Author Topic: Central Illinois Ice Conditions (Read 9563 times)

zcm_82 · « **Reply #30 on:** Jan 19, 2023, 09:56 AM »

The fdd formula is fairly accurate up to about 5", after that it's not so great. Small ponds also tend to make and shed ice faster than it calculates.

IlliniIce · « **Reply #31 on:** Jan 19, 2023, 10:07 AM »

but it gives you a base to go by and 5 inches is enough for me.
all i fish is small ponds/lakes so i use fdd to give me an idea when to start checking

zcm_82 · « **Reply #32 on:** Jan 19, 2023, 10:12 AM »

I use it a fair bit too. Most of the ponds I fish are under 3 acres.

IlliniIce · « **Reply #33 on:** Jan 19, 2023, 10:50 AM »

checking the accuweather long range forecast and using fdd, we could have safe ice here around the first of february
got only two days of ice fishing the week after christmas, then had some good sauger fishing when the rivers opened up, but looking forward to another run of ice fishing

zcm_82 · « **Reply #34 on:** Jan 19, 2023, 10:56 AM »

I went out 5 days on that Xmas ice, but the bite was only good one of them here. There were a couple day I was watching fish swim around, but they wouldn't touch anything.

MysidEaters · « **Reply #35 on:** Jan 19, 2023, 05:05 PM »

That's fascinating and makes great sense. So based on the weather I posted and the article you sent - there should be about roughly 2 more inches of ice by Friday, which I think will be two inches total because I don't think there's any out there now - or at least not much - I haven't checked recently and haven't seen any reports recently either. Thank you, thus is super helpful!

MysidEaters · « **Reply #36 on:** Jan 19, 2023, 08:16 PM »

Does that formula apply for melt rate? Or is there a different one but similar? Like what if there's 5 or 6 inches and then there's one day with a high of 34 and a low of 32 or 30? Can you use this to predict ice lost?

zcm_82 · « **Reply #37 on:** Jan 20, 2023, 06:45 PM »

Melt is a lot harder to predict than freeze.

zcm_82 · « **Reply #38 on:** Jan 25, 2023, 09:51 AM »

Not getting my hopes super high, but next week's forecast keeps looking better and better the past few days. If this holds, I'll probably be fishing again by the end of next week.

IlliniIce · « **Reply #39 on:** Jan 25, 2023, 10:55 AM »

oh yeah, theres gonna be ice fishing again, forecast i just looked at has 10 days with single digit lows starting sunday including a few below zero.
could be a tough bite for a while, though, with the super high pressure that comes with an arctic blast

zcm_82 · « **Reply #40 on:** Jan 25, 2023, 10:57 AM »

I'll be more optimistic if we get to Sunday/Monday and the forecast still looks as good as it does now

Finaddict59 · « **Reply #41 on:** Jan 27, 2023, 09:42 PM »

An optimist, oh yeah, I remember now an optimist is a pessimist ( WITH ENTHUSIASM) outstanding we need a whole boat load of that, and we do really. I’m just glad I’m looking at single digits starting Sunday, Yes THANK YOU Mother Nature, God,Siberian express, global warming or what ever the flavor of the month is I’m just happy and looking forward to it. Went out last week in really cold temps ice cold open water but it felt good to cast 2 hr one bump it was a good bump I’m bettin a cat but I have caught a lot of bass in this pond! Just really want the cold. I’ve had to shovel 4 times this winter and haven’t punched one hole, it still sucks in Grundy😩

bassnbud8 · « **Reply #42 on:** Jan 28, 2023, 05:28 PM »

Some of the smaller ponds and lakes have thin layer of ice over them around the Morton area. Hopefully next weekend is a go!!!

Arquero3d · « **Reply #43 on:** Jan 29, 2023, 09:42 PM »

Gonna burn a vacation day Wednesday! Maybe another Thursday. If I go for the trifecta on Friday, I could have 5 straight days of fishing! Hmmmm....

zcm_82 · « **Reply #44 on:** Jan 30, 2023, 05:47 AM »

Forecast isn't looking great here beyond Friday now... thinking maybe fishable Thursday-Saturday. Probably be shot again quick... forecast early next week is 40s and rain $:-\$

MysidEaters · « **Reply #45 on:** Jan 30, 2023, 09:10 AM »

Hoping to get out somewhere this weekend too.

zcm_82 · « **Reply #46 on:** Jan 30, 2023, 02:57 PM »

Few small ponds are skinned today. I didn't have the chisel with me to poke around. I actually wasn't expecting them to be completely frozen today.

