hear of your interest in ice fishing, especially with your sons.  As for a guide I'm not from your neck of the woods so I cannot help you out, but I'm sure someone out there can help you.