Last weekend of ice fishing season....

[Ducker]

I hope everyone who wanted to get in on some great Lake Erie ice fishing, got out this weekend. Because with the warm temperatures and rain this week, safe ice won't be around very long. I'm betting that we'll be able to launch by March 1st. I'm looking forward to some spring trolling for some hogs. The boat is ready to go, looking forward to the break-up.

[icingeyes]

Was great to be back on the ice! Made the several hour drive and got some time in during the last two weeks. First real ice I remember since 2014-2015?

Was a slow start but finally found the bigs and smashed them. Sometimes 20 on the livescope at once mostly trophy fish, amazing fishery.

Got a boat and looking forward to trying some spring trolling myself, couple generic questions if you don’t mind.

How long will the “hogs” (as you reference them, same thing im looking for) be around before they spawn out and loose that trophy look? When you start you will be in the western basin or over by Huron etc?

Thanks!

[Ducker]

You need to fish early, as soon as the ice breaks up. As the spring progresses, your chances diminish. You want to get one with eggs. My best is 13.5 lbs. We're finally getting an old enough year class that we should be able to catch 10 to 11 pounders. Good luck.

[West Basin]

March 01? Forget it.

With Lake Erie now near or at 100% ice coverage, and the Western Basin having 12-18" of ice (as of Friday), with two more days of frigid temps (Sat Sun) probably adding another inch or two, you are looking at say 16-22 inches of ice out on the Lake. The harbors and marinas, launch ramps, will probably have even thicker ice. Current forecast has two more periods of cold weather before the end of the month. It will take a long time for ice to melt enough to first get out to the Lake from the launch ramps, and second for the Lake itself to thaw and enough ice melt to make it safe to get out.

Right now with the current February forecast, I wouldn't plan on the (safe) open water season starting until mid-March at the earliest. So put to rest any idea of getting out before then. It's going to be a later start and season.

[itsbob]

Typically huron ramp if first place you can get out fishing.As the river flushes out the ice before Catawba or Mazuraks thaws out.Most years the date people can get out on the soft water is mid March.But as Dave pointed out.This is not your normal winter and got a lot of ice to melt first.

[stampman]

getting out for the next week maybe. It wouldn't be cause the ice isn't thick enough out in the lake , it will be the shoreline ice. Any concrete , rocks or standing water will absorb any heat

[itsbob]

The warm up and Friday's big winds broke up that thick ice really fast.Looking at the webcams,there is open water around the islands now.Looks like this ice fishing season is over.They cancelled the ice fishing tournament schedule for next weekend too Untill we get a clear satellite pic to see how much ice is left, will help people decide when trying to head out fishing in their boats.

[West Basin]

Hold on folks. Let's not get all excited about the "ice break up."

Yes, last week's extremely warm temperatures, high winds, and some rain have broken up and mostly moved out the Maumee River (and probably the Sandusky) ice, some of Sandusky Bay is open water, and the Lake ice has has been separated into various ice sheets. BUT - the remaining Lake and marinas ice is still 10-20 inches thick, the ice is still locked in around the Bass Islands, and there are ice fishing shanties back on the ice off the west side of South Bass Island. Remember, Lake Erie got to around 85-90% ice coverage just two weeks ago. That ice is going to take a long time to melt. Lake Forecast to the end of the first week of March (next two weeks) still has a lot of relatively cold days and well below freezing night temperatures. That means the ice isn't going to melt much. It may stay as it is or even gain slightly. Right now, I wouldn't plan to be launching boats until the middle of March at the earliest. Likely later in March.

[Ducker]

There's big open water NE off Catawba and off the light house. Hoping to get out this weekend. I could have gotten out last weekend if I hadn't had previous commitments. I heard guys got out off Lorain last weekend.
Right now it looks like some the ice drifted back in the area, but with some west winds it will clear out again.

On a side note, I stopped by Mazuriks and noticed that it looked like mud flats at the end of the ramps. I hope the state gets in there and dredges so we can use the ramp this year.

[DW72]

Thanks for the info Ducker. I'm excited and watching the live cams at Huron and Vermillion every day. Hoping it'll be safe to launch and fish there middle to end of March as WB said. 🎣