MysidEaters · « **Reply #47 on:** Jan 31, 2023, 08:31 AM »

Emiquon by public boat ramp was 1.75" yesterday afternoon. By ditch pull-off south end of Thompson Lake this morning was 2-2.5".

zcm_82 · « **Reply #48 on:** Jan 31, 2023, 08:40 AM »

I've got my gear with me to have a poke around after work and do some fishing if the ice is ready. It was 3° here earlier this morning, so the little ponds I'll be spotting will be picking up ice fast.

IlliniIce · « **Reply #49 on:** Jan 31, 2023, 09:34 AM »

building quicker than i thought, was gonna wait til thursday to check around here but might have to spud some spots tomorrow afternoon
btw, i am done with long range weather forecasts. went from below zero to almost 50 in a week. lol. hope i can get a couple days fishing before it goes to hell again

zcm_82 · « **Reply #50 on:** Jan 31, 2023, 09:56 AM »

I think small water will probably be walkable today through Saturday, maybe Sunday here. It's still only 9° and sunny with a light breeze, so ponds should be making ice fast.

Bite is likely to be slow in the dead middle of a cold snap today, though. I went out 5 or 6 days during the one in December and only had a decent bite going one day. Guessing tomorrow-Saturday will be better fishing.

Crappie Day11 · « **Reply #51 on:** Jan 31, 2023, 07:39 PM »

Been a few years since posting here. From Fulton and Peoria co areas checked over weekend had 2inches While visiting. Now in Vermilion co had 1-1.5 today few more cold nights be 4 in for the weekend.

zcm_82 · « **Reply #52 on:** Feb 01, 2023, 07:32 AM »

Found 3" of pond ice yesterday, so I sat over a shallow flat and ended up pulling 10 in about 90 minutes. Dink festival, but the bite was fairly steady.

This ice definitely won't be sticking around long, so I'll probably be hitting it every day through Saturday.

Finaddict59 · « **Reply #53 on:** Feb 01, 2023, 04:39 PM »

Things are looking up I have a few smaller ponds here, they’ve been locked up a couple days now. Gonna go spud em tomorrow see what’s up. I’ve wussed out in my later years if it’s not 3” to 4” I’ll wait. One more day should do it for me I’ll let the younger guys fish the 2” those days are over for me. Picks, float bibs, don’t care not up for a winters dip. Gonna be mid 20s tomorrow and 5* for the high Friday. Big warm up and rain by Wed, next week, gives me about 4 or 5 days to hit it finally in Grundy hallelujah

zcm_82 · « **Reply #54 on:** Feb 01, 2023, 05:55 PM »

3.5" today... bite was slower than yesterday.

Arquero3d · « **Reply #55 on:** Feb 01, 2023, 08:34 PM »

Fished western IL farm pond today. 3.75" of ice everywhere we fished.

MysidEaters · « **Reply #56 on:** Feb 02, 2023, 09:16 AM »

Checked Emiquon this morning - 3.5 inches on western edge of south Thompson Lake (just below the main ditch by the pulloff). Probably thicker tomorrow.

Arquero3d · « **Reply #57 on:** Feb 02, 2023, 09:30 PM »

Fished same pond, starting @ 2pm today. Had 4", but was already honeycombed from the sun today. By 5pm, one of my holes was getting pretty saggy. I expect we will add an inch tonight with the cold and wind.

zcm_82 · « **Reply #58 on:** Feb 03, 2023, 05:24 AM »

Ice got really mushy here yesterday too, and had lost about half an inch from Wednesday. The fish house was sitting in a puddle by the time I packed it in at 4pm.

Finaddict59 · « **Reply #59 on:** Feb 05, 2023, 08:35 PM »

Ditto on the mushy ice, I had water LMAO sled kept sliding away from me, didn’t use my little shack it was gorgeous out. Slow bite but satisfying, had to pack in earlier than I wanted, do to some people letting there dogs on the ice. A lot more people out in joying the park then I anticipated but I had a great couple hrs before the morning went south keeping my fingers crossed ice holds on at least another day, kids will have school, every body else will be back to work I’ll have the whole pond to myself Monday if it held up stay safe.

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Author Topic: Central Illinois Ice Conditions (Read 9563 times)