early ice

[Jig60389]

Looking at the extended weather forecast its looking good for some early ice. Whats everyone's guess for safe ice this year, 4''+, Im going with Christmas week for smaller ponds and first week in January for the larger ones, if the weather forecast is somewhat accurate which we know can be a little off.

[BrookieSlayer99]

This week isn't going to be particularly conductive for ice making... Winni is still 44* which is pretty warm for this late in the year. I'd love to get a couple trips in before Christmas for rainbows though!  All we can do is hope for a polar vortex

[dickbaker]

?  No early ice this year .  We are already three weeks behind last year.   I've stocked lots of cheap whisky and chocolate donuts in my cave and wait for the first sound of booming ice!
Dick

[jethro]

Yup, early ice to me means some fishing on small ponds up north by Thanksgiving. Not happening this year! Now we are struggling for normal season ice! Todays temps are not good for that!

[fishingidjit]

?  No early ice this year .  We are already three weeks behind last year.   I've stocked lots of cheap whisky and chocolate donuts in my cave and wait for the first sound of booming ice!
Dick

Dick, Do you dunk the donuts in the cheap whiskey ?? 

[celtbass]

Looking that way... I'm usually on my favorite early spot between the 10th and 20th of Dec. Not too promising now but we can all cross our fingers for ridiculously cold weather!  I can't help but daydream constantly...  I'll be dry jigging in the shed soon for sure 

[WhiteMTfish]

This was today.

[SALMONEMIA]

Thanks for keeping us posted i recognize that place. Now i dont have to drive up to see its not frozen

[McGrath]

Fished today on a small pond. Bethlehem Nh.  Tryed to post a picture but did not work. Though after the rains came through the ice didn't look so good.

[PoolGuy]

Fished today on a small pond. Bethlehem Nh.  Tryed to post a picture but did not work. Though after the rains came through the ice didn't look so good.

Was that your post on FB?     I seriously hope it doesn’t encourage people to start venturing out onto ice...it’s to early

[dickbaker]

Fished today on a small pond. Bethlehem Nh.  Tryed to post a picture but did not work. Though after the rains came through the ice didn't look so good.

Get off the ice!  I don't want to lose my favorite bait source.
Dick

[lil_coondog]

Fished today on a small pond. Bethlehem Nh.  Tryed to post a picture but did not work. Though after the rains came through the ice didn't look so good.

Be safe

[lowaccord66]

Was that your post on FB?     I seriously hope it doesn’t encourage people to start venturing out onto ice...it’s to early

At what point does this society start taking personal responsibility for safety??? 

[dickbaker]

Never heard you get your quills up. Why does this subject bother you so much?  IS is kind of a brotherhood.  I thought we all wanted to keep our younger members off unsafe ice??
Older members with chisel in hand should be able to take care of themselves.
Dick

[PoolGuy]

At what point does this society start taking personal responsibility for safety???

I’m not taking personal responsibility for anyone never have or will....I have enough problems of my own.
 To each their own..

 

[McGrath]

Yes, that way my post on FB. I always make sure I put in my posts to be safe, check ice and I take no liability.   I got to think people are smart enough not to assume a few ponds are good the whole lake is safe.

Dick-- Bait will be in next week, hopefully. New shed this year and tons of more bait storage. Will also be having large suckers and goldens in January.

[fishingidjit]

Yes, that way my post on FB. I always make sure I put in my posts to be safe, check ice and I take no liability.   I got to think people are smart enough not to assume a few ponds are good the whole lake is safe.

Dick-- Bait will be in next week, hopefully. New shed this year and tons of more bait storage. Will also be having large suckers and guldens in January.

Did you catch anything ?? 

[McGrath]

Nothing, but you when I got my flag, you could see down the hole with the little sun fish pulling the worms. Today I did some jigging, at a few spots but over all only fished under a hour at two different places. I think by next week will be in better shape. The ice is very variable.

-Chris

[dickbaker]

Chris??  Your fishing on 2" of ice.   A week from now you will be able to spread out and send us some pictures!!
Dick

[merk42]

We took a ride up to the lake we fish on and indeed it was frozen over, very promising for pre holiday ice... we quickly walked around a little bit on a shallow bay and then got off the ice just as fast. No where was it ready for fishing. But we were pretty psyched. This little warm-up and rain doesn't look like it will be a problem as it should cool down right away and with cold nights we should be in business in a couple of weeks... maybe 10 days )

New bobhouse from the fabrication guys on the seacoast, getting it outfitted with the basics... looking forward to its initiation... cheers

[basst_]

accu weateher looks very promising, multiple days below freezing

[fishermantim]

I might venture out, if for nothing other than testing ice thickness when the conditions improve.
As of right now it won't be for another week or so, but then things change for the better just in time for the end of the year!