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Ice Season


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Yea too bad we get this snow right before some cold temps finally come in. At least we will start to get some more ice though.

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9 hours ago, Richj said:

Lots of portables out on Buffalo today. I guess 5" of wet snow made the ice safer...lol!

Monday night is 6-10in of snow too. 

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Checked ice on a couple small lakes around Buffalo/Rockford. First lake was deep but tiny...barely 2 inches not 50 feet from the landing. Second lake was better because the ice must have blown up near shore, but you could tell that as soon as you got to the new ice, it was thin. Punched a few holes and decided to just enjoy Christmas at home. Next year maybe!

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Looking out my window theres a few ATVs on Buffalo today........Im really thinking about going. My three wheeler has tracks, so if ya look at the weight and the footprint I dont think its too bad....Wish I knew for sure how much ice they are seeing on Buffalo.

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Does anyone fishing Martha or Charlotte, moved further out of the cities and those two lakes caught my eye for maybe trying to spear on.  Any ice reports on them yet?

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RichJ , Is it really worth the chance though ? I think I speak for everyone when I say that we would rather have you around for the long haul than hear about someone drowning because they thought the footprint was good. Stay safe and choose wisely my Friend.   Have you tried calling a local bait store for GOOD information ?  Thanks Mike

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52 minutes ago, Weathertite said:

RichJ , Is it really worth the chance though ? I think I speak for everyone when I say that we would rather have you around for the long haul than hear about someone drowning because they thought the footprint was good. Stay safe and choose wisely my Friend.   Have you tried calling a local bait store for GOOD information ?  Thanks Mike

Thanks for that!..... I didn't go out. I usually wait for some good traffic befor I take my turn. Gettin itchy watchin em out the window though! Thanks!

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Small lake that I was on Saturday had 4 inches.  Some spots the spud would go through pretty easy with 2-3 hits.

Looks like we are not getting the massive snow fall, so that is good.

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On 12/28/2015 at 11:24 AM, mrklean said:

Does anyone fishing Martha or Charlotte, moved further out of the cities and those two lakes caught my eye for maybe trying to spear on.  Any ice reports on them yet?

Don't quote me, but I believe Charlotte can be pretty questionable in the winter.  Don't know if there are springs there or what. In January of 2012, 2 guys died out there when they drove their snowmobile into open water.  I've been on Martha in the summer.  Some good fishing out there, just be cautious around the creek.

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Thanks I speared Martha a couple years ago didn't see anything but the water was crystal clear lots of panfish will probably head back out there 

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I've always been told by the locals that it is fine to go out on the small access bay of Charlotte, but never go past the point onto the main lake. There is alot of springs out there from what they tell me. I have driven on the small bay myself.

Very glad that snow missed us, only about an inch here!!

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Yes, the ice on the main lake of Charlotte is very dicey due to springs.  Martha has bigger pike, but not much for numbers.  Charlotte has decent sized piked mixed in with a ton of hammer handles.  The water on Charlotte is always gin clear and Martha is hit or miss depending on the time of season. 

Edited by Juan Grande
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I was out tonight in a walleye spot and couldn't find anything. Will try for crappies tomorrow. That's about what I got for ice too 5-6".

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14 minutes ago, fishersofmen said:

I was out tonight in a walleye spot and couldn't find anything. Will try for crappies tomorrow. That's about what I got for ice too 5-6".

If yer on buffalo tomorrow, we will be near SE shore....... Thinkin we will probably have the only three wheeler with tracks... Stop in!

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8 hours ago, Juan Grande said:

Yes, the ice on the main lake of Charlotte is very dicey due to springs.  Martha has bigger pike, but not much for numbers.  Charlotte has decent sized piked mixed in with a ton of hammer handles.  The water on Charlotte is always gin clear and Martha is hit or miss depending on the time of season. 

Thanks Juan I might have to try that bay sometime I only live 15-20 min from them now so I will give them both a shot but will stick to the bay on Charlotte 

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We weren't out long, but it was so nice to be on ice again. Went on Buffalo. Didn't mark anything in the ten feet we were in, on about five inches of ice.  But my little boy had a good time and were able to try out the tracks on my three wheeler, so was still a great time. 

 

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6 hours ago, Richj said:

We weren't out long, but it was so nice to be on ice again. Went on Buffalo. Didn't mark anything in the ten feet we were in, on about five inches of ice.  But my little boy had a good time and were able to try out the tracks on my three wheeler, so was still a great time. 

 

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Nice set-up Richj! I was out tonight for couple hours with the kid we got a pike and some crappies it was slow though. I will find you out there sometime.

Edited by fishersofmen
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I was out on Buffalo yesterday (12/31) from 8:30 am to noon.  Was on about 5" of ice out from Courthouse in 19 FOW.  Had camera with and had 10-12 pike come by which at least kept it interesting.  Got bit off once and missed a couple of others.  Did have a couple crappies & perch come by but no takers.  No eyes were seen.

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Went back out on Buffalo for a couple hrs. Were in 18ft marking fish on the bottom. Lots of bites and two small crappies. Didn't have the house with and my little one got cold. Prolly head back out with the hub tomorrow. 

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Couldn't fish yesterday but did a little driving lots of houses and some wheelers on Buffalo, was surprised no one out on Maple Lake yet

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Was out yesterday found lots of 6 inch perch and a few mid 30 inch pike...was suprised the lake i was on usually is one of the best for ice early in the year found  only 4-5 inches..There was about 30 cars parked on the road by the Maple access 

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3 hours ago, mrklean said:

Couldn't fish yesterday but did a little driving lots of houses and some wheelers on Buffalo, was surprised no one out on Maple Lake yet

 

Little Maple is froze.  The big part of Maple had some open water spots last Saturday, so beware.

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Anyone hear of a sled or wheeler going through near the courthouse on Buffalo this afternoon? Saw officers walking out with cruisers lit up on shore around 4:45 pm. 

26 minutes ago, Richj said:

Anyone hear of a sled or wheeler going through near the courthouse on Buffalo this afternoon? Saw officers walking out with cruisers lit up on shore around 4:45 pm. 

Never mind...... An inside contact confirmed it was a snowmobile crash. 

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