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Author Topic: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?  (Read 4928 times)

Offline the_doctor

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Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« on: Nov 22, 2021, 07:14 PM »
With the short, dark days I am ready for ice season! I think this could be my best year ever. Just have a good feeling. I saw on some of the other boards, people are guessing when their first day ice fishing will be.

So, let's hear it. When will your first day ice fishing in Vermont be this season?

Personally, I'll be happy if I am ringing in the New Year on the ice on 12/31!
What's your prediction?

Offline Boatless in BTV

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #1 on: Nov 22, 2021, 10:49 PM »
I'm definitely ready to hit the ice whenever Mother Nature is ready to cooperate. It's encouraging to see several days with sub-freezing average temperatures coming up in the forecast, but we're definitely not there yet -- especially here in the Champlain Valley. Lake Champlain water temp is still 49.

Last season my first day out was January 9th. Hopefully there's no 60-degree weather on Christmas this year and we can push that into December. But the realist in me says to guess January 3rd.


Offline Raven71

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #2 on: Nov 23, 2021, 08:15 AM »
Keeping my fingers crossed that we're able to be out there ice fishing on 1/1/22. The past few years, we have been able to enjoy the first day of the New Year out on the ice.

Offline rdhammah

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #3 on: Nov 23, 2021, 08:53 AM »
I've been ready since March!

Offline mudchuck

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #4 on: Nov 24, 2021, 10:19 AM »
Well, 2 of the last 3 years of early ice, I was on an inland lake xmas eve & xmas day, so maybe it'll happen this season...fingers crossed.

Offline Mike84

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #5 on: Nov 24, 2021, 10:48 AM »
Last year I found good ice on December 16th.  I had to check my date stamped pics to confirm.  I am hopeful for a similar date. 
I'm just here for the ice fishing groupies..

Offline sonny88

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #6 on: Nov 25, 2021, 06:02 AM »
It's been in the teens the last several mornings here in central Vt. and the small frog ponds are frozen over. We may have an early season?

Offline Dickbakers

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #7 on: Nov 25, 2021, 10:48 AM »
 ;D small ponds east and west of Conn. River (grafton + Caledonia)  skimmed over last night.  Forecast is for more ice.
Watching otters bringing perch onto ice and eating them like corn on the cob ::)
Maybe another week?  I still want 4" of clear ice.   
Looking good for December.
Dick

Offline sonny88

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #8 on: Nov 28, 2021, 05:54 AM »
It's 11 degrees here in central Vermont this morning and supposed to be cold all week.

Offline woodyvt

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #9 on: Nov 28, 2021, 06:00 AM »
At 4F this am…….very soon we can hope!
The closest flag up may be the one that is behind you !

Offline Fish Farmer

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #10 on: Nov 28, 2021, 07:52 AM »
More thank likely, January. December I'm pretty busy with Christmas stuff, maybe a salmon troll on Lake Champlain.

I predict some solid skating ice or a bit more, then a dump of snow on top. Pretty much what happens every year.

Offline TRT

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #11 on: Nov 28, 2021, 08:10 AM »
If weather forecast stays true, i think some of the smaller perch ponds might be ready in 10 days to 2 weeks but
all depends on how you define safe ice?  I am comfortable with a 3 inches of black ice, spudding as i go out.

Offline poupster2

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #12 on: Nov 29, 2021, 10:19 AM »
Most years it January but this year, if the weather holds, it might be fa lot sooner! 

Offline Boatless in BTV

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #13 on: Nov 29, 2021, 07:33 PM »
I wanted to get outside for a bit today so I checked out Colchester Pond and Indian Brook Reservoir this afternoon. There's not much ice on Colchester Pond yet, just a skim in the protected parts around the dam and at the far south end. A good portion of IBR was skimmed over, though. It's a start.







Offline perch bait

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #14 on: Nov 29, 2021, 08:42 PM »
I'm hoping for an early start to the season for sure! I have a 1/2 acre pond near my house that froze over before the snow with about an inch of crap ice. Hoping that the rains thawed it before the snow set in. If that is the case, there could be safe ice by next week for sure! Nothing but dink perch, but it always feels good to get out on the hardwater. Gear up and stay safe everyone!
Perch bait- a small minnow that can have big results in the ice fishing game.  :icefish:
My Blog: https://jacobcrawford8.wixsite.com/pboutdooradventure

Offline Dickbakers

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #15 on: Nov 30, 2021, 07:39 AM »
I'm hoping for an early start to the season for sure! I have a 1/2 acre pond near my house that froze over before the snow with about an inch of crap ice. Hoping that the rains thawed it before the snow set in. If that is the case, there could be safe ice by next week for sure! Nothing but dink perch, but it always feels good to get out on the hardwater. Gear up and stay safe everyone!

