Winter weather ‘19-‘20

[Black Hawk Basser]

So, you northern guys don't ice fish?  I think tussling with a 10" bluegill on a noodle rod is more fun than a 20" largemouth on a bait caster.

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, Pickle_Power said:

So, you northern guys don't ice fish?

Tried it a few times - wasn't into freezing my tushie off while waiting for something to take the bait.

[A-Jay]

5 minutes ago, Pickle_Power said:

So, you northern guys don't ice fish?  

I do not.

 While I can cope with the cold - it's the drilling through the 5 feet of ice AND the 11 plus FEET of SNOW that's a little tricky.

A-Jay

 

 

Climate in Lake View, Iowa

Lake View, Iowa gets 34 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

Lake View averages 31 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 209 sunny days per year in Lake View. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Lake View gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 98 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure.

Weather Highlights

Summer High: the July high is around 84 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 8
Rain: averages 34 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 31 inches of snow a year

 

Climate in Gaylord, Michigan

Gaylord, Michigan gets 35 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

Gaylord averages 136 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 167 sunny days per year in Gaylord. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Gaylord gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 158 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure.

Weather Highlights

Summer High: the July high is around 77 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 10
Rain: averages 35 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 136 inches of snow a year

 

 

 

[MN Fisher]

And for comparison.

 

Climate in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington Metro Area, Minnesota

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington Metro Area, Minnesota gets 32 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington Metro Area averages 48 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 200 sunny days per year in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington Metro Area. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington Metro Area gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 105 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure.

Weather Highlights

Summer High: the July high is around 83 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 5
Rain: averages 32 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 48 inches of snow a year

[12poundbass]

One thing @MN Fisher that sticks out to me comparing your climate to @A-Jay is you receive on average 38 more sunny days than us in Michigan. While he receives about 100 more inches of snow (what a difference a 2 hour drive makes) our sunny days or lack there of are the same. Our local weather guesser was talking about the role Lake Michigan plays on our climate especially during the winter. It can be sunny in Chicago or in your neck of the woods but go across the lake and we haven’t seen the sun in what seems an eternity. Our winters are the second worse in the country because of the lack of sunlight. 
 

Lake Michigan can make us have an ok winter or it can make us have an absolutely nasty winter. 

[MN Fisher]

15 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

Our local weather guesser was talking about the role Lake Michigan plays on our climate especially during the winter.

A lot of that extra snow is 'lake effect'  - and as the prevailing winds are W-to-E, the west side of 'the Mitten' gets slammed much more than we do. I've experienced that as an ex-GF went to school up at Northern Michigan up in Marquette, and I spent a Thanksgiving weekend with her at her home in Onekama (SSE of Traverse City).

 

Oh: After one round trip - I'm NEVER crossing the Mackinaw bridge ever again.

[12poundbass]

3 hours ago, Pickle_Power said:

So, you northern guys don't ice fish?  I think tussling with a 10" bluegill on a noodle rod is more fun than a 20" largemouth on a bait caster.

This subject comes up every year and it’s funny because I always thought I was in the minority by not ice fishing. I did it quite a bit as a kid but never really enjoyed it. It’s a ton of work if you don’t have the right equipment. On a boat if the fish aren’t biting you hit the trolling motor and go to another spot. Ice fishing you pack everything up on your sled or trailer go to a different spot drill a few holes through ice that’s probably 12 or more inches thick, drop your transducer (if you’ve spent a few hundred dollars on one) in the water, if there’s fish great, if there isn’t repeat the process until you find the fish.
 

It would be fun if you were on a big school of walleye. My parents have a pond at their house and ice fishing there can be fun because there’s always action. Ice fishing is usually pretty boring. I think it’s just a thing for guys to get together on the ice and drink beer. You never have to worry about it getting cold. Google Tip up town Houghton Lake. If you ever come to Michigan in the winter check it out. 

[Black Hawk Basser]

Touche, A-Jay, there is a major difference in snowfall.  The heavy snow definitely keeps me off the ice.

 

MN Fisher: It's not that cold if you dress right, and you can get plenty toasty in the shack with a heater.  Getting something to bite is what's fun, you sometimes don't know what's down there.

