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Pennsylvania => Ice Fishing Pennsylvania => Topic started by: Mknott on Jan 03, 2019, 10:05 AM

Title: Giving up on PA
Post by: Mknott on Jan 03, 2019, 10:05 AM
Bought new Carharrt  gear and Ice fishing gear for Christmas and I can't wait another month to get on the ice. I'm from Pittsburgh, anyone know of a trip I could take within 6 hrs that I can take to get me on 4+ inches of ice??? Lakes in New York?? Anywhere?
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: IceholeHEN on Jan 03, 2019, 02:21 PM
when you find out let me know. i was going to head to Michigan this weekend but it don't look good up there. my brother by law lives in Fenton and he said its the same weather and problems. Good luck to you, hopefully soon PA will be hardwater.
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: builder on Jan 03, 2019, 06:56 PM
ive been going to lakes about 20 miles ne of Binghamton. check out small water Chenango in new York reports.beautiful lakes. long pond balam lake. solid ice but tough fishing. need to be on the  move
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: Mknott on Jan 04, 2019, 09:25 AM
Ok, thank u! I'll check it out
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: IceholeHEN on Jan 04, 2019, 12:37 PM
i'll also have to check it out. thanks for the info
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: uncleshorty on Jan 07, 2019, 03:38 PM
I quit spending money on ice fishing gear 3 years ago.  I also stopped making my annual trip to PA during (what used to be) ice fishing season.

I can't justify spending my limited outdoors $$$ on gear I MIGHT get to use a day or two a year.  I now make my trip for the entire month of May instead of spliting it into two weeks in Jan-Feb & 2 in May.  My money gets spent on fly fishing trips now.

Yes, I miss ice fishing.  But there comes a time when you've got to admit that your job at the buggy whip factory ain't coming back and it's time to move on.

Whether you chalk it up to man-made causes or strictly to Mother Nature you've got to admit, the climate in PA has changed.  And not for the better for icefishermen...
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: jimhaney08 on Jan 08, 2019, 09:02 AM
Whether you chalk it up to man-made causes or strictly to Mother Nature you've got to admit, the climate in PA has changed.  And not for the better for icefishermen...

Unfortunately, you might be right.  It definitely seems like we get more warm ups and more heavy rains in the winters now.  Wish I hadn't put my boat away before Christmas.  Haha.

I've still got my fingers crossed for hopefully getting a few weeks or maybe a month of ice!  It looks like after today we're supposed to start getting colder here in the center part of the state.  Hopefully we're on the ice next week sometime and it hangs around. 
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: Raquettedacker on Jan 08, 2019, 09:07 AM
Fourth lake.
Raquette Lake.
Schroon lake.
Tupper lake..
Cranberry lake..
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: jimhaney08 on Jan 08, 2019, 09:26 AM
Thanks for the heads up!  Unfortunately these are all 6+ hours away from me.  Too far for my wallet.  haha.
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: Van_Cleaver on Jan 08, 2019, 09:44 AM
10 days of solid ice making weather at Mt. Pocono, starting tomorrow. Two hour drive for me but hoping I'll be out by the weekend or soon after.
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: RuttNutt on Jan 08, 2019, 12:19 PM
I quit spending money on ice fishing gear 3 years ago.  I also stopped making my annual trip to PA during (what used to be) ice fishing season.

I can't justify spending my limited outdoors $$$ on gear I MIGHT get to use a day or two a year.  I now make my trip for the entire month of May instead of spliting it into two weeks in Jan-Feb & 2 in May.  My money gets spent on fly fishing trips now.

Yes, I miss ice fishing.  But there comes a time when you've got to admit that your job at the buggy whip factory ain't coming back and it's time to move on.

Whether you chalk it up to man-made causes or strictly to Mother Nature you've got to admit, the climate in PA has changed.  And not for the better for icefishermen...

Well, I don’t give up that easy! Been out 3 times so far. Had to drive over an hr North Sunday to find safe ice, but did.

