Hiked about 7 miles and fished three high country lakes on Sunday between 11,300 and 12,100 in a wilderness area within 2 hrs of the metro area. Landed 6 brookies between 9 and 12 inched in 5 minutes on the first lake, then decided to continue hiking to check out the other lakes in the basin i was in. The first lake is 15ft deep and the ice was 1-2.5 inches thick, not really safe enough to venture onto. I caught all 6 brookies in less than 2 feet of water right near the shore (within 10 feet of the bank) through the ice.
Second lake is about 35 ft deep and the ice broke when I attempted to walk on it. Checked ice in three places and never found a safe ice over an inch or two.
The third lake is over 60 ft deep and was about 90% open water with only one cove frozen. The frozen cove actually had the thickest ice at about 3-4 inches and i walked on it but didn't fish because the winds and snow really started picking up as a storm was blowing in.
So there you go, Ice fishing season has offically started!
I am giving it another two weeks for the ice to thicken up before i try another high country early ice trip. I would highly recommend, crampons, gaiters and trekking poles for the hike to and from any high country lake as the trail was snow and ice packed from about 10k up and i hit snow that was knee deep in places in the trees.
IDK how to post pictures but i have some pictures of the fish i caught and the lakes
