Author Topic: ICE REPORT ON CLEAR LAKE 2005 (Read 5457 times)

coldfisherman · « **on:** Sep 29, 2005, 09:21 PM »

Well..............Noth in yet but I'm hopin!

I'll post on it as it happens.

Cesar 8)

CrappieBuster · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 04, 2005, 04:12 PM »

Seen someone trudging out towards the channel today shack and all, dont exactly know what his intentions were? Didnt get a chance to check the ice tho. Wheres the ice report? $:-\$

coldfisherman · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 05, 2005, 09:55 AM »

Well you caught me nappin!

At the polar bear deal they opened the ice up uptown and there was several inches.
I think if this arctic weather keeps up I may be on the ice this weekend.
There has been foot traffic on it so far but not much and not too far out. I ventured aout about 50 feet yesterday and no crackin or anything. I didn't hop though!

Talked to the DNR and they said we're in the 3 to 4 inch range right now.
He said if the cold weather holds he expects a lot of fishing activity by this weekend.
SOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Coldfisherman!

CrappieBuster · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 05, 2005, 09:41 PM »

Think I may head over there tommorow night and give the channel a whirl! I dunno but wif this weather we are having people will be driving 4 wheelers out there by friday,it's sure to be a friggin circus this weekend.......

Giant permanents and dually diesels will be out there before christmas im sure

CrappieBuster · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 07, 2005, 12:27 PM »

went to go fichin over there and couldnt get no bait! sport shop was out and dome was closed! dammit!

Chon · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 09, 2005, 01:06 AM »

went out to the chanel last night caught some yellows and missed two that felt like walleyes. ice was 3 inches.there is ALOT of snow on top and some slushy spots out from mcintosh. the ice that is there is good clear ice though

CrappieBuster · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 09, 2005, 05:05 PM »

Fished farmers beach today 8 f.o.w caught bout 10 8-13 inch walleyes. 7 Inches 100 yards out and bout 3 1/2 inches past that. Seen a few soft spots too that didnt look good at all.

CrappieBuster · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 21, 2005, 03:01 PM »

Fished Pumphouse area today 11 Inches of ice. Heard reports of 13 inches on parts and 4 inches on other parts?....All ramps are pretty well drifted in. Spotty ice conditions overall.Looks like it will be a while yet before the trucks get out there

CrappieBuster · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 26, 2005, 12:38 PM »

Anyone know how the ice is holding up with this warm weather?

CrappieBuster · « **Reply #9 on:** Jan 10, 2006, 12:37 PM »

Went to the baitshop today and asked on the ice the guy said 8-11inches. Drove around the island and there was 5 or 6 trucks parked on the ice off the west ramp.....

CrappieBuster · « **Reply #10 on:** Jan 12, 2006, 11:10 AM »

Got this one out of the local newspaper from a few days ago.

Thin Ice,Hot Fishing

CLEAR LAKE — It’s still ice fishing season, right?

Isn’t this mid-January in North Iowa, when exposed flesh traditionally freezes solid in three seconds?

Not this year. Not yet.

Nope, it’s 30-plus degrees by day and there are zero big trucks out on Clear Lake because the ice is so iffy.

The maximum ice depth Tuesday was 10 to 12 inches, and in some areas it was 4 to 6 inches, said Jim Wahl, a fisheries biologist with the Department of Natural Resources in Clear Lake.

“It’s variable,” he said. “In general there’s a lot of activity as far as foot traffic. It’s plenty safe for traveling by foot, and some people are utilizing snowmobiles and four-wheelers.

“I think people are still concerned for the variable ice conditions. That’s why they’re staying off, as far as vehicle traffic.”

In an average year at this point, the ice is 18 to 22 inches thick. But a heavy early-season snowcover prevented the ice from thickening as it usually does.

Wahl said Clear Lake’s ice is snow-free due to the mild weather, and a cold snap would increase the thickness quicker than when the lake was insulated by snow.

In the meantime, many anglers are doing their thing near Farmers Beach and east and west of the Island. They’re hitting great-tasting yellow bass with small minnows.

It’s bluegills and a few crappies at Lake Catherine in Thorpe Park, five miles west of Forest City, where an ice fishing contest is still on for Saturday morning.

Ice there was 9 to 11 inches thick on Monday, said Robert Schwartz, director of the Winnebago County Conservation Board.

“With this kind of weather, it’s kind of a nice time to be out there,” he said.

“When the fish are biting, the fishermen will be out there, trying to catch ’em.”

Permanent ice shelters must be removed from state-owned waters by Monday, Feb. 20.

coldfisherman · « **Reply #11 on:** Jan 12, 2006, 07:02 PM »

Me and the bug were out today a little west and north of the island. I measured over 12" but the top 3" looked pretty lousy. Mostly melted snow. Several trucks were out yesterday and some permanent shacks are out too.

Probably 25 folks out this evening over there and a half a dozen quads.

IT'S TIME!!!!!!!!!!

Peace Man! 8)
CESAR

CrappieBuster · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 14, 2006, 11:27 AM »

Went this morning on the 16 foot flat off billys 9 inches of ice. A few yellows and a buncha dink walleyes. Vex was marking fish but couldnt catch most them. Looks like theres people driving out around the island? Cant imagine the ice is very thick or is it?

devil_mechanic · « **Reply #13 on:** Jan 15, 2006, 10:34 AM »

hey crappiebuster i take it your from the clear lake area. any were else over there good to fish?

original_iceman · « **Reply #14 on:** Jan 16, 2006, 09:57 AM »

Quote from: devil_mechanic on Jan 15, 2006, 10:34 AM

hey crappiebuster i take it your from the clear lake area. any were else over there good to fish?

