A-Jay's 3rd Annual Ice Out / Open Water Countdown Thread ~

[A-Jay]

12 minutes ago, Jigfishn10 said:

Mid 30*'s the next couple of days. By mid week we'll be in the 60*'s! C'Mon spring!

We are getting some minor mid-day melting but 

the over nights are still going hard freeze.

So it seems like one step forward and 2 steps back.

Makes the footing fairly treacherous 

so we have that going for us. 

?

A-Jay

[Jigfishn10]

Just now, A-Jay said:

Makes the footing fairly treacherous 

so we have that going for us. 

?

A-Jay

Well, I mean, you gotta have something to look forward to. ?

[Michigander]

I have high hopes for this week of rain that is allegedly coming. Very high hopes.

[A-Jay]

#nothelping 

 

My projected open water date is a mere 46 Days & a Wake Up away.

When initially picking that date, I honestly thought I was hedging my bet by picking a time  

that would be past the ice out event. 

While anything's possible (aka the past year),

at this point, it's not look too good.

A-Jay

 

 

[MN Fisher]

Meanwhile in Minnesota

[12poundbass]

There’s a guy out ice fishing on our lake as we speak. The overnight lows are not helping one bit. 

[Jigfishn10]

11 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

#nothelping 

 

My projected open water date is a mere 46 Days & a Wake Up away.

When initially picking that date, I honestly thought I was hedging my bet by picking a time  

that would be past the ice out event. 

While anything's possible (aka the past year),

at this point, it's not look too good.

A-Jay

 

 

We're not at 4* but mid-teens for overnight temps. Low 30*'s today and tomorrow, then our accent to the 60*'s starts on Monday.

Keep oiling those reels my friend, you'll be making your first cast soon enough. ?

[A-Jay]

Just now, Jigfishn10 said:

We're not at 4* but mid-teens for overnight temps. Low 30*'s today and tomorrow, then our accent to the 60*'s starts on Monday.

Keep oiling those reels my friend, you'll be making your first cast soon enough. ?

Thank you my friend ~ I'm on it !

Done it so many times now my first cast should go right into hyper space . . . . .

?

A-Jay

 

[12poundbass]

On 12/6/2020 at 3:57 PM, 12poundbass said:

Going through my pictures I have 6poundbass on our dock fishing March 11 this year. 
 

I’ll shoot for March 6. 

[Jigfishn10]

7 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Thank you my friend ~ I'm on it !

Done it so many times now my first cast should go right into hyper space . . . . .

 

?

A-Jay

 

LMAO...one year I was so amped up to fish I cleaned my reels and wiped my rods down so many times it was beyond compulsive. I finally get out to open water, jacked to the moon to fish. I wound up and put the spurs to her and got the worst birds nest. Forgot to adjust and thumb the spool. ?

I lost half the spool of line trying to get it untangled.

Buttttt......We've all been there before......At least I keep telling myself bone headed self that. ?

[A-Jay]

Just now, Jigfishn10 said:

LMAO...one year I was so amped up to fish I cleaned my reels and wiped my rods down so many times it was beyond compulsive. I finally get out to open water, jacked to the moon to fish. I wound up and put the spurs to her and got the worst birds nest. Forgot to adjust and thumb the spool. ?

I lost half the spool of line trying to get it untangled.

Buttttt......We've all been there before......At least I keep telling myself bone headed self that. ?

Been There ~

Did the EXACT Same thing more than once with my first cast south of the border.

Nothing takes the shine off faster than hacking out $45 worth of Tatsu 2 minutes into it to.

Oh Man.

A-Jay

 

[Jigfishn10]

Hahahahaha....I'm dying here ?...Excuse me, gotta wipe some water off my screen.

[A-Jay]

1 minute ago, Jigfishn10 said:

Hahahahaha....I'm dying here ?...Excuse me, gotta wipe some water off my screen.

I know me too ~ 

I'm plum out of likes so . . .

 

A-Jay

 

[A-Jay]

The precursor to mud season in upon us ~ 

44 Days & a Wake Up ~

A-Jay

[12poundbass]

32 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

The precursor to mud season in upon us ~ 

44 Days & a Wake Up ~

A-Jay

Mud season and with all the snow you have I’d guess flooding as well. The majority of our snow is gone so flooding shouldn’t be an issue here. 
 

