When do you expect safe ice?

[prayforice]

I was just wondering when everyone expects safe ice? The weather for the next two weeks isn't looking to good.

[John_BZ]

If you know where to look we have it in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. I was out on a lake just across the border called camp lake. the bays have 4" of ice already. on fox lake, columbia bay is froze over and thick enough to stand on. There are many more places that are fishable right now. you just have to be smart, know where to look, and don't try to push the limit just yet.

[valleye]

With the night time temps in the teens through Sat.  we should expect some safe ice this weekend.  But like BZ stated most lakes won't be completely frozen over or there may be areas of thin ice.  Good luck and be safe!

[bluegill63]

We have safe ice now I drilled a few holes on a lake near me yesterday Dec. 6th and it had 5 inches on it. That was before last night and todays cold weather . I will be out fishing this weekend I think we will have 7 inches by Sunday. It should hold up for a while if you look at them temps for next week  sure they get warm but it refreezes at night. Lets hope it doesn't rain that will be the key for the weeks to come. Always be cautious and tell someone where you are going and if you can bring a buddy along to enjoy the fishing to!!! 


Gill

PS I live in the Mendota area

[prayforice]

thanks... approximately how far from the quadcities is mendota and is a a public lake or a private one???

[uplandk9]

Quad Cities to Mendota should be about 1.5 hours...maybe a few minutes more or less...

Lake Kakusha is in Mendota, but I don't know about the ice on it....it is a public lake.  With all this snow, they might not have plowed the access road to the lake, but if you do a mapquest check on mendota and find Kakusha at the northwest edge of town, you can find a city street near the south end of the lake that borders a park and access there....snow will be deep walking in though.

LOL...sounds like some kind of scavanger hunt....

[TylersDad03]

Safe ice in Dupage,Will and any county north 3+get out there while you can the forcast dont look good >:(Repete of last year it looks like but I hope not.

[tbirdbassr]

Watch kakusha it has an aerator on the one corner ice will be thin there It should have good gills in there thou i caught one a couple years ago on a 3/8 oz spinner bait it was a good un lol

[bluegill63]

As of last night the road to Lake  Kakusha was not plowed I hope they plow it soon I do want to go fish it there is some big bluegills in there. They put that 8 inch limit in there 3 years ago and they are starting to get bigger. Also if you go out there to fish make sure you have legal fish they do come out and check you!!! I am going to a private pond on Sunday to answer your question.

Gill

[tbirdbassr]

bluegill,
keep us posted if ya can on that road would like to fish that through the ice!!! How is lake medota heard it was loaded with craps but they were small?
tbird

[kevheads]

we have about 3 1/2" of good clear ice on a little 4 acre pond just outside of Peoria,going to hit it in the morning.Forecast isn't looking good,ice will be destroyed by Tuesday.