Author Topic: whats too early? (Read 1867 times)

fishingwithkids · « **on:** Dec 20, 2010, 05:29 AM »

6in of ice right now. we have a popup camper converted into a shanty aprox. 800lbs. my father in law want to put it out but i want ot wait till the first of the year or the week after. how much ice should we have bvefore it goes out? thanks for any input...

wautuhguy · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 20, 2010, 05:36 AM »

Forecast is cold. Might be 9 or 10 inches thick next week.

dickbaker · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 20, 2010, 06:06 AM »

Let your father in law put out his ice house now but keep the kids away from it until after Christmas. I have serious doubts about reports of 6 inches of clear ice since (after two weeks of near zero nights and below freezing days) the ponds just above the Notch have only 2" to 5".

Jim, will confirm that when he and his son came north to tiny Pearl Lake they found barely enough safe ice to fish on.

The general safety rule is 4" of clear ice for individual or couple of small fishermen and 6" before you bring machine. Remember!! 6" means that if you chisel a good size hole and adult hand should barely be able to span the ice between the thumb and little finger. I like to inverse my ice chisel and bring the handle up under the ice like a dip stick and measure the ice that way. Last week while checking the ice at Forest Lake, in Whitefield, a fool walked out beside me, jumped up and down a couple of times and told me he thought there was a "good foot of ice underneath" us!! It took me thirty seconds to chisel through the 3" of clear ice

Lots of places to get on the ice but I wouldn't tell anyone to drive on the ice for a week or two.
It will be a long season. Don't mess it up early $:-\$
Dick

JIGGIN- · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 20, 2010, 06:18 AM »

Is there a shore line or beach area you could put the house on? Leave it there as a warming hut until the ice is plenty thick enough? Then bring it out? Pop up camper, seems it would be pretty heavy. I'd wait till the 1st.

I guess it depends on how much work you want to put into it, putting it out is pretty easy, pulling it out of the lake would be very hard work.

JIGGIN.

possumilk · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 20, 2010, 07:16 AM »

Quote

"I have serious doubts about reports of 6 inches of clear ice"

I have confirmed reports of 6.5"-7" of ice on a lakes region pond, over 25 feet of water. I can read a tape measure. It depends on where you go.

vermonner · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 20, 2010, 07:20 AM »

If'n you put it on now, have a retrieval plan for the January thaw....

CJiceaddict · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 20, 2010, 07:28 AM »

Quote from: dickbaker on Dec 20, 2010, 06:06 AM

Let your father in law put out his ice house now but keep the kids away from it until after Christmas. I have serious doubts about reports of 6 inches of clear ice since (after two weeks of near zero nights and below freezing days) the ponds just above the Notch have only 2" to 5".

Jim, will confirm that when he and his son came north to tiny Pearl Lake they found barely enough safe ice to fish on.

The general safety rule is 4" of clear ice for individual or couple of small fishermen and 6" before you bring machine. Remember!! 6" means that if you chisel a good size hole and adult hand should barely be able to span the ice between the thumb and little finger. I like to inverse my ice chisel and bring the handle up under the ice like a dip stick and measure the ice that way. Last week while checking the ice at Forest Lake, in Whitefield, a fool walked out beside me, jumped up and down a couple of times and told me he thought there was a "good foot of ice underneath" us!! It took me thirty seconds to chisel through the 3" of clear ice

Lots of places to get on the ice but I wouldn't tell anyone to drive on the ice for a week or two.
It will be a long season. Don't mess it up early $:-\$
Dick

I have to say, there's plenty of ice up here. Not sure what part of the state you are from but from lebanon north most setbacks and smaller ponds are locked up really well, most with 5+ inches. This being said, I would not drive anything on the ice yet. There was a report of a sled on crystal lake- too much for me this early....

nhpikeking · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 20, 2010, 09:04 AM »

i had 7 inches measured yesterday on highland lake guys driving atvs around lil too early for me to take my sled

WhackMaster · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 20, 2010, 10:50 AM »

yeah i wouldn't be putting that out just yet. personally, i won't take my atv on less than a foot. you never know where a soft spot might be hiding.

nhfisha17 · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 20, 2010, 12:10 PM »

Quote from: fishingwithkids on Dec 20, 2010, 05:29 AM

aprox. 800lbs.

With none of you in it..

sweet lou · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 20, 2010, 01:50 PM »

if your planning on putting it on a lake that is managed for laker or salmon, there is a new rule that you can not put it on or around 3 days before the opener.

Capt. Black · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 20, 2010, 02:51 PM »

People were fishing on Lake Chocorua today. Not sure how much ice but they were pretty close to shore. Long Island section of Winni was still wide open. I would wait till after Christmas, at least, to put out my shack.

Capt. Black

Supervisor · « **Reply #12 on:** Dec 20, 2010, 06:01 PM »

Check our brochure regarding ice safety: http://www.wildnh.com/Fishing/Fishing_PDFs/Ice_Safety_Brochure.pdf

Have a great time on the ice this year everyone!

Scott Decker
NHFGD Fisheries Supervisor

winnisquam guy · « **Reply #13 on:** Dec 20, 2010, 07:39 PM »

Quote from: nhpikeking on Dec 20, 2010, 09:04 AM

i had 7 inches measured yesterday on highland lake guys driving atvs around lil too early for me to take my sled

Careful there, many hidden springs in Highland

nhtroutfreak · « **Reply #14 on:** Dec 20, 2010, 07:45 PM »

Quote from: Supervisor on Dec 20, 2010, 06:01 PM

Check our brochure regarding ice safety: http://www.wildnh.com/Fishing/Fishing_PDFs/Ice_Safety_Brochure.pdf

Have a great time on the ice this year everyone!

