Central Illinois Ice Conditions

[zcm_82]

I went a few hours Saturday. The ice was getting pretty soft by the time I quit midday. Couldn't buy a bite... caught one gill. Fish were there, just wouldn't hit anything.

I didn't even look at ice yesterday, it only got down to 36° overnight Saturday, and it was 49 afternoon yesterday, so I'm sure it's toast.

[Raquettedacker]

Not sure if this is central..

[zcm_82]

It is. That's about dead straight across the state from me. I'm right on the Indiana line, and that's right over by the Mississippi.

[Arquero3d]

Went Saturday afternoon.  Started with 4. 5" of ice.  Ice was very saggy by the end of the trip. Did not bother trying sunday.

[Arquero3d]

I'm very sad to hear of the couple who died near Durham.  My grandparent's farm was about a mile from there, and I grew up fishing several ponds in the area.

Though I did not know the Chaneys, I pray for peace in the lives of their family left behind.

[Finaddict59]

That news flash about the couple is just sad, there really is no reason for that to happen. You don’t want to say anything about foolishness, or this or that, it’s just sad, you really can’t emphasize enough on safety and some people don’t wanta hear you harp on it, so enough said from me, it’s great to be alive. Take a second in your endeavors,enjoy the hell out of em but try to take a sec and think! STAY SAFE✌️

[bassnbud8]

Holy crap, I worked with that guy that died 20 years ago. He was an interestingly cool dude.

[Finaddict59]

The rain has done in my haunts, ice is all but gone, probably won’t be back any time soon from the looks of the weather reports. Also heard they could have to put some restrictions on BAGO, if they don’t get some really cold days up that way. At least they have ice none here in Grundy, gonna make jerky, that always eases the pain🤣

[jackpine]

In all my years of ice fishing I have never seen a winter like this. I hope this is the last year like it.

By the way 3 people went through this past weekend, 1 on Channel lake and 2 on Antioch lake. The 1 guy on channel is OK not sure about the other 2.

[zcm_82]

This is up there for me, but not the worst. There was one back in like 2007-2010, somewhere in there where we never had any local ice. 3-4 season ago there was only ice for a few days.

This season probably rates 3rd worst for me since 2006 when I started ice fishing down here.

[Finaddict59]

Agree, Ice fishing in Illinois is the worst. I used to to do major hauls, wake up 3:3:30 am hit it and be on the ice by 6 or 7 am Mississippi backwaters savanna area leave by 3 or 4 pm nobody could last longer than 45 min behind the wheel coming home had to keep pulling off to exchange drivers nobody could stay awake 😂🤣 I miss those trips, tons of fish absolute great time.us boys in Illinois gotta work hard to find hard water some years. I got turned on to ice fishing when I was 9yrs old now, if I’m driving 3 or 4 hrs one way then I’m gettin a room no more half the day in travel time. But the Mississippi backwaters do have what I call  gills with forhead’s  it’s tempting LMAO!!!!

[zcm_82]

I lived in northern MN before here, so the seasons are a lot shorter than what I had been used to before.

[Sylvanboat]

NE Illinois here. I think our ice season is done. I got out on Dec 8, that’s it. I needed to go to WI for more fishing.

[zcm_82]

I got out 4 or 5 days in late December, and 4 days during that snap the end of last month, but I only got onto a good bite a couple of days.

[jbird68]

I got out 4 or 5 days in late December, and 4 days during that snap the end of last month, but I only got onto a good bite a couple of days.

I got our 4 times in Illinois. Took a trip up to Northern Wisconsin at end of January.  4 day trip ended after 1 day of fishing. Slush was too much to tackle on foot. Had better luck at home. But it's all over now. [size=78%] [/size]

[zcm_82]

Yeah, not a speck of ice left around here. Unless we get an absolute freak cold snap, that's all she wrote till next winter.

I'll probably get the cobwebs blown out of the outboard and motorcycle this weekend. The water is way too high to really make any serious fishing attempt on the river here, though. Maybe in a week or two if it doesn't rain or snow much.

[Finaddict59]

ZCM which river are you talking about Kankakee or Iroquois or Vermilion being high right now just curious ?

[Finaddict59]

And yeah it’s gonna be open water time with out a doubt ( Go Cubs Go)

[zcm_82]

ZCM which river are you talking about Kankakee or Iroquois or Vermilion being high right now just curious ?