Jacob,  looking forward to more of your story posts.  You have the gift.
White  mt  ice fishing will be here well before Christmas.  Jericho family often come to fish.

Dick

Offline the_doctor

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #16 on: Dec 04, 2021, 09:01 AM »
I wanted to get outside for a bit today so I checked out Colchester Pond and Indian Brook Reservoir this afternoon.

Colchester Pond still wide open yesterday, Friday 12/3. Most encouraging thing I saw was the little skating pond beside the 127 beltway in Burlington was locked up...ha. I'm going crazy here.

Offline TRT

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #17 on: Dec 04, 2021, 02:28 PM »
Elmore locked up and then blew out. I heard it has skimmed over again, will blow out Monday. 

Offline perch bait

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #18 on: Dec 05, 2021, 10:22 PM »
Elmore locked up and then blew out. I heard it has skimmed over again, will blow out Monday.

Thanks for the update TRT! Looks like some calm and cool weather around mid-week, so hopefully the ice will take. I got out on ice for the first time today on the 1/2 acre pond I mentioned earlier. Hammered the 3 to 4 inch perch! LOL. There was 2 inches of crystal clear black ice topped with an inch and half of slush ice and I had on every piece of ice safety equipment imaginable. Stay dry everyone, "safe" ice will be here soon enough!
Perch bait- a small minnow that can have big results in the ice fishing game.  :icefish:
My Blog: https://jacobcrawford8.wixsite.com/pboutdooradventure

Offline mudchuck

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #19 on: Dec 06, 2021, 12:13 PM »
Climbed out of the tree at 11 on Saturday, 12F at sunrise where I was at, decided I needed to warm up a little so took a ride over to Fairfield Pond to do an ice check, it had a little on the edges but not locked or even close, but that water temp is hovering.

Offline TRT

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #20 on: Dec 07, 2021, 09:47 AM »
PB I know your a college kid and hope your skinny like a lot of them. Two inches of black ice is pushing it.
Not sure what slush ice is and glad you have all the safety gear. Knowing you from prior posts, I am sure
you had a spud.

Be safe - 3-4 inch perch are not worth an unplanned swim. 

Offline sonny88

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #21 on: Dec 13, 2021, 01:26 PM »
50 degrees in central Vt.
It ain't gonna happen any time soon.....

Offline Kilsdonk

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #22 on: Dec 13, 2021, 03:06 PM »
Montana has been way too warm! Usually out on hard water by thanksgiving, hopefully this weekend I can get out and fish some bays at least..
“Anyone can be a fisherman in May.”
― Ernest Hemingway
"Im surrounded by Ice holes"
:icefish:

Offline sonny88

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #23 on: Dec 20, 2021, 07:47 AM »
It was zero here this morning and the forecast is for below freezing for most of the week. I'd say the ponds will be fishable by Christmas.

Offline BomoBrown

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #24 on: Dec 20, 2021, 12:25 PM »
My fingers are crossed.

Offline sonny88

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #25 on: Dec 24, 2021, 06:26 AM »
Single digits yesterday morning and below zero this morning, there must be ice somewhere.

Offline Boatless in BTV

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #26 on: Dec 26, 2021, 05:49 PM »
I got out for the first time today, hitting a pond for a few hours this afternoon. There was 4-5 inches of ice but I was sure to give my spudbar a good workout.

I didn't exactly smoke them (jigged up seven perch and bluegills, three big enough to keep), but it was excellent to be able to use the new toys I've been picking up during the offseason. I got an Ion auger this summer and not having to hand crank is sweet!



Offline Brochet

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #27 on: Dec 28, 2021, 08:24 AM »
Boatless, sounds like a good 1st day of the season.  Glad it went well. 

I also found a spot with around 5 inches of ice, most of it clear with 1/2 inch white ice on top.  Scouted ice w/ the spud at a couple places on the 26th and went back and actually fished on the 27th.  The yellow perch were biting, caught a bunch of them but no other species. 

Weather forecast looks like it will be above freezing every day through Sunday, so not sure how soon I'll be back.  But it was great to be back on the ice and pulling out fish for the first time since March !

Offline sonny88

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #28 on: Dec 29, 2021, 05:32 AM »
I crossed the bridge from Swanton to Alburg yesterday and there was ice as far as i could see in both directions and there were 6 guys fishing in various spots on the north side of the bridge. Also, there were people fishing on the Mallets Bay side of the Sand Bar bridge. It's on!

Offline mudchuck

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Re: Are You Ready!?! When Will You Be On the Ice?
« Reply #29 on: Dec 29, 2021, 09:05 AM »
I got on the ice for 1st time this season yesterday, skunked but glad to be out.

 



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