Been looking back through some hunting journals getting ready for spring snow goose season; the third full week of March 2012 we had to drive nearly to North Dakota to find snow geese, and most of the guys at our hotel that week were either open water fishing or trapping muskrats. Could barely park a trailer in the lot there was so many boats.
Other years we've ice fished south of US hwy 12 yet the first weekend of april, so it just goes to show, you cannot predict how fast the ice will go out in march in SD. I'd venture to bet that this spring will be much like 2012, due to lack of snow cover and what the extended forecast is showing. Spikes, rope, and life jackets aren't a bad idea to toss in the shack from here on out.