Iceup.... how much thickness over nite?

[rodzandreels]

OK,,, having been an ice fisherman for years, I was under the impression that once the lake is ice covered it puts on 1" of thickness every 24hrs (given the fact that the temp stays below freezing consistently)?  Does anyone know if there is any merrit to this, or is it an "old fisherwives tale"?  TTFN

[fish_finder]

 I think it probably depends on how cold it gets, on our lake this year i checked 2 days before the season and was out the first day and there was about an extra inch and a half on it so pretty close.

[Tommyboy18769]

OK,,, having been an ice fisherman for years, I was under the impression that once the lake is ice covered it puts on 1" of thickness every 24hrs (given the fact that the temp stays below freezing consistently)?  Does anyone know if there is any merrit to this, or is it an "old fisherwives tale"?  TTFN

I have heard alot of people say that...

[Whitefish Slayer]

once the temp fall below freezing the ice with continue to freeze 24 hrs a day.  Last sunday there was 7 inches of ice and i took some guys out wednesday and it was up to 12" and the temp is suppose to be crazy cold the next week for sure so i'm guessing we will have very good ice thickness and good solid freeze ups!!

[vermonner]

I always heard 1 inch/24 hours, but I gotta think the colder it is the more (meaning depth of ice) and faster it freezes

[bigfish_1556]

One can only hope!!!!

[vermonner]

One can only hope!!!!

Yessir.  Actually, I want a foot of good ice overnight   

[pikemaster789]

from actually checking nightly ice, on a new frozen over lake, andything in the teen's will give you an inch of ice per night. single digits 1+. temps in the twenties will give you something less than an inch

[AugustWest]

from actually checking nightly ice, on a new frozen over lake, andything in the teen's will give you an inch of ice per night. single digits 1+. temps in the twenties will give you something less than an inch

That sounds about right to me!

[ice dawg]

I think that around here an inch per night is about right when the nights are in the single digits. Since ice freezes from the bottom of the ice down, it seems to slow down some when it gets thicker.Two weeks ago we had about 13" around here and I hear it is pushing 18" now. If it didn't slow some, we would be drilling with an 8' auger from a step ladder.lol 

[GAMBELL]

Don't forget, Snow cover will slow the forming of ice. 

[hollis]

I read that wind chill Does effect ice formation, The fact that there is heat under the ice for wind to take it away, There is diminishing returns as the ice gets thicker though.

[madporider]

i had always heard that you didnt want alot of wind because it causes friction on the ice i dont know to what extent it effects ice formation or melting but it was one of those wivestales i have heard i suppose it all depends on the temp also

[Cold-Foot]

You can't count on an inch a day at all, At 32 degrees the ice only holds the ice it has. It takes temps in the teen's with wind on water without snow on it to even get close to an inch a day. Sooner or later the water will stop getting thicker ice if temperatures don't stay in at least the teen's. I've watched 3" of ice on a lake stay the same thickness for a week with 32 degree days and 25 degree nights and no wind to cause a wind chill effect.

[ice dawg]

A good wind and some cold temps will suck the heat out of it in a hurry. I think there are two days during the year that the wind doesn't blow in South Dakota.

[grumpymoe]

3/4 to 1 inch for about the first foot or so....as LONG as the ice doesnt get coated with a layer of insulating snow....and as LONG as the temps remain below freezing....for those without safe ice, pray for strong chilly winds to whip the snowcover away.....here's hoping for everyone....Grump

[hunters08]

just seeing the temp in the teens for the next week looks so good .So what im getting from most of you is we should have 5 inches of ice by next friday yee haa