Won't be too long now...

[SNAPFisher]

Look at the latest forecast for Pigeon lake:

Friday, October 27   13 Low 5
Saturday, October 28   15 Low 0
Sunday, October 29   5   Low -1   
Monday, October 30   5   Low 0
Tuesday, October 31   10 Low -3
Wednesday, November 1   0  Low -7
Thursday, November 2   -5 Low -11
Friday, November 3           -8 Low -10
Saturday, November 4   -8 Low -14   
Sunday, November 5           -10 Low -13
Monday, November 6           -9 Low -12
Tuesday, November 7           -8 Low -11
Wednesday, November 8   -6 Low -11
Thursday, November 9   -7 Low -11

Some snow but not a lot in the same time.  This could be an early start year.  Yes!!!

[muskyon46]

MAN push that cold south to us PLEASE!!! Thats about the best weather forecast I've seen 

[wallydiven]

Alls I can say is WOW!!!

[kedzman]

I cannot wait!! I think/hope some lakes in western alberta should have walkable ice by mid-late november!!

 

[demasterangler]

Hey Snap ....nice to see ya .
It's staying cold like that say at Mcgregor ..
  Just have to keep the wind down ....been brutal ...
  Drill on !
 

[RussC]

Looking very promising for an early ice season.

[SNAPFisher]

Hey Snap ....nice to see ya .
It's staying cold like that say at Mcgregor ..
  Just have to keep the wind down ....been brutal ...
  Drill on !
 

For sure 

Yes, the forecast is holding and appears to be even a bit colder.  Early ice seems pretty certain but I'll plan for some test holes once things look more solid...punny...

[perch_herder]

Can't wait!!
Got out once all last year, need to increase that ten-fold this season

Looking forward to the early reports

[swampy45]

just finished getting all the gear ready.  Won't be pushing my luck with thin ice this year, but looking forward to drilling my first holes!

[the fisherman guy]

Oh yes. It will be a great year. Looking forward to fishing early ice Burbs and Walleye.

Snap, next time you are down south in YYC, give me a shout! You can get my number from Trav, or shoot me a PM!

[SNAPFisher]

Oh yes. It will be a great year. Looking forward to fishing early ice Burbs and Walleye.

Snap, next time you are down south in YYC, give me a shout! You can get my number from Trav, or shoot me a PM!

For sure 
Maybe Trav and I will make a trip down there.  He needs to get out.

-20 this morning...and -21 at Pigeon...wow.  Looked at the forecast and there is still nothing on the 14 day horizon above -6.  That is crazy.  I did the calcs on the ice and I expect Pigeon to have 8-11 inches of ice over the next couple of weeks.  I think I'll take a drive this weekend just to see if it iced over yet.

[demasterangler]

VN
I am reluctant to ask this , but when I think of
 Walleye run.  I think of River ...I have a friend
 who ice fishes the Old Man , not for the weak of heart .
 I haven't been here that long but am not aware of
  Any southern that are ice fish able ...Thnx
  PM is good

[Shotgun]

Don't be in too much of a hurry fella's.  Remember most any ice is covered with a good dump of snow so it is insulating and will cause some nasty top water as well.

Best to wait a while yet.   

STAY SAFE

SHOTGUN

[AdverseCity]

3" of solid ice with a skiff of snow on the small bays of lake Newell as of today and nothing above freezing forecast for the next little while. I'm away at work but will be drilling holes next weekend for sure.

[SNAPFisher]

Don't be in too much of a hurry fella's.  Remember most any ice is covered with a good dump of snow so it is insulating and will cause some nasty top water as well.

Best to wait a while yet.   

STAY SAFE

SHOTGUN

The picture of Newell shows next to no snow.  Not a factor...yet..  Now that Ice is forming, if we get a huge dump then it would be an issue.

Pigeon and area has no snow.  Maybe only 4-5 inches tops on the ground and nothing on the lake.  So, the full ice growing formula stands.  Gord Pyzer posted some easy science on calculating ice thickness.  The good news for Pigeon area is little to no snow in the forecast for the next 14 days.  This could mean 8-11 inches of ice average by the weekend of the 17th.  I don't recall ever seeing a start like this with no end in sight of cold days. 

[demasterangler]

 There is no big snow  just flurries for Newell ...
  but there is a bit of wind .....should move that
   snow off ....bring your skates.

[SNAPFisher]

Got my coffee and Bailey's, breakfast sandwich and drove out to Pigeon this morning.

Not as far as I would have hoped for ice but it is a start:



Geese still floating around out there.




Just the bays have a thin layer.   I might walk on a Mulhurst in a couple of weeks when there is some solid ice.

[fishhunter77]

Drilled some test holes on the dugout after work 4 inches of ice. Will be heading out for trout
this weekend to some potholes. 

[SNAPFisher]

Drilled some test holes on the dugout after work 4 inches of ice. Will be heading out for trout
this weekend to some potholes. 

Good luck!

I'm amazed at this forecast which did deliver and was colder than I posted at the top.  Look at the next 2 weeks:

Saturday, November 11   1   Low -12
Sunday, November 12   -3  Low -10
Monday, November 13   -1  Low -9
Tuesday, November 14   -7  Low -12
Wednesday, November 15   -10 Low -17
Thursday, November 16   -14 Low -19
Friday, November 17   -11 Low -14
Saturday, November 18   -7  Low -12
Sunday, November 19   -8  Low -13
Monday, November 20   -8  Low -13
Tuesday, November 21   -7  Low -11
Wednesday, November 22   -6  Low -11
Thursday, November 23   -7  Low -10
Friday, November 24   -7  Low -10

Unbelievable!  I do not recall a year where it started this early but stayed this long and consistently cold.

[AdverseCity]

6" of solid, clear ice on the north end of Newell. I'm not sure but it looks open in the middle still.

[jpohlic]

6" of ice at Red Deer Fish and Game pond

[SNAPFisher]

Nice work gents!

That is a fatty bow.   Thanks for the reports.

[gooner]

Last Friday twin lakes by Rocky mountain house had 4 "