Warm weather on way in Ohio

[hays47]

 Well I use Dec 21 for a ice season barometer. If fishable ice by then I consider normal year. Well the bays of the lake were just starting to skim over. Now in a few days 50 degree temps are forecast.

Well what can a poor ice fisherman do without ice ? When I can I take ice gear to local docks. Use ice gear with exception of auger.

Here is a great tip for oldsters and youngsters at the ice game. Plan your trip like General Patton did on going into battle. I have whiled away hours on the computer using the Elite Contour program. I use both the structure and fish searches. Then jot down the info provided by the info button. Like type of drop off , depth and of course the gps location numbers.

If you have Smart Strike on your Humminbird. You can do same thing on it. I can say right up front most of the places you discover will be a bust. BUT the ones that pay off make it more than worth it.

The program does have a learning curve. Like anything the more you use it the better you become.Another thing if spot doesn't pay off during ice season. Try during different season before scrapping the waypoint.

Learn to keep a fishing log. Use a hard copy so you never lose it. Lost my 15 year log after I put in a computer. I was going to back up to SD card but never got around to it. Some spots are committed to memory but the vast majority of info was gone. I was barely able to keep from bawling when that pc went down.

Some may balk at the price of either Smartstrike or Contour Elite. I didn't because true hot spots are difficult to find. Think for a moment how much would you pay for say 20 tried and true hotspots ? Using these programs will find you way more than that. Probably at a lower price you would be willing to pay for the 20.

You will also derive satisfaction of solving your own mysteries. Example one of my local lakes. Did good to great during open water. Ice fishing you could stick in your eye what  I got. Your eye would have not watered. After setting down with PC couple years ago. I found more than a few spots that give up some fish. Grudgingly mind you but vastly more success than previous years.

[GBguy]

We're weeks ahead of ice building around Green Bay here. Here are some satellite images I sent a buddy of mine today. The top one is from 12/15/19, the bottom one from 12/15/18.

[JohnJ1981]

We're weeks ahead of ice building around Green Bay here. Here are some satellite images I sent a buddy of mine today. The top one is from 12/15/19, the bottom one from 12/15/18.

Darn cheese head! Stop hogging all the cold weather!!! I’m driving an hour and a half tomorrow to go walk on the water. Normally I’m on the ice around me but this year has been too warm. And NOW I SEE WHY 😡

[GBguy]

  if it makes you feel any better JohnJ1981, I was already ice fishing a month ago.

Come on over to Green Bay, we got plenty of beer, cheese and ice.

[JohnJ1981]

if it makes you feel any better JohnJ1981, I was already ice fishing a month ago.

Come on over to Green Bay, we got plenty of beer, cheese and ice.

Might have to GB guy. I used to live in Escanaba in da UP eh, closest I’ve been to Green Bay. Beer doesn’t do it for me but whiskey does. I like cheese-its. Think I’ll fit in? Lol

[RStock521]

Ohio guy here, made a trip to Green Bay for whitefish last year and had a blast!  Never knew about those things until last year.  This year we're headed to Simcoe to chase their whitefish and lakers.  I'd love to make it back to Green Bay again though, we had a blast.  Launched out of Red River Park and caught 15 or so whitefish a day between a buddy and I.

[GBguy]

Whitefish off the east shore of the bay are a hoot and a half. Great place for an overnight camping trip, too. Plan to spend a weekend in a wall tent out there this winter.

You don't have to drink beer, that just leaves more for me. And cheese its are made with real cheese, so I'll allow it.

[OldSailor]

Heading to 50 during Christmas week!!

[DBV]

Another NE Ohio guy.  Such a bummer, as we were so close to getting started and now it will all be gone.  Growing up in the 70’s and early 80’s my Dad and I mostly always seemed like we were ice fishing by Christmas vacation and the ice would last until late March.  Wish it would turn that way again.  Ice fishing is my favorite sport!

[wirenut45]

hays, this is why i don,t winterize my boat. open water at 50 degrees is quite comfortable if dressed right. gonna take the vex, ice rods ,n, ice jigs ,n, lures ,n , try to tear up the lake. widower ,n, kids all growed up ,n, gone so may give ME a special christmas gift. i have    spikes, waxies ,n, minns so no reason not to. wire.

[DBV]

Yeah - but I like ice fishing even better than regular fishing.  Not sure why, but just always have loved it.

[JohnJ1981]

I’ll give you my #1 reason, NO BUGS!!! And the cold usually keeps the idiots away!

[Evinrude58]

Live not far from Berlin Lake too and fished 18th-21st. So did a lot of other guys. Yes the warm up sucks but you could get out for a couple days. I know a couple guys pushing 300# that got out.

[icebucketjohn]

Glad I lost 10lbs since last Ohio's ice season., was out Satuerday 12/21 for 1st ice. On Nimisila with Ev58 on 2"-3" of ice., felt slot safer.