A-Jay's 2nd Annual Ice Out / Open Water Countdown Thread ~

[MN Fisher]

8 minutes ago, Raul said:

Something like scratching a skeeter bite ?

More like a bad rash...but ya.

[A-Jay]

24 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

This thread is kinda like group therapy for us northern guys. 
 

My thread may look like it’s us complaining about the winter, but in reality it’s our way to keep you warm weather people away from our fish! ?

 

A-Jay

[detroit1]

I don't mind ( for now ,anyways) not being able to fish. This was an off - year for me. Putting in the new floors on my boat many weekends this spring (many rained out) delayed my season by about 6 wks. That sucked. Had o/b issues that always crept into my mind while fishing, wondering if it would start or not. You have to keep in mind that you might have to t/m back to the ramp which in turn does not always allow you to fish a certain lake, or even the spots you want to fish on a lake you can fish. (!) I am not complaining, just not satisfied. I caught a couple of goods ones, and as always- had fun, but I am ready to start the 2020 season...

[A-Jay]

49 minutes ago, detroit1 said:

I don't mind ( for now ,anyways) not being able to fish. This was an off - year for me. Putting in the new floors on my boat many weekends this spring (many rained out) delayed my season by about 6 wks. That sucked. Had o/b issues that always crept into my mind while fishing, wondering if it would start or not. You have to keep in mind that you might have to t/m back to the ramp which in turn does not always allow you to fish a certain lake, or even the spots you want to fish on a lake you can fish. (!) I am not complaining, just not satisfied. I caught a couple of goods ones, and as always- had fun, but I am ready to start the 2020 season...

I hear that ~ 

Life's short and getting shorter.

Unreliable gear of any kind is a PIA

Perhaps consider a re-power for your rig.

A-Jay

[WRB]

2020 it will be April 1st no other date is appropriate.

Tom

 

[Do1982]

Made it in on the second page. Finished winterizing the boat today so that's always sad. My goal is always first weekend in march but living in unpredictable midwest weather and Mississippi river flooding it's hard to tell. I am going to go with first saturday in april on April 4th.  Until then I'll keep lurking bassresourse. Maybe post more often. 

[NHBull]

I have it on good authority that 4/1 will be the official ice out on Squam.

I plan on picking up my boat on 3/25 and will be throwing a silver buddy on 4/2.

 

[soflabasser]

On 11/14/2019 at 11:25 PM, A-Jay said:

As of today, I'm looking at 161 days or 5 months & 9 days or 23 weeks (which makes it seem even longer). 

You are not going to fish for 5 months? Ice fishing sounds like a good choice compared to no fishing for almost half a year.

On 11/15/2019 at 2:22 PM, 12poundbass said:

This thread is kinda like group therapy for us northern guys. 
 

My thread may look like it’s us complaining about the winter, but in reality it’s our way to keep you warm weather people away from our fish! ?

LOL! I already caught muskie, smallies, walleye, trout and other northern fish on previous vacations. I fished during the Fall or Spring so I did not ice fish or see hard water. Will leave the ice fishing for a future vacation.

[MN Fisher]

7 minutes ago, soflabasser said:

Will leave the ice fishing for a future vacation.

Make sure to bring your warm undies.

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, soflabasser said:

You are not going to fish for 5 months? Ice fishing sounds like a good choice compared to no fishing for almost half a year.

I've been posting on the BR forums since 2008, how is this a surprise ? 

Thanks for your concern though, but as always, I'll be just fine.

A-Jay 

 

 

[soflabasser]

46 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

I've been posting on the BR forums since 2008, how is this a surprise ? 

I do not read old post much and focus more on the newer post. I am very fond of fishing so I do not see myself giving up fishing for 5 months every year but that is just me. Maybe 1 month of no fishing but no more than that. Nice huskies you have, I am sure they love the cold weather.

[A-Jay]

Just now, soflabasser said:

I do not read old post much and focus more on the newer post. I am very fond of fishing so I do not see myself giving up fishing for 5 months but that is just me. Nice huskies you have.

I hear ya ~ Thanks.

A-Jay

[JediAmoeba]

On 11/15/2019 at 11:57 AM, A-Jay said:

Incidentally, IMO, the fact that these fish go unmolested for almost half the year - contributes greatly to the quality of the fishery.

There has to be a lot of people out hammering them on the ice, no?

[soflabasser]

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

Make sure to bring your warm undies.

That is one thing that I am not looking towards to when it comes to ice fishing, wearing all that cold weather clothes. I rather dress in athletic clothes which is what I usually do. Weather is very nice in South Florida at this moment so I will go fishing tomorrow.

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, JediAmoeba said:

There has to be a lot of people out hammering them on the ice, no?

