Good Ice or not, that is the question

[shamrock7]

Got a call to go up to the Trout River to assist with a stuck UTV and ATV. Get up there and here is a UTV up to its box in water, went completely through the ice. They then took an ATV and tried to get it out and that goes through also.

Once the ATV was out, another ATV comes along and we wedged a log under the UTV and drug it onto good ice, only to have the left side break back through. The ice appeared pretty good, but wasn't. I was walking about 40' from shore and went through.

Of course, this all happened by the river flowing into the lake so it is going to be some of the worse ice around.

Just that time of the year to think twice about what you plan on doing out there. Be careful.

[Jim Panfish Uran]

Yeah wow!! you never can be too careful this time of year. Especially near any kind of current, flow, and it's a little tougher on the north side of the lakes also. It's also a good thing to bring a buddy this time of year.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

The hot sun we have been getting will certainly turn good ice into bad ice in a hurry!

Cliff

[thedeadsea]

I was amazed by how close people were parking cars and trucks to the open water when we were coming home from trout fishing on the last weekend of laker season.

I guess there is no cure for stupid...

Steve

[SledNeck]

I was amazed by how close people were parking cars and trucks to the open water when we were coming home from trout fishing on the last weekend of laker season.

I guess there is no cure for stupid...

Steve

its 2 feet of water

[thedeadsea]

I'm not talking over to the side by shore, I am talking straight off the end of the crick, it gets progressively deeper. Where they were parked is at least 6' deep.

Steve

[Cliff Wagenbach]

2 feet or 6 feet deep, it really does not matter much! It would be a real bummer trying to get a vechicle out if they dropped thru!

Cliff

[SkunkedAgain]

So how is the ice melting up there? Any updated predictions on an ice-out?

[pauljpollock]

It's going slowly... The sun the last couple days is helping, but we really need a couple 60 plus degree days with sunshine and lows above freezing followed by a good rain....

At least we're not getting last April's snow, and the ice wasn't as thick this winter. It'll be off before opener...I still say well before, but as always...stay tuned!

All that I know is I'm itchin' to jig some Vermilion 'eyes!

Paul.

[thedeadsea]

I fished out in Niles this afternoon. You could actually hear the snow melting all around. All the Oak Narrows channels are 100% open so you need to go across Reichel's point on the east and across the island at Isle of Memories on the west.

The 10 day forcast is mostly sunny days in the 40's and 50's with the lowest low of 28. With only 14' or so of clear ice I wouldn't be surprised to be putting the boat in 2 weekends from now.

Note to the guys who fished the crappie hole and left perch scattered all over the ice. If you aren't going to take the fish either let them go or at least throw them in a garbage can rather than leaving them strewn over the ice. It's not like there were one or 2, there were at least a dozen of them out there and many were certainly fillet worthy.

Steve

[shamrock7]

Try going up by the portage. Heartattack and I picked up a bunch of garbage from St Marys to the portage, beer cans mostly but also a bunch of lugs from a quickly failing snowmobile track. On my little rescue mission yesterday, still saw bunches of cans melting free. I have no opinion on the skipping issue but I sure hate to see how these people have so little respect for the lake in the litter that is left behind.

[Silver Scale]

Since Perch are a game fish now the CO would probably consider that wanton waste and issue a ticket.

[pauljpollock]

Jim you hit the nail right on the head. Is it a big deal for some folks to just let 'em go?

Paul.

[trolloni]

Yeah i tell ya it makes ya wonder dont it?Just more of the way things are going in this country no respect for anyone or anything! You see that just driving down the highway!Learned along time ago on the big v you give back and youll get more back than you put in !If you see this stuff going on dont be shy speak up, take boat no and descriptions and call the law!

[thedeadsea]

Thats what I don't understand. If you accidentally gut hook a little perch that is one thing, but leaving that many (and some og good size) just doesn't make sense. There were seagulls and crows around when I got there, so who knows how many there were before nature's clean up crew arrived.

Steve

[shamrock7]

De-icer went into the lagoon today. Ice is getting soft quickly. Sure helps to keep the thermometer above freezing at night.

[SkunkedAgain]

Thaw thaw thaw. Thaw thaw thaw.

[pauljpollock]

The weather's taken a turn for the better, that's for sure! A little warm rain would be just what the doctor ordered!

Paul.

[SkunkedAgain]

Thaw thaw thaw. Thaw thaw thaw.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

The river below Pike River Dam is open as far as the lake now! Only a little shore ice left to break loose and the walleye traps will be put in at the hatchery!

Some open water above the dam also.

Cliff

[Finnish Flash]

Cliff, thanks for the update. Won't be long now for that ice to start moving out of pike bay!

[Cliff Wagenbach]

I checked a spot that I had walked out to on Saturday and had good ice there at that time. Today there was a strip of open water on that exact spot!

Cliff

[Darrell Larson]

Ice in my area of Pike Bay is moving away from the shoreline, I am on the north side with a southern exposure, there was enough water for the pup to go swimming this afternoon.

[SkunkedAgain]

Thaw thaw thaw. Thaw thaw thaw.

[shamrock7]

Keep it up Skunked, it's working.....

less than 24 hours of de-icer running changed a 4' x 2' hole into a 30' x 40' hole. Should be able to start putting boats into the lagoon tomorrow.

BUT..... Look a the forecast, and it's not an April Fools joke.

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?map.x=164&map.y=70&site=dlh

That darn "S" word...

[PortageBay]

Randy:

Start with my boat... it LOVES s**w!

[SkunkedAgain]

Thaw, warm, rain. Thaw, warm, rain.

[thedeadsea]

Are there still sleds out on the lake riding/skipping?

Steve

[shamrock7]

I heard some yesterday. Skipping is pretty well over with. Heard that there was hardly anyone there on Sunday. Accesses are getting wet and ice is soft. Still enough ice in most areas but getting pretty iffy in some areas. Not worth the risk IMO.

[thedeadsea]

Oak Narrows is pretty bad today. Where we had ice solid to shore on Sunday is now open 10-15' out. Being there was only 12" of ice in the good areas before, it will be all gone soon.

Steve