IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
New Hampshire => Ice Fishing New Hampshire => Topic started by: bikrsrule on Feb 15, 2019, 03:49 AM
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I was at a large pond in Webster on Sunday, good 12"to 14" of ice, went to turtle pond on Wed after the snow and was shocked that there was 10" maybe a bit less of ice. Would the mild weather we have had over that past week or so melt that much ice, then I read on here about a guy going thru at pleasant lake..any thoughts?
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Different depth lakes freeze at different times and then snow is a factor.Snow insulates ,so a lake that froze after a heavy snow will make ice faster then the lake that froze first but got a heavy snow on top of the ice. These are just a few factors.
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Another consideration related to the weather is the watershed to lake ratio. The watershed funnels rain into the lake. In the winter, the watershed produces more run off water into our lakes than any other time of year as the ground is frozen so the ground sheds water rather than absorbing it. Depending on the size and shape the watershed, the rain water is either quickly distributed into the lake or slower. The influx of water (rain or snow melt) from the watershed will increase currents and erode ice. Pleasant Lake in Deerfield is a flashy watershed and the area the guy went through was like toward the channel on the boat ramp side of the lake.
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The ice, specifically in southern NH, has been inconsistent since the start of winter. Many early rain events and lack of snow (insulating shorelines and absorbing water) has led to more water entering and leaving a water body. Earlier this year, there was 10 plus inches in ice variation on certain water bodies due to currents eroding ice from the bottom up.
Ice around inlets, outlets and channels will continue to erode (as written from Pleasant Lake) as the sun is higher and stronger - more residual melting and runoff. Future rain events will have greater ice impacts as the average temps begin to rise.
There is plenty of fishing left. Just need to understand the water body and how water moves through it based on this years conditions.
Be safe.
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I'm in So. NH & ice thickness varies from pond to pond - sometimes dramatically.
We had really cold weather starting after Thanksgiving, then a thaw which wiped out the main body of ice, but some of the protected coves held. Then the ice rebuilt from zero in the middle & some places took even longer because of the relentless wind, but coves can be 13"+ because they never thawed. With the recent mini thaw, the bigger lakes are actually holding up better than the small ones which have some thin ice especially along shore.
Wife said there was a FB post about Greenwood that ice was not safe. I find that very surprising, but haven't been that way to look for myself. Not sure if they mean the edges or the whole thing. I would avoid it anyway.
The point is that a pond on the other side of the road could be 100% safe with 12" of ice and then you cross the road & fall in. It's that uneven.
Bring a spud bar, ice picks, & drill as you go. Or you can head north where they're driving trucks on the ice.
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I'm going out on the bellamy today after work and can only assume it's safe....I will drill as I go and wear ice picks. Last Friday it was fine, I'll find out today if it still is. Has anyone been out on Bow Lake lately? Curious how it's looking there.
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With the warm rains here and there we have some real variance pond to pond... Around monadnock one place I fish has a very consistent 20"... drive 8 miles with very little altitude change and your on 9". Like mentioned above, it all depends on the hillsides around and how they drain onto/into the waterbody... Still been an outstanding season for getting around, just gotta be aware of whats normal for the body your on.
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Fished in Sutton last Saturday
Over 24
Still check as you go anywhere.
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Don't be surprised about the sketchy ice in Southern NH. Lived on a lake here my entire life. It is the craziest year I have seen. Don't trust any and use caution.
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I had heard awhile ago that Turtle pond has thinner ice than other local lakes because of the decaying milfoil. From what I recall, the decay causes the water to be slightly warmer, therefore thinner ice. Dont know if that is total BS, but it made sense to me when I heard it.
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Fished the burg last weekend and had 14 in some and 3 in others so its not just south! Definetly check as you go
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Fished Bellamy and had 9 to 14 inches yesterday...it's locked up great this year