Are we going to have ice?

[deputy865]

Are we? I just checked the 10 day for me (again) and the high's are all above 35 (again) and its going to be that way until Jan 5th (or until i can see more days). So what do you honestly think (not hope for)?

Shane

[UBDSLO1]

By the way that winter is going, no.:rant: and it doesn't look like we will have a decent snowpack for spring steelheading. Seems like we get a bunch of snow, then it all melts in 2 days.:rant: :rant: :rant:

[UBDSLO1]

Plus I have a ton of ice gear for this year, new auger, fish finder, heater, shanty, etc. What a waste of money:rant:

[redneckman]

I'm starting to think that we will not get any ice this year. If we do get ice we it will not be thick enough to fish on it.

Redneckman

[William H Bonney]

Have faith,, it'll be here. We've actually been spoiled the last few years, getting out before the first of the year. I always figure the first week in Jan. for the SLP. Anything before that is gravy.

[bigsid]

I'm not too worried yet. I've always said that here on the west side with lake effect and all, good safe ice by Christmas shouldn't be taken for granted. I'm not sure how it is on the east side, probably comes sooner than over here. If we're in this same boat by mid January, then I'm going to worry! For now, the glass is still half full. (Uhhh....not the pint glass that is!);)

Sid

[woodie slayer]

we'll have lots of ice...i'll bet my auger on it:lol:

[Fecus]

we'll have lots of ice...i'll bet my auger on it:lol:

:lol:

[Frozenfish]

Shane, try this 15 day link. It's for Waterford but change the city and you'll be all set. Looks like Jan. 11th, lol.

http://wwwa.accuweather.com/forecast-15day.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=0&zipcode=48328&metric=0

I really hope we have fishable ice this year. Got some new equipment and really want to try it out! Besides reeling in a fish. I kid you not I had a dream last night I was catching pike. I just want to feel that fight!!!

[hardwaterfan]

guys im as disappointed as anyone.... i have this whole week off, for the first time in about 5 years. and no ice anywhere but the freezer. but dont get upset and think your gear is a waste of money. that stuff will last you for years, decades maybe. id give anything to be out pestering some gills at least instead of sipping coffee in front of the computer but, what can ya do. with the way this weather pattern has been keeping the cold air to the north of us, id say ill be happy to walk on water at all this year. (not good) but who could say for sure what will happen.

[MrBluegill]

its not over tell its over its not even new years yet guys....the way i think of it is that mother nature is just building up all the winter weather and is going to through it all at us at one time!!!!!;) ....keep thinkin ice.:)

[MakoWish]

I'm thinking Ice....I'm also thinking about my snowmobile payment and insurance that I'm paying to store them in my garage:mad:

[bigbob]

jan 10 -11 looks good

[GMslave]

I'm off work until after New Year's. Therefore, around January 3rd the bottom will drop out and we'll have fishable ice the following Monday. :banghead3

[L.L.Slayer]

In 05 we had ice in Leelanau county by new years. Las year we had it before Christmas but for a few years before '05 we didn't have ice in my county till mid January.
I think we are at a slow start but I hope things will catch up soon. I'm going to get my boat out for this weekend because the last two years I was pulling out my limit of walleye every night this time of year.
Got to get them why you can.

[alex-v]

It seems to me that back in the '70s we were on the ice on Anchor Bay regularly by the middle of December. This kept up until well into the '80s.

After 30 plus years of plowing snow this is starting to look like another one of the easy winters.

Anything can change but how many weeks left until the end of February???

[zx10r2004]

we will be out late jan early feb.;)

[RichP]

I'm sorry fellas, I just got the memo. Ice fishing season has been cancelled again this year. Times are tough for everyone in Michigan, and mother nature is not immune. She had to lay off some of her employees, and the ice makers were apparently the first to go. :(

[greenglass]

Last year I was thrilled to be able to get on the ice in SE MI on Christmas Eve ... earliest I think I've ever been in on in 30 odd years of walking on the water. Course then it was all gone by the first of the year ... but maybe this year we'll get on the ice later in the season and the ice will hold later into season - my hope anyway. If not ... isn't the UP beautiful this time of year?!?! <wink!>

Have faith,, it'll be here. We've actually been spoiled the last few years, getting out before the first of the year. I always figure the first week in Jan. for the SLP. Anything before that is gravy.

[Frantz]

I was hoping that retailers would get frustrated and start putting stuff on good clearance to make way for warm weather stuff so I could go on a shopping spree.

