Ice out

[fish-fighting-illini]

  After ice out will you go fish ight away or will you wait for it to warm up?

 Or will you go for cabin fever and not expect to catch much?

I ask because in the very cold water I go but it seems extremely tough to catch much until the water warms some. I'll go anyway full well knowing I probably won't catch anything.

I know I know fish slow! been there done that.

Just curious how others approach the late winter / early spring

[WIII-60]

I'll go anyway full well knowing I probably won't catch anything.

Isn't it like that year round for you? J/K

I'll go out. I doubt I'll catch anything. I'll say I did though.

[jrhennecke]

I'm glad we don't have ice out.  I feel bad for you guys.

[TeamBerettaGold]

Even after ice out we have to wait until May 3 to fish almost all of our inland lakes in wisconsin.  Cant even fish smallies on lake michigan until may 3.  The mississippi and the wisconsin river, and a very few other bodies of water are open to bass fishing year round.  But we do have some awsome steelhead, brown, and salmon fishing that helps pass the time.  

[fish-fighting-illini]

I'll go anyway full well knowing I probably won't catch anything.

Isn't it like that year round for you? J/K

I'll go out. I doubt I'll catch anything. I'll say I did though.

Smart &%&$ ! Good shot though lol

I thought about threatening to whup on you but I forgot about all of the guns, the friends with guns and the martial arts thing!

[HesterIsGod]

I had your thinking until two years ago. I went to go fishing in a nearby heavily fished local pond just after ice out. In fact, there was still a couple of big sheets of floating ice on the lake! Well a pretty seasoned fisherman there showed me that ice out can be one of the best times to fish. We caught a bunch of fish and he even got into of a school of 4 pounders and caught 3 of them!!!

Ice out is great fishing, think about it. The fish have not seen any lures since november or december (besides minnows and swedish pimples from ice fisherman). Plus, when the ice on the lake officially comes off then those few days there after are usually pretty mild, warm and sunny which means the fish move shallow and put on the feedbag in a hurry for the spawn. The water is still cold and you have to fish accordingly but you it can still be great fishing, especially for big ones.

[Pond Hopper]

Ice off my good pond, for 3 days straight, I will be there fishing slow!

[Branuss04]

I'm glad we don't have ice out. I feel bad for you guys.

+1 I don't know if I could handle that!!!!

[Turtle.]

I'm glad we don't have ice out. I feel bad for you guys.

+1 I don't know if I could handle that!!!!

Don't feel bad here.I usally catch some of my biggest bass of the year right after ice out.Them big girls move first

[ring fry]

"Ice Out".....I do not miss that short phrase at all.  Pond fishing was pretty good after ice out in SE Nebraska and SW Iowa though.

[Cigarlover 1]

I'll be fishing as soon as there's open water. I'll start in deep water fishing a jig or jerkbait.

[Tokyo Tony]

I'm glad we don't have ice out. I feel bad for you guys.

+1 I don't know if I could handle that!!!!

Don't feel bad - we only need your sympathy in the middle of winter when bass fishing is only a dream.  Now since we're so close (or currently at) ice-out, we're all pretty psyched.  I can say that we Northerners will be enjoying the next month or so of fishing much more than you guys who have been fishing all along because we've been anticipating this time for sooooo long  ;D

[hamer08]

I'll probably get out as soon as possible. I'll bring my thermometer and scout my favorite areas, just to see how they warm up in the spring time. I would geuss once the water temps hit the mid 40s, fishing will pick up. But you can catch bass ice fishing so it is possible. You just have to put it right in front of thier face.

[Joel W]

For me as a NYC reservoir fisherman, our season opens April 1st, and I'll be on the water on one of the shallower reservoirs on 4/3 (1st day off from work). I'll be fishing North East shallows of coves that should have warmer water for Smallmouth with hair jigs, finesse jigs, finesse tubes, and even a #8 X-Rap and a floating minnow.

[fooman]

I know what your going thru..been 1 of the longest winters I can remember. I usually ice fish to make the winter go by faster but could not hit the hard water this year..

I'm going to hit a shallow river 1st for some smallies then the ponds because they will thaw and warm up faster.

Remember the Illinois record largemouth was caught in Feb and the smallie,spotted record were caught in March

[roadwarrior]

For me as a NYC reservoir fisherman, our season opens April 1st, and I'll be on the water on one of the shallower reservoirs on 4/3 (1st day off from work). I'll be fishing North East shallows of coves that should have warmer water for Smallmouth with hair jigs, finesse jigs, finesse tubes, and even a #8 X-Rap and a floating minnow.

Why does NY close their "season"?

[Davis]

They don't. We can fish year round. With catch and release through the winter months.

But if he is keeping his fish than he has to wait until April 1st for the "take" season to open.

[Joel W]

For me as a NYC reservoir fisherman, our season opens April 1st, and I'll be on the water on one of the shallower reservoirs on 4/3 (1st day off from work). I'll be fishing North East shallows of coves that should have warmer water for Smallmouth with hair jigs, finesse jigs, finesse tubes, and even a #8 X-Rap and a floating minnow.

Why does NY close their "season"?

The Croton reservoir system is the backup water system for the NYC water Authority. The reservoirs are open to fishing all year long from the shore, with Ice fishing allowed on some depending on the thickness of the ice. Currently, the Black Bass season for region #3 which encompasses the Croton system is open all year long. From Dec 1st to March 30th it's strictly C & R.

Since the rules call for only aluminum 12-16 ft rowboats now. Each boat must be steam cleaned, assigned a number on a open reservoir and a boat section. You must leave your boat(s) there, chained to a tree, and can't be moved to another reservoir without going through the same procedure.

Right now the boating season is April 1st till Nov 3oth, as long as there is no ice. If there is ice on any reservoir, then that lake is still closed past 4/1. Although it's pretty hard to know that there is still ice on the northern end while you're on the southern end miles away.

Only rowing is allowed, which makes it a real challenge with the wind, heat, and humidity. Needless to say, my cardiologist thinks it's a great cardio workout.

[roadwarrior]

Hmm...

We don't have those issues down here.   :

8-)

[Joel W]

Hmm...

We don't have those issues down here. :

8-)

You're one lucky guy.

I'm 60 yrs old, and have lived on Long Island since 1957. My drive to the reservoirs average 1 1/2 hrs without traffic each way, and I take that drive every week during season. In 5 years I hope to retire, and I'm actively brain washing my wife that retiring to Hot Springs Arkansas is the place to be.

.

[flechero]

Hmm...

We don't have those issues down here.   :

8-)

Sure we do... Ice out means the beer is getting warm and we need another bag in the cooler.   ;D

[roadwarrior]

Hamilton is right there and Quachaita is a short drive. I think Lake Quachita is the most beautiful lake in the region, offers multispecies fishing and clear, clean water.

Good luck! I hope you talk her into the move.

8-)

[Joel W]

I've got 5 more years to convince her.  

[Tom H.]

I made the mistake to day of checking out one of the bigger lakes I fish . The ice is finally starting to thaw out around the shoreline . God I wish it would hurry up and melt enough for me to fish

[Pond Hopper]

Went ice fishing today, and still 14 inches of ice :'(  Although the next week is forecasted to be in the 50s and low temps above freezing.  Throw a good forecasted rain shower in on Wednesday and we could be ice free in 7-10 days :