Hey devil_mechanic I am from around this area and had heard that lake cornelia and morse lake were getting perch. I had a buddy of mine go there but he said all that he had caught were around 4 to 6 inch ones... too small. Went to the lake over the weekend around the island and got 8 nice sized yellow bass there. Anyways just thought I would let you know what I did over the weekend.

life is good when your fishin'

CrappieBuster · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 17, 2006, 12:09 PM »

I fish big blue(mason city) and that pit across the street mostly. Sometimes make a trip to Silver Lake or Kuenans Quarry both in worth county. I'd be fishing clear lake nearly every day at this point in the season but dragging out everytime gets to be old.

cyclone · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 24, 2006, 07:59 AM »

Ive been up there twice in the last week, 4 lousy yellows............rea l slow

coldfisherman · « **Reply #17 on:** Jan 24, 2006, 09:46 AM »

We were om the lake Sat. Took 10 good yellows and threw back some Jr's. Also one keeper eye.
Last night we brought home 6 descent yellows. Bug is outfishin me bad so I won't break down those numbers.

We're NW of the island. Popped a test hole last night and 10'-12" of ice.
Be careful around the aerators. We've had some people and a quad go through already.

Peace Man
CESAR

CrappieBuster · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 28, 2006, 11:40 AM »

Feels like spring.......Looks like spring to me

Boy thats one big aerator I tell yah what.....

taxi1 · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 28, 2006, 12:15 PM »

How many acres is that lake? Looks like at least a thousand or does the low ceiling make it look bigger?

brittlab · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 28, 2006, 01:47 PM »

Clear lake is 3684 acres.

coldfisherman · « **Reply #21 on:** Jan 28, 2006, 02:29 PM »

Saw a johnboat out fishin that open water this afternoon. Ice fishin is almost done for us. We'll probably pull the shack off tomorrow. Short season. I think we've had the shack out 3 weeks. REAL SHORT!

Is it time to break out the long poles?

brittlab · « **Reply #22 on:** Jan 28, 2006, 02:35 PM »

I think I'm going to try the long poles at Brushy Creek in the morning after work. Maybe throw some cranks and spinners off shore and see if can get some action. I just started ice fishing in late December and the bug bit me hard and now I've got no where to go unless I go 2 hours to the north

Oh well there is always next winter.

crappie98 · « **Reply #23 on:** Jan 28, 2006, 04:03 PM »

Just curious if you talked to the people in the jon boat to see if they were catching anything out there. We did that last spring and caught some real nice eyes out there.

coldfisherman · « **Reply #24 on:** Jan 28, 2006, 05:25 PM »

Nope didn't talk to 'em. Didn't look like a bad idea though.
I watched for awhile and didn't see anyone pullin in anything.

crowbait · « **Reply #25 on:** Jan 28, 2006, 07:05 PM »

Coldfisherman
I had a GREAT day of fishing on Thurday Went back where I had pounded them on Wed. and started catching them right off the bat. Fish bit all day long. First eye went 12 1/2 ", the rest were all smaller. The yellows were going for me all day long, at times I had 2 on and couldn't keep up, didn't see many that were more than a foot off the bottom. Where Wed. there were more 1' to 5' off the bottom. Ended up Thurday night with 3/4 of a bucket full. Probably the 2 best days of fishing for me this season. Walked off the ice Thursday night with anywhere from no water on top to places where there was just about 2" of water on top. The ice was still holding at about a foot thick. Keep me posted how the ice is holding up if it gets colder and I'll try to make it up and do some more fishin with you.
Crowbait

original_iceman · « **Reply #26 on:** Jan 30, 2006, 08:04 AM »

Nice pictures Crappie Buster... well not nice to see the ice all gone but real good quality pics! I drove by on sunday and saw a couple of boats out on the lake fishing. I don't know how they were doing as I didn't talk to anyone. All that I can say is to stick a fork in Clear Lake for this winter cause I believe the ice fishing for this year is done! I guess that this will go down as one of the warmest months of January in Iowa history. It shows

crappie98 · « **Reply #27 on:** Jan 30, 2006, 08:09 PM »

well maybe i will have to bring the boat up on saturday and see what i can do.

original_iceman · « **Reply #28 on:** Feb 02, 2006, 01:45 PM »

Britlab... so are you new to ice fishing this year? I am a newbie this year also. I saw in another thread that you were getting a Lowrance X-67C, I am seriously thinking about getting one myself also. Just would like to hear what you think of it when you get a chance to try it out. You might get a chance to get out here if it cools down like they are saying it is suppose to. Anyways, I would like to hear your feedback on your purchase. Good luck fishin'

brittlab · « **Reply #29 on:** Feb 03, 2006, 07:17 AM »

I got it yesterday nd got it all ready to go last night. I hoping the cold spell coming might improve the ice enough for me to try it out next weekend at Brushy Creek or somewhere farther north. I haven't been to Brushy since last Sunday. Maybe the ice is too far gone. Is Clear Lake totally open?

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Author Topic: ICE REPORT ON CLEAR LAKE 2005 (Read 5457 times)

Chon