Even if the ice never forms to a fishing level, there is always next year, and the year after.......... Gotta have a crappy year now and again, it makes the good years great and the great years fantfreakntastic! ;)

[Hamilton Reef]

Dreaded 'Ice Watch' continues

Ice Watch. That's what a friend calls this patience-stretching warm weather, when we gather for the daily breakfast conference at the Big Boy. It's a sad business.

We've ice-fished as early as Thanksgiving weekend in years long past, and never waited this long. And still, no ice. Our patience, no pun intended, is wearing thin.

http://www.ourmidland.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17642802&BRD=2289&PAG=461&dept_id=472541&rfi=6

[DaveW731]

Always wanted to try rabbit hunting with a .22....seems like this is a GREAT ice fishing season to try it :sad:

[Southend517]

I hope we have ice till april

[alex-v]

Anyone with a fast connection done a search of the msg board going back as far as possible?? A search to see when the first reports came in??

I just checked another msg board and the reports were dated the 12th of December and the guys had already been out a couple of times before they started posting results.

[bigsid]

I've heard from a couple people that it's supposed to cool down significantly around the 10th or 11th. I haven't seen anything though.

[Houghton laker]

I can not remember a winter that I was not on Houghton Lake fishing by Jan. 1st.....this will be a first for me!! Tomorrow I am getting the new fish finder all rigged up in my boat and getting her ready to start using her since this warm weather sure seems to be sticking around!! I'd much rather wait and let her rest while I was ice fishing up north and filling up the freezer with walleye and crappies!!

[alex-v]

I'd much rather wait and let her rest while I was ice fishing up north and filling up the freezer with walleye and crappies!!
Boats do not sleep; they just take short cat-naps waiting for the call back to duty. Much like a faithful dog except they do not look at you with soft brown eyes.

[icefishermanmark]

It won't be until February in southeast lower MI. For nwo, I've got the rowboat and electric motor out. I gotta go get some bait, and head out. I've found a few spots with my underwater camera, that seem to hold a decent # of gills and specs.

[Ausable Junkie]

i just checked accuweather's 15 day forcast. Like bigsid said, major cooldown
with highs struggling to hit 20 and lows around 5 degrees. Lets hope the
computer models aren't too far off.

One thing for sure, when we finally do get ice, im going to make the most
of it. I always kid with people at work "yeah, i got a place ON the lake
3 months out of the year & i dont have to pay any property taxes"

[bigbob]

Jan 12 -15 the bottom falls out :bowdown: single digits

[ImaRedneck]

If everybody remembers last season kinda sucked as well (SE Mich). I can recall a few years ago fishing the back basin at Metro on Christmas eve. Unfortunately, the only ice I'll be seeing are the cubes in my Jack and Coke tonite. Happy New Year!
Redneck

[Houghton laker]

Jan 12 -15 the bottom falls out :bowdown: single digits


Houghton lake...here I come ;)

[RichP]

random question of the day to start off the new year -- does anyone know what the economy/job market is like up near Duluth? :lol:

[marksman72]

The 10-day forcast doesn't look promissing. As was stated earlier, we just don't get enough cold nights and days to put ice on consistently. I want to be positive and have hope but it looks more like March than January. :sad:

[SleePac]

:rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant:

[dinoday]

I've got a brand new(in 2005) Shappel 4000(never used:rant: )....any offers?:mad:

[MotorCitySportsman]

Yeah, ice fishing hasn't been the same, global warming? :dizzy:

[Hamilton Reef]

Over the next few weeks there are three perch festivals scheduled for Muskegon and White Lakes, ice or no ice. Without ice it does lower their annual fund raising efforts. What we don't want to see is the in-between unsafe ice where neither the ice fishers or the boaters can play. Right now there are over 100 boats a night on Muskegon Lake trolling for walleye having a great time. All the local launches are still open. The new Muskegon Lake record walleye 15.56 pounds certified scales was taken last weekend. I've been sidetracked taking steelhead trolling. We may as well do the best we can until firm ice finally forms.

[JDHUNTER]

Woke up to skim ice today. :o What a tease, I can't take anymore!

[Fishcapades]

This weather report dosnt look good for lake st clair........
kinda makes me wish my main motor was a outboard instead of my I/O....

DAMIT MOTHER NATURE GET YOUR ASS IN GEAR.....

[DetroitIron]

Not having ice is really starting to pi$$ me off. I just bought a new Genz Fish trap, and have my Marcum with true color update ready to go. Come on jet stream, bring some of that cold air down from the north!!!!!!!!!!!!!