proceed with caution

[coopason]

Let's all be extra careful when venturing out if we get this cold snap.
spud and a bud can be a life saver.
simple and sweet

Take care

Coop

[Lee1977]

Just did a quick check on the pond, I could walk out on it but it did a lot of cracking. Not quite ready. Was hoping maybe tomorrow but realistically it’ll be late week. The snow is going to be the game changer I’m thinking. Hope we don’t get much!

[zcm_82]

Same, Lee.

I took the chisel out after work this afternoon and had a little probe around the first pond that skinned over Saturday. Ice was 1.5-2.5" thick and did a fair bit of popping as I was tromping around... maybe tomorrow in the thicker spots if I'm feeling froggy.

[Oaktree1215]

My spud saved me from a couple ice baths last year. My big bum needs at least 4 inches

[zcm_82]

I'll fish 3" of fresh clear ice over shallows close to shore, but 4+ to venture out farther.

[Lee1977]

I’ll do 3” of clear ice but prefer 4” or more. The snow might be the killer though.

[zcm_82]

Yeah, it's not going to put on much more after this morning with the temp hovering around freezing, so 6+ inches of snow on top would turn pretty ugly. I'm hoping we either undershoot the snow forecast, or the wind keeps the ice clear as it snows.

[erikschultz99]

ZMC I'm shooting for the wild will be pushing the snow off the ice. Those winds are going to be howling pretty bad it looks like. Could make for some bad driving conditions for snow drifts on the edge of corn fields.

[bherr24]

Still doesnt sound like they know how much snow is going to fall. Everything i have read last 2 days was pointing to lower amounts. I do know its not supposed to get above 10 degrees for 3 straight days this weekend.

[taxi1]

Just did a quick check on the pond, I could walk out on it but it did a lot of cracking. Not quite ready. Was hoping maybe tomorrow but realistically it’ll be late week. The snow is going to be the game changer I’m thinking. Hope we don’t get much!

The good thing about the snow we will get with this storm is the high winds will blow it off the ice or onto one end of a lake as long as there is ice before we get it. The is as long as there is no open water to break up adjoining ice.

Forecasts are for winds in the 50 mph range and Accuweather says 70 mph gusts. Of course you want to wait until it subsides!

[hounds]

At my local Lake we need about 3 more inches before I venture out on it.  Just checked it with a spud and it was an inch tops.

[wallydiven]

At my local Lake we need about 3 more inches before I venture out on it.  Just checked it with a spud and it was an inch tops.

Thanks for the update. Was anybody out there fishing it? 😁

[hounds]

No

[ftwwalleye]

Got over a hundred ice jigs tied...sled is out and stocked with gear. New vexilar charged. Float suit and spud ready. Perma- storage in the Subaru soon and ready for the moment I can walk on water. Just gotta get some spikes for the fridge

[zcm_82]

Overshot the forecast by a lot here yesterday, ended up near 40° for an hour or two. I went out and checked the ice after work, still around 2" but it was real soft in that warm sun.

Snow forecast got backed way down here compared to what they were calling for yesterday. Saying 3-5" now, which combined with the wind shouldn't be too bad on the ice.

If the wind backs down to something anywhere near tolerable I'll probably go out Friday afternoon or early Saturday morning. Going to my brother's place over in White Co on Saturday for Xmas lunch, so maybe we'll have a poke around his pond in the afternoon if he's up for it after we do our holiday crap. He's not much of a fisherman though, so I won't put money on that happening.