 

12pound: It can be a lot of work, but I'd argue that all the crap you have to do to maintain a boat is a lot of work too.  I have a Humminbird Helix 5 that I can use both on the ice and open water.  So you don't necessarily have to have something just for the ice fishing.  That said, I would not ice fish without electronics.  I did that a few times before I got my first Vexilar unit, and that was boring.  Having a flasher makes it kind of like a video game; it's so much different than "soft" water fishing.

 

The stereotype of people just sitting around drinking beer while waiting for a bite on the ice is so wrong.  At least for me and the guys I know around here.  Most guys are actively drilling holes and hopping around searching for fish.  That's no different than non-fisher people just imagining all fishermen throwing out a worm under a bobber and plopping into a lawn chair, when in reality we all know that's not an accurate assessment of what we do as bass fishermen.

 

I got into ice fishing through friends who had been doing it for years.  Prior to that, I thought it would be pretty lame.  Now, I sometimes prefer it over open water fishing. Having even a 15" bass crush your little jig on a little 28" rod is a blast.  If nothing else, it helps scratch the fishing itch every now and then while waiting for ice out and prespawn bassin'.

[MN Fisher]

3 minutes ago, Pickle_Power said:

MN Fisher: It's not that cold if you dress right, and you can get plenty toasty in the shack with a heater.  Getting something to bite is what's fun, you sometimes don't know what's down there.

I scrape to get the cash to afford open-water fishing. I don't have the money to equip myself for ice-fishing...even a cheap 'tent shelter' is beyond my budget much less the extra clothing needed.

[12poundbass]

8 minutes ago, Pickle_Power said:

Touche, A-Jay, there is a major difference in snowfall.  The heavy snow definitely keeps me off the ice.

 

MN Fisher: It's not that cold if you dress right, and you can get plenty toasty in the shack with a heater.  Getting something to bite is what's fun, you sometimes don't know what's down there.

 

12pound: It can be a lot of work, but I'd argue that all the crap you have to do to maintain a boat is a lot of work too.  I have a Humminbird Helix 5 that I can use both on the ice and open water.  So you don't necessarily have to have something just for the ice fishing.  That said, I would not ice fish without electronics.  I did that a few times before I got my first Vexilar unit, and that was boring.  Having a flasher makes it kind of like a video game; it's so much different than "soft" water fishing.

 

The stereotype of people just sitting around drinking beer while waiting for a bite on the ice is so wrong.  At least for me and the guys I know around here.  Most guys are actively drilling holes and hopping around searching for fish.  That's no different than non-fisher people just imagining all fishermen throwing out a worm under a bobber and plopping into a lawn chair, when in reality we all know that's not an accurate assessment of what we do as bass fishermen.

 

I got into ice fishing through friends who had been doing it for years.  Prior to that, I thought it would be pretty lame.  Now, I sometimes prefer it over open water fishing. Having even a 15" bass crush your little jig on a little 28" rod is a blast.  If nothing else, it helps scratch the fishing itch every now and then while waiting for ice out and prespawn bassin'.

I kind of messed up this year. I got caught up in the moment of trading my Helix 7 for a Garmin Echomap. In the midst of that I got short sighted when the guy asked if I had another Helix. I ended up selling my Helix 5 DI. I should have kept it and used the flasher for ice fishing. Oh well. 

[Black Hawk Basser]

3 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I scrape to get the cash to afford open-water fishing. I don't have the money to equip myself for ice-fishing...even a cheap 'tent shelter' is beyond my budget much less the extra clothing needed.

I feel your pain when it comes to the old budget.  It has taken me many years to get what I have.  It doesn't bother me, though.  I really take pride in what I have since I've had to work hard for it.

[12poundbass]

Finally some average temperatures here. The lake has been froze over for a couple weeks now but that’s not going to last long, because (this ones for you @A-Jay) it’s raining like nobody’s business! 

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, 12poundbass said:

Finally some average temperatures here. The lake has been froze over for a couple weeks now but that’s not going to last long, because (this ones for you @A-Jay) it’s raining like nobody’s business! 

Thank you for that ~ 

Raining here too - COMPLETE Mess !  

At this point I hope we get a foot or so of snow every 4 or 5 days - 

Just to cover this mess up.

I'll be cleaning up this leaf mess for 3 weeks once it melts.

I need to go south again !

A-Jay

[Harold Scoggins]

On 11/14/2019 at 3:23 PM, MN Fisher said:

Tried it a few times - wasn't into freezing my tushie off while waiting for something to take the bait.

