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Illinois => Ice Fishing Illinois => Topic started by: jepik on Dec 07, 2021, 04:11 PM

Title: first ice ?
Post by: jepik on Dec 07, 2021, 04:11 PM
first ice?...Dec. 2021...2022????   Looks like no go Dec. maybe polar vortex Jan.
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: zcm_82 on Dec 07, 2021, 04:21 PM
Unless we get a big cold shot, probably not till January in my neck of the woods. Ponds are iced up around here today, but forecast is 60° Friday, and a lot of 40s/50s in the 10 day forecast.
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: Sylvanboat on Dec 07, 2021, 04:40 PM
Sub freezing temps in NE Illinois. It’s a start.
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: zcm_82 on Dec 07, 2021, 04:52 PM
Sub freezing temps in NE Illinois. It’s a start.

It was 12° this morning here, but forecast tomorrow is 39, then 55, and 60 for highs Thursday/Friday.
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: bigbucky1 on Dec 07, 2021, 06:55 PM
I seen ice today.  Probably be gone in 2 days.  lol
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: Hardwater2 on Dec 07, 2021, 07:00 PM
Just brutal…..disappointing in many parts of the country.
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: zcm_82 on Dec 09, 2021, 06:24 AM
Forecast is garbage. Be lucky to see anything before mid-January if this holds true.
(https://i.postimg.cc/t18syJRr/IMG-20211209-061530.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/t18syJRr)
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: IlliniIce on Dec 09, 2021, 09:04 AM
seems like its always mid to late january, last year my first trip was the 4th, year before around the 20th.
and the season is always too short for all the ice fishing stuff i have  ::)
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: zcm_82 on Dec 09, 2021, 09:16 AM
seems like its always mid to late january, last year my first trip was the 4th, year before around the 20th.
and the season is always too short for all the ice fishing stuff i have  ::)

Usually the 1st or 2nd week of January in my neck of the woods. I got out a couple days at the end of December last year, and that's the earliest I can recall being on ice since I've lived down here.

Last year was a friggin zoo, too. Most winters I have some of the small ponds I fish entirely to myself all season. Last winter they were Swiss cheese by the beginning of February, and I spent a lot of time picking up trash off the ice. Hoping the slobs got skunked and decide not to repeat this winter.
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: zcm_82 on Dec 13, 2021, 07:34 AM
Forecast is trending down after this week... looks like it may be go time the week after Xmas on small ponds around here as long as we avoid any more ridiculously warm spikes like we've been having.


(https://i.postimg.cc/zVzc4vMn/IMG-20211213-073321.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/zVzc4vMn)
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: hnd on Dec 14, 2021, 09:11 AM
Here is my book keeping for when I first ventured on 3-4" of ice.  some backwaters some farm pond.  and if there is ice, i'm ususally on it right away so this is give or take a few days of safe ice. 

   Date of 1st Ice
2010   12/9/2010
2011   1/18/2012
2012   12/27/2012
2013   NO ICE
2014   12/10/2013
2015   1/14/2015
2016   12/20/2016
2017   12/16/2017
2018   12/10/2018
2019   12/22/2019
2020   1/3/2021
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: zcm_82 on Dec 14, 2021, 09:21 AM
December 29th was my first day out last season. I'd have to go back through old pictures to find out dates from previous years.

I do know the season before last, we only had good ice for a few days in January here, then it all melted and never locked back up. I don't remember the date, though.
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: hnd on Dec 14, 2021, 09:23 AM
yeah i'm also typically gone the week between christmas and new years. 
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: zcm_82 on Dec 21, 2021, 07:28 AM
Daytime highs have trended up into garbage territory here, so it's looking more like a 1st week of January start now. All the skim we had melted off yesterday.
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: IlliniIce on Dec 22, 2021, 07:56 AM
according to weather dot com lows in single digits in west central ill starting jan 1
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: zcm_82 on Dec 22, 2021, 08:18 AM
Our long term forecast was looking good, but then they keep trending it way up as we get to the actual days.

18° now here, but it's supposed to be in the 50s Thursday and Friday.
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: Rebelss on Dec 22, 2021, 08:20 AM
Our long term forecast was looking good, but then they keep trending it way up as we get to the actual days.

18° now here, but it's supposed to be in the 50s Thursday and Friday.

Same here. We're talking about maybe getting the boat out and hitting the river..... ::)
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: zcm_82 on Dec 22, 2021, 08:25 AM
I thought about it, but I already have everything for the boat put away for the winter.
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: IlliniIce on Dec 22, 2021, 08:51 AM
patience ice hoppers  ;D ice is gonna start building jan. 1
how many single digit nights does it take to make 3-4 inches of ice?
btw, we've been hammering the walleyes and sauger on the rivers since late october  ;)
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: zcm_82 on Dec 22, 2021, 09:14 AM
patience ice hoppers  ;D ice is gonna start building jan. 1
how many single digit nights does it take to make 3-4 inches of ice?
btw, we've been hammering the walleyes and sauger on the rivers since late october  ;)

Rivers with public access around here were too low to fish for a couple solid months from August into mid October. Flow rate on a couple of the USGS gauges was 0 for a while. Water is back up now, but the boat is long since bedded down for the winter.
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: zcm_82 on Dec 27, 2021, 07:41 AM
Not happening anytime soon around here... forecast high today is 60, and the highs were 50s the past 3 days. The way they keep trending the forecast up at the last minute, I'm half expecting this season to be short, or a total wash at this point.
(https://i.postimg.cc/wy3YSxwj/IMG-20211227-073750.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/wy3YSxwj)
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: IlliniIce on Dec 27, 2021, 08:38 AM
yeah, those long range forecasts are all over the place, lol
might be lucky to use the new ice fishing stuff this year
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: zcm_82 on Dec 27, 2021, 09:01 AM
I know if/when we get some decent ice, I'm taking a few vacation days to take advantage of it, in case the season ends up real short like it was a couple years ago.
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: jepik on Dec 31, 2021, 08:43 PM
just bought tub wax worms...going wed. ..fish off of boat dock.. if there is not 4 in.. should make ice all next week.. careful
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: zcm_82 on Dec 31, 2021, 08:46 PM
If this below zero stuff Sunday/Monday in the forecast actually materializes, we should be in business by the end of the week on my usual puddles.

I picked up a few jigs and some spare auger blades at Cabelas this morning.
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: zcm_82 on Jan 03, 2022, 08:03 AM
Local ponds were skimming yesterday afternoon, and it's 6° here now. I took vaca time Thursday-Monday. Thursday is iffy, but Friday will definitely be go time.
(https://i.postimg.cc/DWR64Rds/IMG-20220103-080009.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/DWR64Rds)
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: hnd on Jan 04, 2022, 11:58 AM
3" on farm pond.  Someone said Izaac waltons had 4-5" on it. 
Title: Re: first ice ?
Post by: zcm_82 on Jan 04, 2022, 12:09 PM
Had about half an inch on 4 ponds I checked here (Iroquois County) around 2pm yesterday. They should have thickened up a bit more by now since it was around 20° all night. Gonna be hovering right at/slightly above freezing here for the afternoon and into tonight, so we won't be building much more until tomorrow morning when the bottom is supposed to drop out of the forecast. 

31° here right now, supposed to tickle 33-34° from about 1pm-11pm tonight, but then be down around 15° by 9am tomorrow.