Weekend forecast

[flyfish413]

Just an FYI, the weather forecast for western MA Thursday through Saturday is going to be terrible for ice: Thursday low 40's, rain starting in the evening, Friday mid 50's rain all day, Saturday mid 40's rain it the morning. Be careful out there this weekend!

[Fish addict]

Thanks for the update was hoping to head out but not looking promising

[Rangerboats391]

thanks

[Phishing.Hacker]

Brightside is the forecast has been wrong before and its supposed to get cold again next week.

[SalmonAndStriper Stalker]

Not scared by it. 8in cant just magically disappear in 3 days even with rain.

[flyfish413]

Not scared by it. 8in cant just magically disappear in 3 days even with rain.

Well you're not just wrong, you're being arrogant and dramatic about it too. It's absolutely possible for 8" of ice to turn punky and unsafe after 3 days of well above freezing temps and 1" to 2" of rain. There are plenty of places with 3 to 6 inches that won't be safe by this weekend, and many others that will experience uneven melt from runoff or current.  Try not to forget that there are hundreds of relatively inexperienced people that visit this site. Maybe you read about the guy that just went through the ice in Brimfield on a lake that had been "safely" ice fished already this year? They just found his body today. That should give everyone pause regardless of upcoming weather. 

I'm not suggesting you should be scared, but maybe if you feel like a particular post doesn't apply to you it may just be better to ignore it?

[SalmonAndStriper Stalker]

I always check ice as I go when I am going over an area for the first time or after a warm spell. I'm not trying to sound arrogant but it seems like everytime we get a little warm weather everyone sounds the alarms and panics. If people are inexperienced then they should be cautious. Everyone should be cautious always no matter 2in or 2ft of ice. Yes 8in of Ice can be hurt with 3 days of rain but looking at lows in the low 30s at night where I am looking my better judgement would tell me that it shouldnt critically endanger the ice. Might need a little board for the shorelines but as always 2 hard wacks with the spud and it's safe. One wack and start backing up.

[elevatorman]

Lots of rain Friday 2-3 " 

[flyfish413]

I always check ice as I go when I am going over an area for the first time or after a warm spell. I'm not trying to sound arrogant but it seems like everytime we get a little warm weather everyone sounds the alarms and panics. If people are inexperienced then they should be cautious. Everyone should be cautious always no matter 2in or 2ft of ice. Yes 8in of Ice can be hurt with 3 days of rain but looking at lows in the low 30s at night where I am looking my better judgement would tell me that it shouldnt critically endanger the ice. Might need a little board for the shorelines but as always 2 hard wacks with the spud and it's safe. One wack and start backing up.

That's a much more helpful and objective reply. It's predicted to hit 60 degrees in greater Springfield Friday and we could see 2 inches of rain. That's not "a little warm weather". Nobody is panicking, and nobody knows where you are going but you, and that weather will absolutely make places that are fishable today unsafe by this weekend. That's not debatable. Boil it down like this: I said "It's going to be warm and rainy and that can hurt the ice so be careful. Then you said "No it won't". I don't think that's a smart contribution to the topic, but thanks for clarifying what you actually meant.

[KillerFish]

Ice making weather after rain - just a one weekend interruption I think

[fordman]

Good time for big river walleye

[Flatland]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2018/12/17/polar-vortex-could-unleash-winter-wallop-by-january/?utm_term=.8157df99fd11

[KillerFish]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2018/12/17/polar-vortex-could-unleash-winter-wallop-by-january/?utm_term=.8157df99fd11

Now that’s what I’m talking about!
Bring on the polar vortex!

[teamtip-up]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2018/12/17/polar-vortex-could-unleash-winter-wallop-by-january/?utm_term=.8157df99fd11

Let’s Go!!!

[Roccus]

Better than 3 feet of snow.

give the man a cigar!... dead nuts right ...put a few feet of snow on thin ice and you'll be set back for months...as I said in another post...this rain is the equivalent of a head cold this time of year although  an annoyance the effects will be gone in a week...if we had that much snow some places would be done for the winter. .if it was March. .the scenario would be differant

[trapper2000]

Well you're not just wrong, you're being arrogant and dramatic about it too. It's absolutely possible for 8" of ice to turn punky and unsafe after 3 days of well above freezing temps and 1" to 2" of rain. There are plenty of places with 3 to 6 inches that won't be safe by this weekend, and many others that will experience uneven melt from runoff or current.  Try not to forget that there are hundreds of relatively inexperienced people that visit this site. Maybe you read about the guy that just went through the ice in Brimfield on a lake that had been "safely" ice fished already this year? They just found his body today. That should give everyone pause regardless of upcoming weather. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS FLYFISH  santa left ya something

[jigabob]

I think we need to include " DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!" with each post to stay clear of being criticism.

[rmoody79]

Ha! “ it’s going to be 33 degrees, don’t go! Don’t go! You will all die, your family will never see you again! Don’t go! Don’t go!”

[flyfish413]

Ha! “ it’s going to be 33 degrees, don’t go! Don’t go! You will all die, your family will never see you again! Don’t go! Don’t go!”

This was posted originally last week when it was 60 degrees...

[SalmonAndStriper Stalker]

That Saturday I was still on 6in in the rain even though it was 60.

[lowaccord66]

That Saturday I was still on 6in in the rain even though it was 60.

I caught lakers!

[pmaloney86]

That Saturday I was still on 6in in the rain even though it was 60.

Plenty of ice around still.  Edges got soft but if you look at ponds/lakes with some elevation they held up fine.  Was on 8+ on sunday.

[rmoody79]

This was posted originally last week when it was 60 degrees...

I don’t care

[flyfish413]

I don’t care

Thanks for the contribution, cool guy *thumbs up emoji*

[pmaloney86]

Thanks for the contribution, cool guy *thumbs up emoji*

He put the tuna boat away so he's getting salty with no ice in the SE.   

[flyfish413]

He put the tuna boat away so he's getting salty with no ice in the SE.   

In all fairness that would ruin my day too. 100% going to do a tuna charter this coming year.

[SHaRPS]

In all fairness that would ruin my day too. 100% going to do a tuna charter this coming year.

I will as well. If you are looking for someone to split costs with, I am that dude and there may be a handful on here as well.

[SalmonAndStriper Stalker]

I will as well. If you are looking for someone to split costs with, I am that dude and there may be a handful on here as well.

When me and my buddy get his boat going I will keep you in mind for a trip. I have tuna experience on other boats but my buddy has zero. But you cant catch them not fishing. Thinking about just setting out 4 130s with bait on stellwagon or troll bars and ballyhoo east of Chatham.

[SHaRPS]

When me and my buddy get his boat going I will keep you in mind for a trip. I have tuna experience on other boats but my buddy has zero. But you cant catch them not fishing. Thinking about just setting out 4 130s with bait on stellwagon or troll bars and ballyhoo east of Chatham.

Sounds great to me.

[rmoody79]

You will have much better results going the live bait route then bars and hoo, I didn’t get a good troll bite until October and November, ballyhoo on a glow joe shute was deadly in October bc of all the baby bonito around