Which lake......

[Icephishnphreek]

usually has safe ice first?

[mark mercer]

probably steenykill in the upper part of nj

[WantageWilly]

probably steenykill in the upper part of nj

I went past the Steenykill this afternoon and only a small bit of ice on the edges.  No thin film yet.  I'll keep you posted.  Local ponds in Sussex have a thin layer on top.  Only a few more weeks...

[WantageWilly]

I went past the Steenykill this afternoon and only a small bit of ice on the edges.  No thin film yet.  I'll keep you posted.  Local ponds in Sussex have a thin layer on top.  Only a few more weeks...

It's official.  Steenykill is frozen over.  Not safe yet, but frozen over...

[bayonne]

with the cold forcast the smaller lakes shuld be getting a good coating teens to single digit tonight

[Pike Popper]

I may go scout out a lake Friday to possibly ice fish that day or on Sunday in NJ, since it has been so cold as of late and expected to stay that way for a few more days at least.

[TONYR]

Well, the "CURSE" is looking like a sure thing. The forecast is for 5-8 by Friday afternoon. That should make for nasty conditions and put a hold on the SAFE-ICE we have all been looking for. Be safe out there and lets keep checking for the first safe opportunity to start working on this seasons gut pile. Lake Shawnee on 15 in Jefferson is just about locked up and is always one of the first to set and last to thaw. I am seriously thinking about ordering a 1,000 waxworms through Wholesale bait this week for delivery early next week because it looks like the season may just get started early this year. I may try poking some holes Thursday just to see what the ice conditions are like here in Sussex. Keep the reports coming it's getting to be that time with this frosty spell.

[Tom_K_from_NJ]

Yea,  that's the first thing I thought of when I read this morning that snow is on the way.  I'm hoping that Budd lake didn't freeze over yet, so it doesn't get an insulating blanket of snow on it.  I want nice BLACK ice. tom.

[iceman_4432]

this is a tough time for the snow .. lakes just starting to freeze over and then the 5-8" of snow. 

Well no matter what ... its gonna stay cold the next week or so (just highs in the upper 30's at best) so it definately wont be long now. 

[bayonne]

was hunting at clinton w.m.a the cove by sruce run creek has skim ice

[Pomoxis]

My local pond has about an inch. It just thinks it is a Northern Pond.
I've been there every day for the last week just to look at the ice forming. Now I know where the springs are, right where I did best last Winter!

Damn that snow, why couldn't we have a drought NOW? 

[Pike Popper]

Hey Tom my buddy just stopped by Budd Lake (about 9:30pm) on his way home and from what he saw said the lake was ice covered. He said the ice was about "1" or so. He couldn't walk out more than three feet. If it wasn't going to snow I might have thought about trying here Sunday. But this snow will make sure the ice is not thick enough to go out on.