**The Official 2018 Ice-Out Thread**

[Smokinal]

I'm in southern Maine and although we've been warming slightly into the mid 40's here (downright balmy) we are still a ways away; I'm just hopeful!

 

So lets hear it folks! Who's getting close? Who's still socked in? Who's dark and slushy?

 

And I guess we could even hear from those who are already out....

[A-Jay]

My northern MI inland waters still have a hard hat.

Past few days have been above freezing but the overnights are still dipping below the Mendoza line.

Par for the course and history indicates that somewhere in or around the 1st week of April -

I should be getting pretty giddy . . . 

A-Jay

btw - this may very well be my favorite annual thread . . . . 

[J Francho]

The bay is opening up.  Any remaining ice is unsafe.  Lake only had minor shoreline freezing.

[MaineBassMan]

Lakes still hard here, but I do believe we will have an early ice out.....I hope

[12poundbass]

Central Michigan here. Our 12" of snow is completely gone, temps. are well above freezing (57 today), the load limits are on the roads which means the ground is thawing, and work is getting busy with excavating (overtime). 

 

Now reality, there's still a ton of ice on the lakes, and were in the cross hairs of a snow storm the end of this week. 

 

Conclusion: I'm in Michigan and the cruel woman mother nature is won't let us off that easily. But the glass is always half full here at my house, and we've never been closer to fishing than we are now! The itch is getting worse, I think I'll clean the reels this weekend and reintroduce myself to all of my tackle. 

[mattkenzer]

When the boys from Maine have ice out, Southern New Brunswick should be open as well.

[Gundog]

With all the warm temps we have been having lately I'm surprised that we still have a slim layer of ice on most of the lakes. 

[WolfyBrandon]

[February 24, 2018]

 

 

This winter has been strange... There was snow in early November that melted off in like a week. Didn't see snow again until mid December which also quickly melted. Then it was like spring conditions through the first of the year, all the way up to mid February with the high's ranging from the mid 30's to mid 40's. It was looking like it was going to be a mild winter (Which made me start thinking about fishing). Then mid February it cooled back down, the snow really started to pile up, and it's been that way ever since...

 

[DogBone_384]

Boston and south is WIDE open.  South of exit 5 on route 3 in Plymouth’s been mostly open all year.  I’ve caught SMB at Hedges Pond in Plymouth since January.  I was there last week with surface temps 43.x.

[Chowderhead]

Nearly 60 today in Omaha but too may freezing days prior to this for the ice to be gone. Hoping for open water soon. 

[ratherbfishin1]

19 minutes ago, Chowderhead said:

Nearly 60 today in Omaha but too may freezing days prior to this for the ice to be gone. Hoping for open water soon. 

Yeah! In lincoln it was almost 60 and windy so it is melting!

[Smokinal]

8 hours ago, MaineBassMan said:

Lakes still hard here, but I do believe we will have an early ice out.....I hope

I think so too brother!!

 

I'm feelin it!

[gim]

I was waiting for someone to start this thread.  It was 43 degrees here today, second warmest day of 2018 so far I think.  We just got a foot of snow last week and there's at least 2 feet of ice on all the lakes, in addition to 15 inches of currently melting snow.  And even if the lakes are ice free before mid May, I can't legally target them anyways because the season isn't open until then.

[Vilas15]

28 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I was waiting for someone to start this thread.  It was 43 degrees here today, second warmest day of 2018 so far I think.  We just got a foot of snow last week and there's at least 2 feet of ice on all the lakes, in addition to 15 inches of currently melting snow.  And even if the lakes are ice free before mid May, I can't legally target them anyways because the season isn't open until then.

I'm in the same boat (or ice shanty). If we've still got ice on May 5th then there's a serious problem. Otherwise there's nothing to hope for, it's all predetermined.

[Russ E]

Open water here in eastern Kansas. Was on a cold water lake Monday for the first time in 2018 (no power plant) surface water temp was 38 degrees. fishing was a little slow, but better than ice.

 

 

[Darren.]

[A-Jay]

58 minutes ago, Darren. said:

It's a mysterious & magical occurrence that helps smallmouth bass grow to Monstrous proportions . . . .  

A-Jay

[Aaron Trotter]

Middle Iowa banks are melting but still ice covered. We had 50s and some wind today. Should be open soon!

[drscholl14]

2 ft of snow and 2 ft of ice.  We do have one stretch of the Mississippi that is open and kicking out smallies though.  Scratched my itch there last weekend.

[Bankbeater]

Ice has been off the water here since the beginning of February.  Of course I got sick and couldn't fish.

[Way north bass guy]

8 hours ago, A-Jay said:

It's a mysterious & magical occurrence that helps smallmouth bass grow to Monstrous proportions . . . .  

A-Jay

And makes the people that fish for them go absolutely bananas for several months! 

Here in central Ontario we still have 20-24” or more on most of the lakes. I was out on one yesterday and the shorelines are starting to rot pretty quick, as well as any pressure cracks are opening up. Great conditions for skating right now. I almost thought about trolling along a pressure crack with my skidoo but changed my mind ?. If the weather keeps going the way it is up here, we might be boating fairly early this year, which is just fine by me. 

[A-Jay]

1 minute ago, Way north bass guy said:

And makes the people that fish for them go absolutely bananas for several months! 

Here in central Ontario we still have 20-24” or more on most of the lakes. I was out on one yesterday and the shorelines are starting to rot pretty quick, as well as any pressure cracks are opening up. Great conditions for skating right now. I almost thought about trolling along a pressure crack with my skidoo but changed my mind ?. If the weather keeps going the way it is up here, we might be boating fairly early this year, which is just fine by me. 

LOL ~ No Doubt 

We are experiencing one of my all time favorite late winter / early spring meteorological events . . . . .

Rain.

A-Jay

[12poundbass]

44 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

LOL ~ No Doubt 

We are experiencing one of my all time favorite late winter / early spring meteorological events . . . . .

Rain.

A-Jay

Sunny and 48 here already ?. I had a job at one of the larger lakes around me yesterday. What I saw shocked me.... 50% of the lake was open water! This itch keeps getting worse! 

[scaleface]

The water is ice free , the temps have been good but too windy . I'll be fishing before long . Got some kid bugging the heck out of me rearing to go . I gave him a rod n reel and its driving him   crazy . Hes never been bass fishing other than walking around a pond .

[NYWayfarer]

Hudson River north of the capital region is clear. Still iced up on the branches and offshoots though. My favorite launch spot for my kayak doesn't open until April 1st

 

Small lakes and ponds are still dark and slushy.

 

I fear we are having a Nor'easter through here over the next two days. Rain to turning to ice and snow overnight Thursday and Friday. Advanced forecast for next week looks like more of the same Wed-Sun. Bummer as these near 70 degree days we were having made me hopeful for some open water and decent fishing conditions.