A-Jay's 4th Annual Ice Out / Open Water Countdown Thread ~

[TnRiver46]

15 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Its cold here too, at least for mid March.  Tomorrow morning is supposed to be around zero degrees, but the good news is that this is our last blast of winter here.  There is nothing but warmth in the 10 day forecast beyond tomorrow.

I wouldn’t be so sure………. We still have 6 different named winters to go in east TN . It totally blows everyone’s mind year after year after year in march, April, may, June, and sometimes July 

[gim]

11 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

We still have 6 different named winters to go in east TN

 

Do they ever name the winter storms there "Winter Storm Russ?"

 

I bet that it would be catastrophic.  Shrapnel of purple worm plastic would be covering the entire countryside.

[TnRiver46]

2 minutes ago, gimruis said:

 

Do they ever name the winter storms there "Winter Storm Russ?"

 

I bet that it would be catastrophic.  Shrapnel of purple worm plastic would be covering the entire countryside.

I’m hoping they consider it one day 

[J Francho]

Lake X is still completely frozen.

[casts_by_fly]

We might have gotten 3” of snow Wednesday afternoon but it’s largely melted now and the lakes are clear. I’m heading out in about an hour to a local one. Nominally I’m looking for prespawn pike but they like in the same places and eat the same lures as the bass so…

[casts_by_fly]

Made it out for a couple hours today. I was looking for northerns but none were obliging so I fished the other side of the lake back to the ramp.  There is one spot where the deepest creek channel swings up against a 5’ rock covered flat (about the only rocks in the lake). I fished it every trip last year and caught all of 2 perch. I gave up on smallies being in this lake despite the rumors. But I wanted to see how my trapcaster rod paired with braid (it’s just okay with mono) for later in the season so put on a Red eye shad and started casting. 30lb 832 Braid transforms the rod, but that’s another thread. A half a dozen casts later and I felt a mushy tick so set the hook. First I thought i was snagged, then when she rolled I thought it was a drum as black as it was. It was only when she slid into the net that I realized it was a smallmouth.  Taped out at a pinch over 20” and 4.1 lb. The picture sucks because i just take a quick snap but the numbers don’t lie. 
 

nice start to ice out.
 

 

[A-Jay]

3 Weeks 1 Day & a wake up ~

Not super interesting on the syrup deal,

but I will be very happy to see daytime high temperatures begin to rise above freezing for a change. 

We might pull this one off just yet . . .

(won't mention the 5 inches of snow we got yesterday)

 

A-Jay

 

 

[12poundbass]

They’re actually tapping trees down here. While the temps are going to be in the 50’s this week and even get up to 65 one day is promising. However I saw a couple quads on our local lake Sunday so I’m guessing my prediction and hope will come and go like it does every year. ?

[MN Fisher]

21 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

However I saw a couple quads on our local lake Sunday so I’m guessing my prediction and hope will come and go like it does every year.

We're looking at mid-40s to mid-50s this week with lows being at or above freezing.

 

Sunday - not only were there quads on Black Lake (one of the first to open on Tonka) but even a couple small to midsize SUVs (Rav-4s, Cherokees, Patriots, etc)

[DitchPanda]

Very nice weather here...lows above freezing mostly with highs in the 50s and 60s. My local ponds are ice free so I plan to get out there some night after work this week. I just had stomach flu over the weekend so I'm healing up from that.

[FishinBuck07]

If the weather stays for the weekend I will be out one day this weekend!  Can't wait, ready to hear that Mercury sing!

[Smokinal]

It's been a long, cold winter in Maine this season. Long cold stretch had me thinking we would have late ice-out but we're turning the corner now with a warm spell coming up for the next 10 days anyway.

I'm banking on ice-out in 3 weeks around my home lake area....fingers crossed

[FishinBuck07]

Welp beautiful day here today, left work early and ran home hooked the boat up and grabbed the wife and off we went to spend the evening at the lake.  Only a couple boats out and the fish weren't biting but seen a family of bald eagles and enjoyed the beautiful outdoors!

[A-Jay]

Sunny & warm today almost 60.

I'm going with Glorious. 

Took advantage of a warm garage to load everything into the Pro-V Bass.

Sticks went in last and man, did that feel good.

Slipped the cover back on her and now . . . . .

we wait.

A-Jay

[MN Fisher]

3 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Slipped the cover back on her and now . . . . .

we wait.

[Smokinal]

21 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Sunny & warm today almost 60.

I'm going with Glorious. 

Took advantage of a warm garage to load everything into the Pro-V Bass.

Sticks went in last and man, did that feel good.

Slipped the cover back on her and now . . . . .

we wait.

A-Jay

You're close!!

[FishinBuck07]

Buddy and I are going Sunday to a local lake I have never fished, so was in the boat tonight rigging and retying.  We will see how it goes.  

[DitchPanda]

Had the ice off here a couple days but I haven't had time to get out..my buddy that I was teaching last year tried our local haunt tonight and got skunked. But it was 55 today...51 tomorrow...63 and sunny Saturday and 69 and breezy Sunday. Those temps plus sun should help warm our small bodies of water a decent amount.

[gim]

3 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Took advantage of a warm garage to load everything into the Pro-V Bass.

#operationpayload

[softwateronly]

@A-Jay  From Michiana; with love

[A-Jay]

9 hours ago, gimruis said:

#operationpayload

No doubt.

So less than it was but still probably more than it needs to be.

A-Jay

 

[A-Jay]

  Despite the very nice warm up the past few days,

which did melt the world here quite significantly,

there's a 'wintery mix' coming today overnight and into tomorrow.

So the 2 Weeks and 5 Days left until my projected open water date

is looking pretty sketchy to say the least.

 

In the mean time, it's Fish Catch Friday.

Here's the best smallie from Three Days on Lake Menderchuck last season.

 

 

Fish Hard

A-Jay

[A-Jay]

I'm keeping my excitement tempered best I can.

It's been warm and or raining now for a couple of days/nights

and that forecast  is expected to continue . . . .

 

Seems the local north woods has lost at least 60% of the snow on the ground.

This is the stuff that get me on open water in short order.

Sometime surprisingly so.

Next day or so I'll start doing some local and not so local RECON

to see which Lake Menderchucks are closest to open water

and make sure the access roads & ramps are good to go.

Then it's only a matter of time.

 

18 weeks ago I guessed 7 April as my open water date which is only 2 weeks & 5 days away.

This time last week I didn't think that was going to be possible

but now I'm convinced it is.

Fingers crossed 

A-Jay

 

[12poundbass]

The rain here is putting a nice dent in the ice for sure. I’m not sure on the thickness of the ice, but it’s getting the dark color to it so I’m guessing it’s getting pretty thin. I did see a few geese walking on a lake yesterday so it’s at least safe enough for them. ?

 

To be quite honest with myself I’m not sure when I’m even going to make the first trip. We’re scheduled to close on the house 4/15, so the next month, month and a half are going to be pretty busy. 

[Smokinal]

My Menderchuck has 2 lake cameras on it. They are in 2 lakefront owner's homes and I can control them from my house; very cool. I check them all year but it's very convenient in spring and fall where I can check conditions any time I want.

Ice has been pretty white up until a day ago, now it's noticeably darker. I give it 2 weeks and I'm in; which is sooner than I thought, given the cold winter we had.

Time to get out in the garage and get things organized, boat ready etc...

 

12Pound, I hear ya; that can be a busy time for sure and we all know what has to come first. I hope all goes well with your closing and moving!