NEK ice?

[vt-jig]

A buddy and I are HOPING  to make a trip up north this weekend chasing Lakers and setting some baits for burbot.     Does anybody have any safe ice to report, from ANY of the lakes that the VT fish and wildlife dept indicate that burbot are found? Off the top of my head, the following lakes jump to mind.   Echo, elligo, Seymour, and of course the death lake, Willy. If anybody has any tips towards a "smaller" lake that has both species,  that would also be a welcomed tip.

[Dickbakers]

  Do any of you check temperature ?  Below zero and calm winds indicate most of this area is frozen. 

[Raven71]

Willoughby had open water yesterday. I've heard reports of 6 plus inches of black ice at Echo. Haven't heard how Seymour is doing.

[vt-jig]

Do any of you check temperature ?  Below zero and calm winds indicate most of this area is frozen.

I understand why you say that. BUT, I was simply asking for any new reports. It's a fairly long drive for me to get to ANYWHERE that I can target these species, and if I keep it under an 80min drive, odds of success go from bad to only technically possible. Even with the good ice making weather it can be pretty easy to find bad ice on the deeper lakes this time of year, in my personal, but comparatively limited experience.  I was simply looking for input based on recent personal experience. I spend enough time theorizing about the weather while I'm at work, and have wasted enough gas based on those theories, to know better than to be the guy who doesn't ask for local knowledge first.

[TRT]

Dick - Willy is the last one to freeze in Vermont. It gets hammered by wind and common for it to freeze over 70, 80% only to get blown up.
That being said I suspect it will freeze over soon with this weekends forecast. 

[TRT]

Willoughby was half frozen over Thursday before Fridays & todays wind.

[Dickbakers]

Willoughby was half frozen over Thursday before Fridays & todays wind.

It seems that vt_jig has already given up on Willoughby.
Takes long time to freeze and cold north wind is brutal.
It's also further north than I like to drive, never mind someone from central vermont.  With this arctic weather I plan to drive
Champlain.
Dick

[vt-jig]

It seems that vt_jig has already given up on Willoughby.
Takes long time to freeze and cold north wind is brutal.
It's also further north than I like to drive, never mind someone from central vermont.  With this arctic weather I plan to drive
Champlain.
Dick

Someday I'll fish the hallowed death lake again, but ita gonna take some real cold weather..... Last year I put my boot through, over 70ft of water. There was a solid 9" of ice where I was fishing, and a quick check of the situation confirmed that it was not a drilled hole I stepped in.  Definite crescent shaped widow maker, not the usual black squids I gotta dodge on small spring fed ponds. 

We will be heading up to echo tonight, with high hopes and low expectations.  Should be a good time.

[Light liner]

That lake has taken so many lives.