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

[casts_by_fly]

At this rate we might not even have skim ice the rest of the year. I’m going to start stripping and lubing this and next week. The new spinning rod and reel is getting lined out tomorrow and might get a test run next week. I suspect the crappie are up shallow too.

[T-Billy]

First time I've ever had the boat out in January. Not a bad way to kick off 2024.

Forecast calls for teens and twenties by the middle of next week. I might get out next Tuesday for one last trip if the forecast holds. Then again, this is one crazy winter. I could be out again soon if it's open and we get a good warm front. A friend who lives on the lake, and has fished it for muskie for 39 years, recently told me he's had some epic days trolling big cranks in Jan and Feb if there's open water and a warming trend. Says he trolls them a 3.5 - 4 mph like it's summer. Go figure.

 

 

 

[A-Jay]

We've had some 'colder' air temps and a few inches of snow past few days.

Not sure what's going on with the local lakes but I'm still in a holding pattern either way.

Count Down is at 87 days - at this point that may not mean what it started out as.

 

It's also 'Tight Line Sunday' ~

Going back into the private archives for this one.

Includes my first MI SMB over 6 lbs. 

I was happy.

A-Jay

 

 

[gim]

On 12/29/2023 at 12:26 PM, A-Jay said:

Feel like I should step up my off season gear prep schedule by at least a few weeks anyway.

 

You know, I was actually thinking about this too the other day.  Normally I don't start the prep process with all my rods/reels/line/lures for the season until March.

 

But now I just looked at the forecast and winter will be showing up in a big way later this week.  Highs in the teens and lows around zero.  False alarm...

[A-Jay]

85 Days ~

Winters on it's way back to the local area . . . 

Seems most times the forecast calls for "locally higher amounts possible"

that means waist deep drifts for us.

Good times

A-Jay

[casts_by_fly]

We got about 8" here saturday night followed by rain/sleet at 33 degrees, followed by 2" more snow on top of what the rain just compressed at 30 degrees.  It made for a semi crust layer on top that you can't walk on and the dogs hate with a frozen slush layer on the bottom that you can't get a shovel or blower through.  Glad I sorted the driveway while it was still snow.  The slush the next morning was rough.  All of that combined with the 28 degrees and windy suddenly makes me want to come inside and sort tackle rather than thinking about taking the boat out Thursday.

[Jar11591]

The 10 or so inches we got Saturday night should be gone by the end of tomorrow. Going to rain all day and night, and tomorrow will be back up to almost 50 degrees. But next week looks like we'll be getting some frigid temps, down to the single digits. Winter is moving fast, but February is always a real monster. I can deal with a rough February, as long as we don't have a March like we did in 2023. Last year saved all it's snow for the week or two before my predicted ice-out date. 

[casts_by_fly]

18 minutes ago, Jar11591 said:

The 10 or so inches we got Saturday night should be gone by the end of tomorrow. Going to rain all day and night, and tomorrow will be back up to almost 50 degrees. But next week looks like we'll be getting some frigid temps, down to the single digits. Winter is moving fast, but February is always a real monster. I can deal with a rough February, as long as we don't have a March like we did in 2023. Last year saved all it's snow for the week or two before my predicted ice-out date. 

 

 

Same here, maybe not quite as cold.  I was contemplating going out Thursday after a full day of sunshine because its the last chance I'll have in January I think with the temps next week.  We have skim ice around on all of the lakes right now which should clear tomorrow but 5+ days of sub freezing means guys will be ice fishing in 10 days' time.

 

[TnRiver46]

[T-Billy]

Unseasonably warm here, and all that rain yesterday brought the lakes up a foot, and warmed the inflows. Likely moving shad and muskie up onto the breaks, and suspending high in the basins, but I ain't fishin in today's 20-40 mph winds. I'll be chipping away at the winter honey-do list instead. 

[casts_by_fly]

@T-Billy- we are the same today.  Warm rain all through the night just killed all of the snow we had.  Streams and roads are flooded and that only leads down to the lakes.  Now we have 5 days of sunshine on the way (a change from yesterday) and colder temps (also a change).  Gonna just have to play this one by ear and see what days are usable for what.  I cleaned and lubed all of the reels last night so they are ready to fish (with last year's line).  I'll put new line on some of them when Feb rolls around.