Scott Decker
NHFGD Fisheries Supervisor

Welcome to the Shanty, Scott. Glad to see someone from NHFGD on here!

pirkaus · « **Reply #15 on:** Dec 21, 2010, 05:44 AM »

Quote from: nhtroutfreak on Dec 20, 2010, 07:45 PM

Welcome to the Shanty, Scott. Glad to see someone from NHFGD on here!

A direct connection for questions this is great

I would wait to put it on the ice, it's pretty expensive to take it off it it goes through
Pirk

jiml · « **Reply #16 on:** Dec 21, 2010, 09:27 AM »

Quote from: dickbaker on Dec 20, 2010, 06:06 AM

Let your father in law put out his ice house now but keep the kids away from it until after Christmas. I have serious doubts about reports of 6 inches of clear ice since (after two weeks of near zero nights and below freezing days) the ponds just above the Notch have only 2" to 5".

Jim, will confirm that when he and his son came north to tiny Pearl Lake they found barely enough safe ice to fish on.

The general safety rule is 4" of clear ice for individual or couple of small fishermen and 6" before you bring machine. Remember!! 6" means that if you chisel a good size hole and adult hand should barely be able to span the ice between the thumb and little finger. I like to inverse my ice chisel and bring the handle up under the ice like a dip stick and measure the ice that way. Last week while checking the ice at Forest Lake, in Whitefield, a fool walked out beside me, jumped up and down a couple of times and told me he thought there was a "good foot of ice underneath" us!! It took me thirty seconds to chisel through the 3" of clear ice

Lots of places to get on the ice but I wouldn't tell anyone to drive on the ice for a week or two.
It will be a long season. Don't mess it up early $:-\$
Dick

Dick is right! The actual temps for the area I chose to fish above the notch were in the single digits for 5 nights before we showed up and we lucked out and found just 5 inches of clear ice! The first place I checked on Pearl was only 3 inches and everything sank the second I stepped on it. Drove to the other side of Pearl and found 5 inches which is JUST enough for me to trust. I actually left my boy on land for the first hour of me and my brother cutting holes and setting up just to make sure. I don't take chances.....even made sure my brother and I were not on the ice at the same time setting up to make sure one of us was on dry land at all times until we were positive the ice would hold us. We don't mess around with safety! I'd give it another week before thinking about putting structures out there!

dickbaker · « **Reply #17 on:** Dec 21, 2010, 11:04 AM »

Scott, Glad to see you on IS site. I'm impressed that NHF&G's ultimate fish management authority has taken the time to help us out. Hope to hear more from you. A long time north country biologist, Maybe you can tell me why southern NH ponds have more ice than ponds above the Notch??

Dick

jiml · « **Reply #18 on:** Dec 21, 2010, 11:09 AM »

Dick,
Thanks for the help with last weekend. I posted some pix in the Massachusetts page.

JIGGIN- · « **Reply #19 on:** Dec 21, 2010, 11:20 AM »

Quote from: dickbaker on Dec 21, 2010, 11:04 AM

A long time north country biologist, Maybe you can tell me why southern NH ponds have more ice than ponds above the Notch??

Dick

Supervisor, you opened a can a worms. Your gonna get hit with every question known to IS. Good luck with that.

Dick, I think your confusing him with a Meteorologist.

JIGGIN.

duck doctor · « **Reply #20 on:** Dec 21, 2010, 11:24 AM »

Quote from: nhtroutfreak on Dec 20, 2010, 07:45 PM

Welcome to the Shanty, Scott. Glad to see someone from NHFGD on here!

There are a lot of F&G people here...they are some of the lurkers. Wait to the outting if you make it. They will be on us pretty quick!

sweet lou · « **Reply #21 on:** Dec 21, 2010, 12:24 PM »

bring it on if you aren't doing anything wrong it just a laugh.the local boys up there are good.never had a problem with chenney or eagan.

Supervisor · « **Reply #22 on:** Dec 21, 2010, 08:41 PM »

Thanks guys. Glad to be here, mostly to correct any misinformation that I see posted here sometimes and offer helpful advice when I can. Been lurking for a while but since I decided to to join myfishfinder last spring, figured I'd hop on IS too. Have worked for F&G for close to 25 years, 13 of those years in the North Country (as dickbaker mentioned). Well, enough about me and sorry to get away from the subject of this thread. Just be careful and not be in too much of a hurry to get those heavier shacks on the ice. Don't want my CO friends to have to come and fish you out of the drink!

Your humble public servant,

Scott Decker

NH Trout Fisherman · « **Reply #23 on:** Dec 21, 2010, 08:52 PM »

Quote from: Supervisor on Dec 21, 2010, 08:41 PM

Thanks guys. Glad to be here, mostly to correct any misinformation that I see posted here sometimes and offer helpful advice when I can. Been lurking for a while but since I decided to to join myfishfinder last spring, figured I'd hop on IS too. Have worked for F&G for close to 25 years, 13 of those years in the North Country (as dickbaker mentioned). Well, enough about me and sorry to get away from the subject of this thread. Just be careful and not be in too much of a hurry to get those heavier shacks on the ice. Don't want my CO friends to have to come and fish you out of the drink!

Your humble public servant,

Scott Decker

Welcome to the Ice Shanty Scott, Glad to have ya

icefshninnh · « **Reply #24 on:** Dec 21, 2010, 09:07 PM »

welcome to the shanty only people in the wrong need fear the nhfgd just hope all are safe no matter when on the ice check it ive seen a good 10 in in one spot and 3to 4 afew feet away curents do strange things under the ice you cant see from above

winnisquam guy · « **Reply #25 on:** Dec 22, 2010, 07:24 PM »

sir, thank you for your service. glad to have you here

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Author Topic: whats too early? (Read 1867 times)