Iroquois... it is coming down a lot faster than I figured it would after that rain we had a couple days ago. I had a look on my way home from work today.

I fish the Kankakee a lot too, but mostly over on the Indiana side the past several years.

[Finaddict59]

Yeah I lived in Aroma park a couple years then Watseka for about 9yrs. I spent a lot of yrs on the slough, it’s a further drive now but still doable.hopefully the work there doin will pan out, some good places in and around Watseka to Momence both Kank, and Iroquois, got a place I’d love to hit in Iroquois county but alas it is privet, I always get a a kick out of people that by lake and river property for the VIEW, they don’t fish they don’t ski, they don’t swim, I mean really,waist of resources. If you ask politely they deny you access because some twit ruined it for the rest, it’s pretty simple, leave no foot print. Tight lines.Finn

[zcm_82]

Yeah I lived in Aroma park a couple years then Watseka for about 9yrs. I spent a lot of yrs on the slough, it’s a further drive now but still doable.hopefully the work there doin will pan out, some good places in and around Watseka to Momence both Kank, and Iroquois, got a place I’d love to hit in Iroquois county but alas it is privet, I always get a a kick out of people that by lake and river property for the VIEW, they don’t fish they don’t ski, they don’t swim, I mean really,waist of resources. If you ask politely they deny you access because some twit ruined it for the rest, it’s pretty simple, leave no foot print. Tight lines.Finn

I used to fish Aroma area a lot, but the silting has gotten so bad the past few years it is just too much of a pain, unless the water is really high. They're actually supposed to dredge out the stretch by the boat ramp between the bridge and the end of the island this year.

I mostly launch from Watseka or the Newton fairgrounds on the Iroquois... occasionally Rensellaer, but that isn't worth the drive unless the water is up, but not blown out over there.

On the Kankakee I'm usually out between the state line and 55.

[Finaddict59]

Who knows, I might have already met you I managed and did reel repair out of Franks in Momence, reel repair out of Nicks the trading post, on Kankakee and sometimes lannys in Kankakee lmao probably know a few guys on this site if I saw them,

[zcm_82]

I've only fished around Momence a couple times, maybe 5 years back.

Probably before my time at those shops. I've only been seriously fishing the rivers around here about 10 years. I basically only pond fished the first few years after I moved back down here.

[Finaddict59]

The season is over! It was nice reading the stories of the guys that did get out, my season sucked,got out only a handful of times, I did put a nice little Frankin graph together for ice or open.  I miss CHI TOWN ANGLER, hope the guys that are hittin it have a great time, talk with some of you in 9 Months or so. Buy the way anyone happen to know if they rent boats on  Evergreen lake, if not I’m sure I can find out thanks. Fin.

[zcm_82]

63° here earlier... just got the bike back from the shop this afternoon and took it for a little ride.

[IlliniIce]

hey fin,
i found this https://www.ifishillinois.org/profiles/waterbody.php?waternum=00305 and it says they rent boats at evergreen.
there used to be a bait shop there. been there once about 10 years ago and we caught some saugeyes.
i am waiting for the rivers to settle down so i can get back at chasing walleyes and saugers, but its gonna be a zoo on the illinois with tourneys three straight weekends starting next week.

[Finaddict59]

Hey thanks for the web hit, I’ll check that out, yeah Friday’s weather is probably gonna put a beat down on all the rivers il,kank,iroq, it’ll be a week minimum to get back to norm. There calling for 55/60* Mon, with more rain! Short term out look is just a little bleak good time to get the gear straight if ya haven’t already. Tight Lines man. Fin

[zcm_82]

The Iroquois is still out of the banks this morning from that last rain, and this rain/snow today definitely isn't going to help. 😬

[zcm_82]

Guessing yesterday was our last gasp of winter... hard to tell exactly how much snow we got yesterday because it was above freezing and kept going back and forth between rain/sleet/snow but there is about 3" on the ground this morning, so I'd guess 4-5" if you include the meltoff as it was snowing.

Supposed to be near 50 today, mid 50s tomorrow, and low 60s Monday, so we're in for a muddy mess.

[Finaddict59]

Didn’t get diddly in Grundy, flakes at least quarter size, melted as fast as they could hit the ground, and even with the below normal temps for the next 10 days, it’s not gonna make ice in my neck of the woods, at least nothing I wanta walk on!! It’s over for me, not looking forward to mowing and yard work. I am looking forward to temps in the 50s low 60s, and gettin on em, that’s for sure!!!