Ice Fishing this season?

[Capt Juls]

How long will the ice last with temperatures above freezing for the next week and this rain coming?

The latest satellite picture from yesterday shows big cracks opening up in the Western Basin (west side of the islands) and really broken up ice and open water east of Kelly's.

With the warmer temps this week, and big SSW winds forecast for the next few days, we might see a lot more open water west of the islands later this week. The winds will break off chunks of ice and blow it away from this side of the lake.


The temps will be above freezing most of the week and hit a high of almost 50 next weekend. I don't think we're out of the winter mode yet though, but I doubt very much that any more ice will be forming on the lake as we head into March.


I'm just 4 weeks away from the first scheduled trips, so hopefully, it will be all open water by then. Fingers crossed!


Stay tuned...


Capt Juls

[Lucky Duck]

Four weeks away from the first trips is exciting!

[pimplepounder]

Yes Capt. that wind is what will do it in for sure, sheets of ice lap right over another segment and open right up.. Normally I would be all about getting out there. But with January being so warm, the ice is not good enough to tempt me on to it.

Bring on the open water!

[itsbob]

Was too bad we didnt get that two week cold spell in January to make better ice for the ice fishermen.At least they were able to get in some fishing the past week or more.Looking forward to getting on the lake again.Need alot of ice to melt before can do that.The warmer weather coming this week should melt the snow and let the sun do its job of warming the water.Then the wind and current will work on breaking up and melting it.Hoping by third week in March the marinas are clear of ice to start launching boats.The charters should be able to take people out right away this season.No Covid shutdown to deal with like last season.Have read the few posts on the guys ice fishing and a few of their pictures.Seams like the fish were smaller than i expected and also said they were releasing some short fish.We caught some fish last fall that were just over 15".I assumed they were from that record 2018 hatch and some of the ice fishing pictures showed fish that size.Even though the 2019 and 2020 hatches were good,they were not close to the 2018 hatch.I would guess those shorts caught ice fishing were from the 2019 hatch.

[pimplepounder]

Could be on them smaller ones. I had some buddies do good with some nice fish Friday thru- Sunday. I guy a couple sleds went through at Crane Creek. This was where they went out of. I normally go out of Catabwa. But to much on my plate this year, plus I get enough fishing in without freezing my azz off and crossing the crack. Looking forward to another swim at the weather buoy Bob.. lol

[itsbob]

Yeah Kent,the weather Bouy was very productive last season.Caught well there for a quite a long time.But is a haul out to the middle of the lake.Hope they actually deploy that Bouy earlier than they have the past 2 seasons.A lot of people rely in current water conditions to make their decisions.
I made a mistake in my previous post on the 2019 walleye hatch.The 2019 hatch surpassed the great 2018 and was close to equalling the record 2003 hatch.The last 3 hatches will be putting a record number of walleye in lake Erie.A true gift to all who fish Erie.