I’m hoping this rain will put a big dent in the frozen lake situation. 

[A-Jay]

6 hours ago, 12poundbass said:

Mud season and with all the snow you have I’d guess flooding as well. The majority of our snow is gone so flooding shouldn’t be an issue here. 
 

I’m hoping this rain will put a big dent in the frozen lake situation. 

Fortunately,  I knew enough to ensure my property was graded correctly during construction (and it is) so that flooding is nearly completely mitigated.   The mostly sand soil also helps to eat a bunch of that,  once the ground starts to defrost a bit. Not having to shovel the roofs at this winter has been wonderful.

A-Jay

 

 

[gim]

1 hour ago, 12poundbass said:

The majority of our snow is gone so flooding shouldn’t be an issue here. 
 

I’m hoping this rain will put a big dent in the frozen lake situation. 

Same here.  Most of the snow seems to have already melted in many places.  Flooding doesn't seem to be an issue, at least so far, because water tables/watersheds were low going into winter last fall too.

 

There is rain forecasted for Wednesday.  Any moisture would be beneficial not only from a potential drought perspective, but to aid in melting snow/ice too.

[12poundbass]

We’re making progress.

 

Friday 6poundbass and our nephew threw some of our decent sized rocks out on the ice. ? I’ll let it slide I suppose. The one he and our nephew threw out there Friday warmed enough today to fall through today. So it took about 72 hours for that one to go through. We’ll see how long today’s rock takes to melt through. 
 

Goes to show you though, that rocks do warm and hold heat. It was kind of interesting to see Friday’s rock slowly sink in the ice Saturday and Sunday. 

[Jigfishn10]

53* today. 67* tomorrow and 63* on Friday. We’re gaining on it!

[A-Jay]

  Rain is expected across my slice of northern Michigan with the steadiest rainfall expected this afternoon into the evening.  Highs in the upper 40s and 50s, combined with rainfall,  should help to rapidly melt snow and ice on each and every Lake Menderchuck.

 

 

And later this week I plan to load my gear into the boat; which I emptied to clean last fall.

"Baby steps Bob."

A-Jay

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, A-Jay said:

Rain is expected across my slice of northern Michigan with the steadiest rainfall expected this afternoon into the evening.  Highs in the upper 40s and 50s, combined with rainfall,  should will help to rapidly melt snow and ice on the each and every Lake Menderchuck.

We got a rainy day here too - but temps in the 40s mainly. Snow to the west with up to 6" out by the SD border.

 

Back yard is 80% clear now when 2 weeks ago it was 6"-8" deep in snow. Minnetonka still has quite a bit of ice on it - guys were out fishing on it yesterday...but maybe the rain will help speed up the melting.

[J Francho]

After today, we'll only have those piles of black, salty snow and ice.

[gim]

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

We got a rainy day here too

 

It rained hard at my house this morning for about 45 minutes straight.  Not quite a downpour but a steady, hard rain.

 

There is more coming this afternoon.  Even a clap of thunder is possible.  This is going to make a serious dent in the ice now, as most of the snow is already gone except the spots in the shade.

[12poundbass]

67 here in the middle of the mitten, with a nice warm breeze from the SW. That big heat lamp in the sky isn’t out as much as I’d like, but I’ll take it. The channel that feeds my lake is open now and creeping in to the main part of the lake. I have high expectations for the melting today. I’ve seen a few golf course ponds fully open today in my travels. 
 

I need to get my ? in a group and order my other Garmin, get reels cleaned and lubed, organize more tackle I’ve acquired since the last time I organized tackle that I acquired, spool up a reel I recently bought. The list goes on. 

[MN Fisher]

3 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

I need to get my ? in a group and order my other Garmin, get reels cleaned and lubed, organize more tackle I’ve acquired since the last time I organized tackle that I acquired, spool up a reel I recently bought. The list goes on. 

Ya - I've got the anchor trolley to install and some roofing rubber to lay down in the canoe. Then more Carbontex washers to cut out and line to spool up on the BCs. Busy here too.