You lasted longer than me. I went once with my brother (he loves it) and that was enough for me.

[Way north bass guy]

4 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Thank you for that ~ 

Raining here too - COMPLETE Mess !  

At this point I hope we get a foot or so of snow every 4 or 5 days - 

Just to cover this mess up.

I'll be cleaning up this leaf mess for 3 weeks once it melts.

I need to go south again !

A-Jay

If you wait until there’s about 3-4” of snow on top of the leaves, and set your snowblower shoes real nice and low, you should be able to just shoot the whole darn mess right across the yard into the bush ?‍♂️?. 

[TnRiver46]

Still all 50s and 60s here..... Fear and loathing in Knoxville......... Someone saw a wooly worm........

[NorcalBassin]

Been a really weird (delayed) fall and early winter season here. Our rainy season is usually well underway by now with snow knocking at the door at the lower mountain elevations with the mountain passes closed long ago, but we've been dry most of October and all of November. Hit the lake today and it was 60* and sunny with lake temps ranging from 59* this morning to 62* this afternoon. On a positive note, we're forecasted to get up to a foot of snow next week mixed in with some rain and the Sierras should start putting on some solid snowpack. Really hoping the storms and colder weather will get the bass acting like they're supposed to act this time of year.

[12poundbass]

Upper 40’s the past few days here, and today is sunny! We have some nasty winds coming tomorrow though, and rain. The lake is open again, I should be fishing! 

[MN Fisher]

15 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

Upper 40’s the past few days here, and today is sunny! We have some nasty winds coming tomorrow though, and rain. The lake is open again, I should be fishing! 

We had some 40s lately too - last week, Emerald Lake was 90% iced over, this morning it was 30% iced over. But we got winter storm warnings with up to 15" of snow predicted for tonight through tomorrown with colder weather following.

[gim]

On 11/14/2019 at 3:20 PM, Pickle_Power said:

So, you northern guys don't ice fish?  I think tussling with a 10" bluegill on a noodle rod is more fun than a 20" largemouth on a bait caster.

I‘ve done it a few times before but not in the last 10 years at least. It seemed like the the time and effort was never worth it. Plus being on the ice always has a risk that being in a boat doesn’t. I think most ice anglers would admit that it really isn’t about fishing - it’s about drinking beer, socializing, playing cards, watching satellite tv, etc. in an overnight wheel house. The guys with portables that hole hop and move regularly do a little better, but not much. Heck, some ice shanties park in literally one spot all winter because they’re simply too lazy to move. 

[soflabasser]

On 11/14/2019 at 4:20 PM, Pickle_Power said:

  I think tussling with a 10" bluegill on a noodle rod is more fun than a 20" largemouth on a bait caster.

I think catching any fish while ice fishing is more fun than not fishing at all for several months. 

On 11/22/2019 at 12:00 PM, TnRiver46 said:

Still all 50s and 60s here..... 

Current temperature at this moment in time in South Florida is 70 degrees. Average lows around mid 60's and average highs in the low 80's for this week. Might get ''cold'' next week with low temperatures in the 50's. Good weather for fishing and running.

[Black Hawk Basser]

11 hours ago, gimruis said:

 I think most ice anglers would admit that it really isn’t about fishing - it’s about drinking beer, socializing, playing cards, watching satellite tv, etc. in an overnight wheel house.

Everyone who doesn't ice fish thinks this. I've never even been in a wheel house. This is Iowa, we're lucky to put an ATV on the ice, let alone a trailer.

 

I think most bass fishermen would admit they fish for bass because it takes little skill. ?

[Bankbeater]

I'm off today so the plan was to go fishing. 20 mph sustained winds and gusts over 40 mph have changed that.  I'm going to stay home and look over the bait and tackle websites.

[soflabasser]

Looks like a ''bomb cyclone'' of frigid weather is expected to hit many states in the next couple days. Some predictions say it will bring 100 mph winds to some states and many states will experience +30 mph winds+snow. The first official day of Winter is December 21, so it seems like it will be a very long winter.

[MN Fisher]

5 minutes ago, soflabasser said:

so it seems like it will be a very long winter.

I just think back to '91 when we got 30" of snow over the Halloween weekend. Compared to that, a white Thanksgiving isn't that bad.