Fishable Ice in Iowa

[spoofhoundicefisher]

anybody getting out in north central iowa.  looking to maybe tag along somewhere this weekend or next week with someone who has some room to spare.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

anybody getting out in north central iowa.  looking to maybe tag along somewhere this weekend or next week with someone who has some room to spare.

What are you looking for? Blue gills? Crappie? Bass? Perch? Walleye? Pike?

[spoofhoundicefisher]

anything really.  have never iced a northern that would be pretty cool.  just looking to get out on some ice.  ponds or lakes.  have chased mostly crappie and bluegills down this way.  got out on a pond today in a boat and was not really happy about it but at least got to feel the thump a little. 

[jstfish]

Dont get me wrong I love ice fishing but you can't beat this nice weather to get out after some open water walleye.

[Ice_Fly_Guy]

Dont get me wrong I love ice fishing but you can't beat this nice weather to get out after some open water walleye.

Someone get this wise guy outta here! 

[New User Name]

We're probably not just done in central Iowa for a little while. An inch of rain on Saturday followed by wind and highs in the mid forties on Sunday in northeast Iowa right up to the Minnesota border.

Get out the long rods. 

[New User Name]

After the rain and temps this weekend, we will be waiting for first ice again in Linn and Johnson Counties. Ponds are mostly open here.

[OGCollard]

I dont think we are far off now guys!! I was planning on camping and shore fishing at Icaria this weekend and cancelled them. I think Friday and Saturday it is going to cap. Shutting down all shore and ice fishing. I am totally okay with that!!!!

[Ice_Fly_Guy]

Yep, it's about time.  I am sure I can hop on my home lake on Sunday at the latest.

[OGCollard]

One more weekend of sitting around. Cant wait till next weekend. Ice fishing every weekend after that!! Been sitting around since mid december waiting to ice fish!!!

[Ice_Fly_Guy]

I'm hitting Black Hawk or Storm Lake hard on Sunday AM.  I haven't decided which one yet.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Don't know what either is like. Spirit lake had 8-12 inches on it though whit little snow. Hope it gets cold with no snow so I can take the ice castle out.

[New User Name]

We've been having first ice every couple mornings in east central Iowa.

The rain yesterday around CR and IC should be a good thing, as it may have cleaned up some of the skim ice that keeps forming. It is finally going to turn cold this week, and open water will freeze quicker than water with a few inches of snow on top of skim ice.

I am pretty sure ponds around here will be good next weekend. Just depends how much snow we might get this week.

[CatchinABuzz32]

Hey all- I live in KC but my folks farm where 20 and I-35 meet. They a have a nice farm pond that we hit- Just seeing if anyone has heard about ice conditions in that area. Plan on being up there this weekend.

[Ice_Fly_Guy]

You will be good, Wednesday into Thursday has a forecasted low of -3.  I am right on Hwy 20, but west of where you'll be.

[CatchinABuzz32]

That's what I was thinking, thanks!!

[New User Name]

3.5" of good clear ice on a pond just south of I-80 in Johnson County this morning. Fishing was terrible. 

The snow could mess with things down this way. That 3.5" of good ice I was on could get blanketed and insulated from this cold spell, as is all the other new, and pretty thin, ice this far south.

Be careful when you head out after this snow is done--no matter how many times I see it, I am always surprised how well a few inches of snow can insulate ice from cold temps like those coming this weekend.

Hopefully the wind clears a lot of the snow off the ice tomorrow. Then we would be in very good shape.

[spoofhoundicefisher]

had between 2.5" and 3" of good solid black ice today.  with the snow cover the ice making will be very slow going.

[Shack man Shoney]

Had 6-7 inches on a Jasper county pond today. The heavy winds had a good portion snow free. We caught a dozen with a couple good Crappie. Good luck to everyone

[New User Name]

The snow blew off most of the new ice that I have checked around CR and IC--I had probably 5" of good ice under me on a different pond last night than the one I was on Friday morning. This pond takes a little longer to freeze, but is usually better fishing at first ice. That was the case last night. Caught some nice bluegills and removed a bonus crappie as well.

[New User Name]

Yesterday's warm sunny weather has made getting on and off some ponds in Linn County a little sketchy.

The small pond just south of Cedar Rapids I was on this weekend had probably 7" of good ice on Saturday. That had turned to 2"of slush and 4" of decent ice by yesterday afternoon. I ended up getting a wet boot when I left yesterday evening and broke through right at the shore.

This pond has a decent amount of runoff going in it, which made the ice conditions worse. For the most part we still have safe ice around here, but use caution, especially if there is water running in to the pond you are on, and keep an eye on the shorelines. My boot liner and sock should be dry by tonight.