lake Onota

[TRIPLE S]

Just looking if anyone has any information on ice condition on lake Onota planing on heading out there on Saturday

[troutncrappie]

Currently not safe, with no access, open water in the middle.Checked it on the way home from work, I would give it a week or so.Was planning on a smelt all nighter.....nope very shady ice with ridges everywhere. Stay safe.

[SalmonAndStriper Stalker]

you can probably see my chop marks from hopping across those floating icebergs there at the launch. once you hit the sheet of ice it is not safe. going to take a little bandage work with the cold coming. not safe for Saturday or at least I wouldn't chance it and I take greater risks than most people.

[TRIPLE S]

thanks saves me the trip

[RickWakeman]

Currently not safe, with no access, open water in the middle.Checked it on the way home from work, I would give it a week or so.Was planning on a smelt all nighter.....nope very shady ice with ridges everywhere. Stay safe.

Great pictures and thanks for the report.

[bpfishhunt]

looking for updates on onota ice. hoping to get out Friday/weekend. what did the snow end up doing out there? did it soak in or blow off?

[SalmonAndStriper Stalker]

still some open water but some fishable ice

[troutncrappie]

Checked it today a lot of open water in the middle, I didn’t walk out or check ice thickness but I saw no tracks in the snow off the ramp or fishing pier  as far as I could see. There was a shanty set up out from the pavilion access point in somewhat close. I plan on watching this lake close the week for fri/weekend as well. Problem here in the Berks is the wind, we have the cold to make ice but it’s so damn windy there were white caps on onota in the open water the other day. I will post pics mid week and venture out with spud in hand.

[bpfishhunt]

very much appreciated! keep us posted

[flyfish413]

Spent the afternoon on Onota yesterday. Ice off the boat ramp was about 3"-4" (3rd spud whack went through) but there were tracks out about 100 yards from earlier in the day. Went over toward the beach and didn't cut less than 6" of nice hard ice anywhere between the beach and pavilion point out to 35FOW, and there were a bunch of guys all over on the northeastern end and right off the pavilion. Plenty of open water over the main basin.

Didn't have a single flag all day but when I was grabbing bait at the livery a couple dudes came in to weigh an 8LB hen brown!

[pmaloney86]

Didn't have a single flag all day but when I was grabbing bait at the livery a couple dudes came in to weigh an 8LB hen brown!

Saw a pic of that fish.  What a beauty.  I've seen more pics of big browns come thru the ice this year than pike.  I don't hate it!

[Rangerboats391]

i heard someone went through recently at onata, a friend of a friend told me. antbody here?

[SalmonAndStriper Stalker]

i heard someone went through recently at onata, a friend of a friend told me. antbody here?

I've personally heard of 3 different occasions someone has gone thru at onota the last 2 weeks. people are not careful enough. ice there is variable right now.

[troutncrappie]

I am close friends with a few firefighters in Pittsfield and both have heard no accounts of people falling in. So hopefully these incidents are in relatively shallow water and result in no injury's to people. Be safe everyone.

[PikeKing23]

It is always an unfortunate event when somebody goes in, but I was just telling a co-worker that most people don't hear when an ice fisherman goes in because most of the time, we can self rescue.  It's the ice skaters and casual walkers that folks hear about, as they usually need help.  I attribute this to ice fishing education, awareness, and proper gear.

[troutncrappie]

It is always an unfortunate event when somebody goes in, but I was just telling a co-worker that most people don't hear when an ice fisherman goes in because most of the time, we can self rescue.  It's the ice skaters and casual walkers that folks hear about, as they usually need help.  I attribute this to ice fishing education, awareness, and proper gear.

Well said pikeking, Onota is essentially my home lake here and I have not seen it like this,this late in the season in a while. I cant even reach my smelt grounds, going to have to try for them in shallower water.

[Rangerboats391]

It is always an unfortunate event when somebody goes in, but I was just telling a co-worker that most people don't hear when an ice fisherman goes in because most of the time, we can self rescue.  It's the ice skaters and casual walkers that folks hear about, as they usually need help.  I attribute this to ice fishing education, awareness, and proper gear.

I was told he did get himself out, with help of other people, but yes i think your right about fishermen being much more educated and equiped to do so, 14 deaths so far country wide, 2 in new jersey over the week

[SalmonAndStriper Stalker]

one of the incidents I know the guy pulled himself out and another the guy only went up to his waiste. the 3rd I'm unsure of exactly what happened. bummer to hear the smelt grounds are unsafe. might have to do a maine trip instead.