Last year when guys were complaining about the warmup in Feb and all but gave up, I got back out on the ice for a couple weeks in March. I got out over a dozen times last year, even though it was not a great season.
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: uncleshorty on Jan 08, 2019, 05:19 PM
Fifty years ago in late Jan there was 20 - 24 inches of ice on Glendale.  I don't believe that's ever the case anymore.  I may be wrong, but I don't think Raystown ever freezes over.

I hope you get out a lot, catch a truck load and stay safe.  Like I said, I miss it.  I'm down to reading a forum to get my "fix"...
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: RuttNutt on Jan 08, 2019, 05:49 PM
Thanks Uncle Shorty. I’m just stubborn! I’ve been known to go to extremes just to get out on the ice for a day!  ;) I’d still ice-fish even if we only had a couple days of safe ice per year!  ;D
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: keith hess on Jan 08, 2019, 07:26 PM
I hope we get so ice in the poconos by the weekend or early next week. Saw the weather forecast up till then they want a lot of wind hard for the lakes to set up.
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: keith hess on Jan 08, 2019, 07:29 PM
I hope we get so ice in the poconos by the weekend or early next week. Saw the weather forecast up till then they want a lot of wind hard for the lakes to set up.
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: Clearfieldbob on Jan 10, 2019, 03:24 PM
Fifty years ago in late Jan there was 20 - 24 inches of ice on Glendale.  I don't believe that's ever the case anymore.  I may be wrong, but I don't think Raystown ever freezes over.

I hope you get out a lot, catch a truck load and stay safe.  Like I said, I miss it.  I'm down to reading a forum to get my "fix"...



Uncleshorty,I hard watered fished Raytown on the main part back in the mid 80's trying for stripers and lake trout. Pretty hairy out there, it was plenty thick, just different.
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: cabst119 on Jan 10, 2019, 10:05 PM
I fished on hard water into late March  3 years in a row 2013-2015 and I think I even made April once in that span, all on state park lakes. No way climate changed drastically enough in 4 years since to permanently ruin ice fishing in PA.  We’ve had a few bad years in a row...but it will come back.  By the way 2012 was a horrible year, most lakes never saw an ice fisherman that season, then Bam, 3 banner years in a row.
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: Gills-only on Jan 10, 2019, 10:33 PM
when you find out let me know. i was going to head to Michigan this weekend but it don't look good up there. my brother by law lives in Fenton and he said its the same weather and problems. Good luck to you, hopefully soon PA will be hardwater.
.          About a hour north of Grand Rapids Michigan they have 4-8” I hear from a buddy
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: YukonClam on Jan 11, 2019, 05:01 AM
Hang in there friend's.  This weather should make inch a day on most lakes.  Next week!  Jigging and Grinning. ICE ICE BABY!
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: 4x4Dad on Jan 11, 2019, 06:21 AM
I like your attitude YukonClam ! ! ! Winter has finally arrived in Pennsylvania ! Drill baby Drill ! :thumbsup: :icefish: :icefish: :icefish:
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: supervdl on Jan 11, 2019, 06:50 AM
Weather starts looking very promising. Hoping to get out in a few days.
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: Mknott on Jan 11, 2019, 01:11 PM
Anyone know of any ponds in the area that freeze over fast? Would like to fish some good ponds as well as Arthur
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: Scission913 on Jan 14, 2019, 07:43 AM
After I filled my buck tag this year I started early prepping for ICE.  That cold snap in early December had me drooling.  The came the warm air and rain.  At this point it looks like there is a good chance I will get on ice this weekend.  Finally!
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: 4x4Dad on Jan 14, 2019, 09:06 AM
I hear ya ! It's been a long wait . I just hope no one rushes on without checking the thickness .
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: 1MOFISH on Jan 14, 2019, 09:09 AM
I hear ya ! It's been a long wait . I just hope no one rushes on without checking the thickness .
its not the rushin on that gets you its when you stop :o :o :o
gets you wet
GOD BLESS
mo
Title: Re: Giving up on PA
Post by: 4seasonfishrman on Jan 14, 2019, 06:43 PM
Low temp of -3 sunday night. I'm thining i better take a few days off work next week.