Just checking out the early ice for thickness

Looks plenty thick there! The smaller bays here on Devils Lake have been freezing over, but the big bays are still open. Last weekend I heard that there was 4" on some of those frozen bays close to shore. I was going to try catch a few walleye today or Sunday, but I ended up having to work today and its supposed to warm up into the mid 30's for the next few days, so I think I'll just stay off the ice for another week or two.
 
It was in the 20's last week at night and will be high 70's this weekend. I prefer the warmth.
 
ac700wildcat said:
Looks plenty thick there! The smaller bays here on Devils Lake have been freezing over, but the big bays are still open. Last weekend I heard that there was 4" on some of those frozen bays close to shore. I was going to try catch a few walleye today or Sunday, but I ended up having to work today and its supposed to warm up into the mid 30's for the next few days, so I think I'll just stay off the ice for another week or two.
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Probably a good call. Once in a while folk go through at first and last ice around here. I suspect that booze is a factor with some of them. The ice close to shore was around 5-6 inches. The warden has a week off in December so the ice will be quite thick by then. I'd walk out on 5-6 inches but I would not drive on that, no way. I tend to err on the side of caution also. I used to use tiny tear drop flash lures like a Deadly Dick etc., with minnow chunks or better yet...maggots. Good Lord those perch love maggies up here. Maybe I'll go for whites this year also but it is real driving to get to Lake Diefenbaker. And whites can be fickle. I used to make my own wire worms and have a ball with them. I like to eat whites also. We'll see how the winter goes bud. Working full time and taking some more university classes. This fat old beaver is pretty busy most times. It seems a luxury just to do a day out there sometimes. :)
 
Sharp_Canadian said:
Haha so little snow and such decent ice, trade you? We got 3 feet and no ice.
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I like clear ice, it freezes better without the oxygen filled snow mush mixed into it. We can thank our lucky starts that we aren't in Buffalo. Man did they get a whacking. I grew up in southern Ontario and I know all too well what lake effect snow is all about.
 
RWT said:
It was in the 20's last week at night and will be high 70's this weekend. I prefer the warmth.
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As do I. I am a cold weenie. Past about -15 or so I start to screech like a little girl.
 
upnorth said:
Probably a good call. Once in a while folk go through at first and last ice around here. I suspect that booze is a factor with some of them. The ice close to shore was around 5-6 inches. The warden has a week off in December so the ice will be quite thick by then. I'd walk out on 5-6 inches but I would not drive on that, no way. I tend to err on the side of caution also. I used to use tiny tear drop flash lures like a Deadly Dick etc., with minnow chunks or better yet...maggots. Good Lord those perch love maggies up here. Maybe I'll go for whites this year also but it is real driving to get to Lake Diefenbaker. And whites can be fickle. I used to make my own wire worms and have a ball with them. I like to eat whites also. We'll see how the winter goes bud. Working full time and taking some more university classes. This fat old beaver is pretty busy most times. It seems a luxury just to do a day out there sometimes. :)
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I'm good with 5-6 inches too. I won't drive out until I start seeing at least 15 inches of ice. I work to darn hard to pay for my pickup, I sure as heck don't want to drop it through the ice. I'll let other people drive around for a while and see how it goes for them. We get a handful that fall through here ever year as well. It usually someone that is somewhere they really shouldn't be. I mostly fish for walleye and about 90% of them get caught on Northland Tackle Buckshot rattle spoons with a minnow head. I get the occasional perch on that same setup too. Our perch get pretty big here, so they will hit on some pretty big stuff. I know they sure do like lures tipped with wax worms or spikes.
 
Sault Ste. Marie my friend. Lake effects hate us. Very glad we're not buffalo though, that's pretty wild. I only remember 1 year of my life getting snow like that all at once.