Not the bass so much as the panfish, walleye and northern - at least here. Whole 'villages' get set up over the productive areas.

[A-Jay]

1 minute ago, JediAmoeba said:

There has to be a lot of people out hammering them on the ice, no?

Hammering Smallmouth through the ice ?

Perhaps.

 I'll never really know for sure because I'm not out there.

But if my traditional early season brown bass results are any indication . . . 

 I seriously doubt it.

A-Jay

 

 

[JediAmoeba]

9 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Not the bass so much as the panfish, walleye and northern - at least here. Whole 'villages' get set up over the productive areas.

I went up to Minnesota as a youth with my dad and grandad a few times.  Driving into the villages on the ice was pretty neat - Drilling through 3 feet of ice, not so much.  

 

We used to catch some really nice smallies mixed in with the walleye, northerns and muskies.  

[A-Jay]

Just now, JediAmoeba said:

I went up to Minnesota as a youth with my dad and grandad a few times.  Driving into the villages on the ice was pretty neat - Drilling through 3 feet of ice, not so much.  

 

We used to catch some really nice smallies mixed in with the walleye, northerns and muskies.  

We average 11 + feet of snow - some gets blown off the ice some doesn't.

Ice should be pretty thick this year with the cold starting so early.

Below zero this morning without the wind chill.

A-Jay

[GReb]

We had a rough year here. Due to an invasive plant the water in our reservoir was drawn down several feet and made the fishing extremely difficult. They thought it was exterminated and raised the levels back up to realize it came back immediately and now they are going to draw it down even further. Worst part is my most productive bay is where the plant is and has been shut off from boats for a year now and counting. So I spent all year finding new water and basically failed. Biggest bass I caught all year was 3 pounds. My catches in general were few and far between. Tried fishing off shore more than ever but just never could locate consistent schools. Luckily for my mental health I live on a 4 acre pond full of dinks lol

[MIbassyaker]

1 hour ago, JediAmoeba said:

There has to be a lot of people out hammering them on the ice, no?

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

Not the bass so much as the panfish, walleye and northern - at least here. Whole 'villages' get set up over the productive areas.

 

Yeah, I don't know anybody who ice-fishes for bass, although bass are not uncommon as a by-catch for those out for perch, crappie, pike, walleye, and such.

 

However, the Michigan master angler database lists qualifying bass entries (22" largemouth, 21" smallmouth) occasionally caught through the ice in winter on live bait. So maybe bass anglers should be out there on the ice? 

 

I dunno...I've always felt the discomfort and crushing boredom of ice fishing entirely defeats the purpose of fishing as recreation...

[gim]

On 11/16/2019 at 8:38 PM, MN Fisher said:

Not the bass so much as the panfish, walleye and northern - at least here. Whole 'villages' get set up over the productive areas.

With the explosive popularity of wheel houses in recent years and all the gizmos, gadgets, and other distractions they come with, some fish populations are seriously way too pressured now. Crappies and sunfish get smoked for weeks on end when there’s a good bite. Bass, muskies, not so much...they pretty much hibernate in the winter here. I don’t really consider drinking, socializing, watching satellite tv, and playing cards to be “fishing” but if that’s what some people need to do in the winter, that’s up to them. Frankly, I think a lot of people completely forego the safety factor too, especially when it comes to early ice. Just last week a large group of people on upper red lake had to be rescued because the ice sheet they were on drifted away from the rest of it.

 

I’ll go April 15, 2020 for ice out on Tonka next spring.

[A-Jay]

This strange "Flinter" season continues.

Much of the early snow we got has melted leaving all the mostly oak tree leafs that fell after and on top of the snow, to make a nice mess.

Took advantage of some sun the other day to get out & about with our malamutes.

More snow in the forecast for this week.

149 Days to go . . . . 

 

A-Jay

[12poundbass]

On 11/25/2019 at 8:49 AM, A-Jay said:

This strange "Flinter" season continues.

Much of the early snow we got has melted leaving all the mostly oak tree leafs that fell after and on top of the snow, to make a nice mess.

Took advantage of some sun the other day to get out & about with our malamutes.

More snow in the forecast for this week.

149 Days to go . . . . 

 

A-Jay

“Flinter” I like it, I might have to steal that. 
 

Rocking the Stormy Kromer! 

[A-Jay]

~ 137 Days ~ 

A-Jay

[12poundbass]

21 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

~ 137 Days ~ 

A-Jay

The lake froze over last night and as you’ve posted we’re in for some frigid temps next week so 137 days (a little sooner for me) can’t come soon enough. As fast as the days and weeks are going by 137 days doesn’t seem so far away.