[MIbassyaker]

Welp.

 

 

[casts_by_fly]

1 hour ago, MIbassyaker said:

Welp.

 

 

well that’s miserable. 2’ of snow spread over a week with accompanying 0-20 mph winds and 0-10 degree wind chills. 

[12poundbass]

1 hour ago, MIbassyaker said:

Welp.

 

 

[A-Jay]

Oh this ought to be a good time ~ 

A-Jay

[redmeansdistortion]

It's going to get nutty up there @A-Jay.  My mom is on Rifle Lake in Lupton and she already has a foot on the ground with another 12-18" forecast between today and tomorrow.  Things are pretty ugly up there for her right now.  She's is right in that red spot on your map that includes Mio.

[A-Jay]

16 minutes ago, redmeansdistortion said:

It's going to get nutty up there @A-Jay.  My mom is on Rifle Lake in Lupton and she already has a foot on the ground with another 12-18" forecast between today and tomorrow.  Things are pretty ugly up there for her right now.  She's is right in that red spot on your map that includes Mio.

Hope she's OK !~

Calling for a Blizzard warnings now for a day & a half.

Just hope we don't lose power for too long.

Otherwise - we're as ready as we can be . . . 

A-Jay

[redmeansdistortion]

2 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Hope she's OK !~

Calling for a Blizzard warnings now for a day & a half.

Just hope we don't lose power for too long.

Otherwise - we're as ready as we can be . . . 

A-Jay

Thank you for the kind words   She should be ok, she went and stocked up earlier in the week and does have a generator in case of a power outage.  I told her if things get a little too nutty I'd take a ride up and bring her back to stay with me and the family until things clear up a bit.  She is 76 years old.  Thankfully her neighbor does her snow for her.

[A-Jay]

7 minutes ago, redmeansdistortion said:

Thank you for the kind words   She should be ok, she went and stocked up earlier in the week and does have a generator in case of a power outage.  I told her if things get a little too nutty I'd take a ride up and bring her back to stay with me and the family until things clear up a bit.  She is 76 years old.  Thankfully her neighbor does her snow for her.

Sounds like she'll be OK - 

Also unless you can get there in an hour or so,

I would NOT recommend getting on the road heading up here now.

Roads could get impassable fast with snow coming down at a 2 inches an hour clip.

White out conditions where the road in front of you is essentially gone is a real thing.

Folks get trapped in their cars all the time. 

Stay Safe

A-Jay

[A-Jay]

82 Days ~ and we're fixing to earn our July weather here shortly ~ 

 

A-Jay

[casts_by_fly]

It’s okay, this is the only big snowstorm you’re going to get this year…

[MN Fisher]

Just now, casts_by_fly said:

It’s okay, this is the only big snowstorm you’re going to get this year…

Your lips to Mama-Gaia's ears...

[A-Jay]

A-Jay

[WaskaCrank12]

General info

Affected area

---

View map

Official updates

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING... ...WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING... ...WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON CST SUNDAY... ...WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON SUNDAY TO NOON CST TUESDAY

* WHAT...For the Winter Weather Advisory, snow and blowing snow.
Additional snow accumulations of up to one inch. Winds gusting
as high as 35 mph are resulting in areas of blowing snow. For
the Wind Chill Warning, dangerously cold wind chills expected.
Wind chills as low as 40 below zero. For the Wind Chill
Advisories, very cold wind chills expected. Wind chills as low
as 35 below zero.

* WHERE...Douglas and Pope Counties.

* WHEN...For the Winter Weather Advisory, until 9 PM CST this
evening. For the Wind Chill Warning, from 9 PM this evening to
noon CST Sunday. For the Wind Chill Advisory, from noon Sunday
to noon CST Tuesday.

* IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions. Patchy blowing snow
could significantly reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions
will impact travel. The dangerously cold wind chills could cause
frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.

[Jar11591]

We were supposed to get a 5-8 incher Tuesday but it’s been downgraded to just a dusting. A couple nights next week will be into the single digits but then it’s calling for temps to go right back up to the mid 40s.