I tend to stay close to shore as well though but I am normally targeting specs / brooks. Find a good gradual grade with cover and they get reallll aggressive in the winter even in odd places like only a foot of water.
 
ac700wildcat said:
I'm good with 5-6 inches too. I won't drive out until I start seeing at least 15 inches of ice. I work to darn hard to pay for my pickup, I sure as heck don't want to drop it through the ice. I'll let other people drive around for a while and see how it goes for them. We get a handful that fall through here ever year as well. It usually someone that is somewhere they really shouldn't be. I mostly fish for walleye and about 90% of them get caught on Northland Tackle Buckshot rattle spoons with a minnow head. I get the occasional perch on that same setup too. Our perch get pretty big here, so they will hit on some pretty big stuff. I know they sure do like lures tipped with wax worms or spikes.
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Indeed you do get really large perch were you are. Years ago I used to be deeply into fishing. Less so these days but the flame never went out. I used to obsess over Al Lindner and the InFisherman show/magazines. I like to hear what other folk use for bait/tackle now and then, it helps me to keep up. I have used wax worms with mixed results, but then sometimes the bite is hot or mild also. I guess that's why they call it "fishing" and not "catching". :D
 
Sharp_Canadian said:
Sault Ste. Marie my friend. Lake effects hate us. Very glad we're not buffalo though, that's pretty wild. I only remember 1 year of my life getting snow like that all at once.

I tend to stay close to shore as well though but I am normally targeting specs / brooks. Find a good gradual grade with cover and they get reallll aggressive in the winter even in odd places like only a foot of water.
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I used to catch Brookies in Bowmanville creek, down south. Along with Rainbows and Browns on roe bags. Those big Rainbows (steelhead) that came in from Lake Ontario were broad shouldered reel screaming monsters. But over the years so many guys clued in to fishing them that it became a shoulder to shoulder arguing gong show. Opening days were pathetic around holding pools.
 
There is close to a foot of ice now on many of the smaller and medium sized lakes. Its been a good start to the winter season. We have a bit of a setback today with temperatures at the freezing point but it will improve with more snow coming with the next cold front. I always carry a fixed blade for safety when out on frozen waterways. It will give the grip needed to pull oneself up onto the slippery ice should one go through. Before setting out, check the ice out.
 
Brutal when that happens. It's the same show here in the rapids below the locks. One guy hooks in 13 others think that have too because all their lines are crossed. It's a mess! I have a beauty spot within Lake Superior provincial park a small tributary flows into the lake but about 300' in there's a 10' fall. Insane specs above the falls, monster rainbows below in the pool, couple spawn bags and your in for a treat. When they are heavy in the spring, there's normally no less then 3 in the air at once. For some reason bowmanville sounds familiar, is it near Sunderland or uxbridge?
 
Bufford said:
There is close to a foot of ice now on many of the smaller and medium sized lakes. Its been a good start to the winter season. We have a bit of a setback today with temperatures at the freezing point but it will improve with more snow coming with the next cold front. I always carry a fixed blade for safety when out on frozen waterways. It will give the grip needed to pull oneself up onto the slippery ice should one go through. Before setting out, check the ice out.
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Yes, that is an excellent safety issue/reminder, in regard to a screwdriver or a set of those ice grabbers. Unfortunately I have been, and am, very busy this year so trips will be limited, and I will not take the wife onto early thinner ice. We should be able to get out next week if all works out.
 
Sharp_Canadian said:
Brutal when that happens. It's the same show here in the rapids below the locks. One guy hooks in 13 others think that have too because all their lines are crossed. It's a mess! I have a beauty spot within Lake Superior provincial park a small tributary flows into the lake but about 300' in there's a 10' fall. Insane specs above the falls, monster rainbows below in the pool, couple spawn bags and your in for a treat. When they are heavy in the spring, there's normally no less then 3 in the air at once. For some reason bowmanville sounds familiar, is it near Sunderland or uxbridge?
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Keep your eyes open when you find open water surrounded by ice under bridges/locks etc. If the water is calm enough you can sometimes see Whitefish feeding in the current. Schools will move in and out.
 
That would be a cool sight. I always refer to them as canadian koi fish. There's a couple lakes here in the perfect fall day you can throw handfuls of saw dust on the water and they gather around on the surface hoping it be a batch of fly hatch.
 
Upnorth, where abouts are you? Looks similar to my neck of the woods. I've been wanting to throw the shanty up too, perhaps I'll check the ice thickness soon. I'm looking forward to nice northern pike mhmm lol
 
I was out on small lake today and there was 8" of good clear ice. An enjoyable day, but nothin to show for it. Set up the portable "stabbin cabin" but the water was darker then I thought I was going to be, coupled with an overcast day, couldn't see bottom at 6'. :(
 
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