I80 corridor, new ice yet?

[Bluegill Mike]

Looking for the 2nd coming of the ice this winter, would like to here ice updates as it thickens this week.  I didn't get my monies worth out of my gear this season yet and must fish again!  Small bodies near Ottumwa had .5" ice Sunday (3 acres and less).  Bigger bodies are being kept open due to the wind.  Hope the groundhog goes away for a long time yet, I got jigginitis bad! 

[Iceaholic]

all we can do around here is dream...   I guess there's plenty of ice north of hwy 20.

[badgercreekfreek]

I'm South of I-80 (barely) and I have a small pond that had just shy of 3 inches of ice on it Sunday.  I'm hoping that it stays this way for the week like they predict, but I doubt we're going to be able to get on any water that is over a few acres down this direction.  I will be out with my PFD, picks, and rope as soon as I can't stand it any longer ... which means now!  Heres to the colder weather and possibilities in the Southern portion of the state!

[Iceaholic]

i hear that!   My buddy said he went to fort desmoines pond today but didn't check the ice.  He was in his work truck.  it had clear ice on it though with a few big rocks on top.  might be good by this weekend.  if not, brushy creek here I come.   With a name like badgercreekfreek you must like badger.  I fish there alot in the summer.  The dam for bass and the tree's on the south end for gills.   Only ice fished there once and did good.  I discovered my usual spot that usually has good crappies and gills but it's been off for over a month.       

[badgercreekfreek]

I live just down the road actually and like to go there because I can count on catching fish ... which is the most important thing for me because I have a young one who tags along.  I typically don't wet a line when we ice fish Badger because he's catching all the fish.  I only fished it once this year and he caught between 20 and 30 fish in an hour or so.  Last year he caught 95 in an afternoon by himself, all I did was pull fish off and he was back after them.  It's a great place to fish with youngsters.

[Iceaholic]

hey badgercf another good spot (spring) out there is in the cut where the creek runs in on the east side.  only about 5 feet of water (big flat shallow cove).  I'm sure you know the spot.  My son (3) caught a huge bass on a worm and bobber in that spot and when he got it to the boat he got scared and threw his pole in the water.  I mean it was a monster!  5+.  I couldn't believe he brought it in on a 3' scooby doo pole.  What can you do but laugh.  Gotta love Zebco.  Had the camera with...
to bad badge didn't get ice this year.  I had a few spots in mind.  Heck 3 years ago I drove my truck all over that lake.  does everybody still set up on the road?  We got lucky the first time I ice fished there.  sat on a spot I flashed in the summer.  18' no structure.  about half way to the dam.  50-60 gills/craps.  Long haul/great fishing.

[Bluegill Mike]

ANy ice thicknesses heard from Diamond Lake, did it ever open up?  I am hearing that up by Newton there was 1-2 inch of new ice as of Wednesday, hopefully we can grow that another 1-2" by this weekend.

Any ice checks down in southern Iowa?

[Iceaholic]

BluegillMike I am from the Des Moines area and everything is not fishable yet.  ponds, lakes anything.  they are skined over again with snow and slush on top.  Less than 1" of ice.  I watched a goose land today on a pond and break through the ice.  I'm gussing it's not safe.    I'm going north of hwy20. 

[Bluegill Mike]

Check two spots the last 24 hrs.....

Diamond Lake- Montezuma, 2.5" of ice, good and clear but not as thick as I need to fish comfortably.

Wappalo County 1acre pond - 1.5" of ice, soggy at shore with the sun shinning on it.

Whats up with that Valentine warm front?  REturn that to sender!

[drewgills]

i will be happy if to fish hooper and Aquibi once more this season. any info on ice conditions would be a gas saver if you live down around there. A+ to the dnr for the excellent management of those two lakes. gills are some of the best around. look out for those horse redear too               PS don't throw tasty fish on the ice if your too lazy to pick-em up and clean them

[Iceaholic]

sounds like 40's and 50's through wed. and then the cold weather moves in again.  Who knows, hooper might be o.k. Saturday.  it had 2" this saturday.  Ended up going to brushy and caught one 15" walley.  And yes, the red ears in aquabi are huge.  The lakes are very low right now.  It is going to screw up the spawn for sure.  But if the lakes come back up, the low water will be a good thing.  Fresh. lush banks.  I'm hoping for hooper this weekend.  4" am I'm on!  I catch and release at aquabi and hoop.  I only keep the big ones and let the little one get bigger.  I just don't want to see hoop get fished out.  that is where I prefer to fish in the winter.  aquabi in the summer. 

[Bluegill Mike]

Yesterday I fished on 5" of ice on a small pond in Wappalo county.  I think more sun/wind exposed areas have much less ice, especially if clear ice.  Fishing was poor. 

Any ice on Diamond?  Hawthorne? Keomah?  Thickness?