Another 10 weeks to go

[DitchPanda]

49 minutes ago, ironbjorn said:

Indiana. It was 60 here today! High 40s and 50s is the forecast for the foreseeable future. I'm hoping it only goes up.

 

You're still a bit chilly there. As I said above it was 60 today and coming up this weekend we have 3 days in the 50s pushing 60 coming up.

Right on..had a good friend of mine relocate to Shelbyville Indiana last year. Think he said he lives about 40 miles from Indianapolis.

[Boomstick]

We had a cold February prior to today although it remained warm late, but I have a feeling it will take into April before lakes thaw.

[Bluebasser86]

Highs in the mid to high 50's all week next week and lows above freezing. Should be good to go by next weekend.

[gim]

10 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Which means I gotta get off my butt and get working on the canoe to have it ready. Got a couple things to install and a couple more to change from the current setup.

Better get crackin!

 

If we get a warm rain mixed in there it will really take a toll on the snow/ice too.

[TcRoc]

February 28th of last year was my first catch of the year .There was no snow than. Not happening this year. 

 

[Bankc]

I've lived as far north as Maine and as far south as Texas.  I'd much rather take the heat for fishing.  For most other things, the cold is better.  You can wear layers to stay warm, but you can only take off so much in the heat. 

 

But on the water while fishing, it's easy to cool off by taking a dip in the water every half hour or so.  Get your clothes wet and it really helps keep you cool.  In the cold, it's a fight to stay dry, and on the water, that's not always easy.  Though, I do fish from a kayak, and that plays a pretty big role in forming my opinions.  

[Bass Junke]

Saw some guys ice fishing on Monday. That ship has sailed here in southern Mass. Seeing lots of open water. Lunchtime fishing on Monday. 

 

Yea, winters here in southern Mass are not really that bad. We generally get about 10 really cold days a year. (below 15 degrees). Most winter days range between 30 and 40.  We had about 3 weeks of hard water, and only 2 weeks of ice fishing. Now the closer you get to the cape and it is usually game on all season. Heck the golf courses down the cape rarely shut down during the winter. 

[Bankbeater]

The ice on the ponds near work was starting to melt yesterday.  I plan on heading out this weekend to see if I can find open water.

[Fishin' Fool]

21 hours ago, MIbassyaker said:

 

10 weeks? There's gonna be open water out here a lot sooner than May!  You're only 20min away from me, and I'd say over half the time you should be able to get on the water by mid-March. And bass are C&R year-round, as of a few years ago!

 

 

Lol. Yah i was being a little facetious of northern living. There have been years my buddies got out on St Clair in March. I'll probably get out in April but more consistently get out by May. It's snowed before in early May too so you never know.

20 hours ago, ABrugs said:

I’m targeting the first Saturday in April to hit Lake St. Clair. Wow, even just typing that got me pretty amped up!

It can be really tough that time of the year depending on how quick the ice melts. The wind and water clarity will be a big factor. I know they do good with blade baits early in the season. You can also yo-yo retrieve lipless baits too.

[Bigassbass]

52 degree water in the pond near my house, 49 at Jordan Lake 30 miles down the road, not much longer till really warm water and the crappie spawn!

[ABrugs]

On 2/25/2021 at 6:44 PM, Fishin' Fool said:

It can be really tough that time of the year depending on how quick the ice melts. The wind and water clarity will be a big factor. I know they do good with blade baits early in the season. You can also yo-yo retrieve lipless baits too.

I fish from shore right now and when I started going last spring around the beginning of April, they were catching a lot of them on tube jigs. I didn’t see much else being overly productive at that time.

 

^ Honestly, just being able to get out for a couple of hours to enjoy the fresh air, test out the new rod/reel setups, and the potential of hooking into a smallie gives me the kind of excitement I had as a boy waiting for Christmas!

[Fishin' Fool]

12 hours ago, ABrugs said:

I fish from shore right now and when I started going last spring around the beginning of April, they were catching a lot of them on tube jigs. I didn’t see much else being overly productive at that time.

 

^ Honestly, just being able to get out for a couple of hours to enjoy the fresh air, test out the new rod/reel setups, and the potential of hooking into a smallie gives me the kind of excitement I had as a boy waiting for Christmas!

What area of SE michigan are you in? If you are interested in tournament fishing on a small scale I grew as a fisherman by joining as a non-boater the Sterling Heights bass anglers. They have a website you can check out. I rejoined them for next season though i live in west Michigan. Not alot of club availability for nonboaters out this way.

[ABrugs]

3 hours ago, Fishin' Fool said:

What area of SE michigan are you in? If you are interested in tournament fishing on a small scale I grew as a fisherman by joining as a non-boater the Sterling Heights bass anglers. They have a website you can check out. I rejoined them for next season though i live in west Michigan. Not alot of club availability for nonboaters out this way.

I’m actually in Sterling Heights. This will be my second year bass fishing so I don’t know if I’m ready for tournaments yet! My overall goal this year is to continue growing and learning as a bass angler. I’ll PM you though because I’d love to learn about this club. Thanks for the heads up on that!

[Sphynx]

On 2/24/2021 at 6:20 PM, MN Fisher said:

Being too nice.

Lol, I always heard that it was your neighbors to the west that were duly tried and convicted of being too nice, "North Dakota Nice" they called it, and a couple years ago while I was out in MN a lot there was some talking about C&R becoming a year round thing, they nix that or is it still being discussed? 

[MN Fisher]

42 minutes ago, Sphynx said:

a couple years ago while I was out in MN a lot there was some talking about C&R becoming a year round thing, they nix that or is it still being discussed? 

It keeps coming up - though it wasn't that long ago that we got C&R open on walleye/northern open...use to be we couldn't even target bass until Memorial weekend.

[Fishin' Fool]

1 hour ago, ABrugs said:

I’m actually in Sterling Heights. This will be my second year bass fishing so I don’t know if I’m ready for tournaments yet! My overall goal this year is to continue growing and learning as a bass angler. I’ll PM you though because I’d love to learn about this club. Thanks for the heads up on that!

Honestly that's a great opportunity for you. If you don't join this year consider next year. I have been a non-boater in the club for about 10 years off and on. Great group of guys.

[DogBone_384]

On 2/24/2021 at 7:05 PM, MassYak85 said:

Judging by the long term forecast looks to be the case this year as well. 

Plymouth and Cape Cod are open.  I caught 2 SMB & 1 YP in Plymouth today. I hope for a quick melt for you poor souls still iced over.

[ironbjorn]

On 2/24/2021 at 7:18 PM, roadwarrior said:

For hundreds of years Russia exiled criminals and political dissidents to Siberia.

What crimes are you guys accused of?

 

Being born to parents with horrible ideas. Who actually chooses to settle where it snows and freezes regularly? *shudders*

 

 

 

[superkamikazee]

My buddy was just on the ice this weekend out in the berkshires, about 14" of ice there still. Hoping to see some open water in the pioneer valley soon, maybe 2 weeks, maybe? lol

[Spankey]

I think I’m gonna kick my bass season off on April 10th. I’ll start with some river Smallies. It’s gonna be a tough bite and a tough find for them. River Smallies can be a tough find. It seem like they just show up when they are ready to. 

[nascar2428]

Witnessed soft water in Oakland County yesterday. Bought my license this morning, should be fishing within two weeks if all goes as planned. Fingers crossed!!