I put the boat away almost 3 weeks ago, bought a new auger, sat in the ice house in the garage and played around with my jig boxes, tipups and ice poles, yet the water temps are 45 degrees and we are still having 60 degree days… Theres something wrong with this picture! I’m still mowing the lawn more than half-way through November. The way it’s going I’ll have to get the boat back out. Any (good) guesses when first ice will be this year? 
Middle to the end of December we should have fishable ice down here and in January some time I’ll be putting on our annual Ice Get Together out of Prairie du Chien… Post from last years GTG
It started out 3 years ago with about a dozen people from this website and has turned into quite the gathering 
who knows we might even have some TV cameras show up this year…
Look for the announcement here in the Ice Fishing Forum…
see ya on the ice !!
Big cold front coming this weekend gonna get things headed in right direction. Not saying you will be on ice week from now, but you shouldnt have to mow for awhile.
Not to get ya down but on Thanksgiving weekend most years we get out ice fishing for the first time. This year I think ya better have a boat.
Yes, I’ve been waiting for ice. Many years, I’m on first ice around Thanksgiving, but I think this year is going to make us wait until December. The forcast is calling for several days of temps barely getting above freezing, so the ice may come fairly quick? My prediction is Dec. 8th for first ice in the MS. backwaters. Of course, you can speed that up a little bit by standing on docks in harbors and fishing through thin ice – lots of people do this until the ice gets safe. 
Looking forward to the get-together down your way Dave! 
Good Fishing,
Mike
Dave,
With the get together around PDC I assume we must have Iowa or Wi licences to actually fish?
Thats right Pete…I believe we came up with the best deal was a temp. Ia. License !!
You should be able to look it up on the internet
Sorry to make you guys drool, but I think with the weather, we could have fishable ice up here by Thanksgiving weekend on the smaller bodies of water. Stay safe if you are venturing on early ice, please!!! I was just reminded of a tragedy from Nov. 2002, when a Mercer man lost his life on the Turtle Flambeau Flowage. Good luck deer hunting this weekend and stay safe there too!!!
Mark
Dave, I’m looking forward to this years GTG. My neighboor John and I had a great time, except for the early morning ride from the motel on the slick ice. Thanks again to Dustin for the great brats. We won’t see safe ice down here on local lakes until at least Xmas time as usual.
Is it Spring…YET? 
That might not be a bad idea Mike…as long as I’m the guy with the hatchet! 
hay we got ice up here just not walkable yet but it’s forming..
Great news, Ice. Keep us posted. I have time this weekend.
Welcome to the board ICE! Great handle! And I don’t know why people keep praying for you either 
I for one can’t wait until ICE is gone!
It’s goning to be nICE getting fishing reports from your area…sorry, I couldn’t help myself …again!
gezz thanks 
It will be here sooner than I care for. I was just outside, darn it’s cold out.
I have Ice NOW!!
Of course it’s in the bottom of a scotch glass 
Seasons best to all of you
Brian,
I think you and Jake need to keep each other company this winter! You should try to get some big catfish through the ice.
Good Fishing,
Mike
[above post by HOF]
How about catfish through the ice for Brian and Northern Pike through the ice for Jake!!! Theres still time to catch a Northern ”this year” Jake. 
Thanks, Bill
Quote:
I have Ice NOW!!
Of course it’s in the bottom of a scotch glass
Seasons best to all of you
You rock dude!!!
Lenny Jamison
Bill, the best place I know to catch quantities and trophy pike is that lake by Rochester…Lake Zumbro. Hmmm, maybe I shouldn’t have posted that secret? But I don’t think there’s any cat’s in there….’spose I could just show Jake how to fish trophy pike..huh?
OK, I think we need to have an ice fishing expedition to Lake Zumbro this winter – looking for both northern pike and catfish! Regardless of what Jake may want people to believe, the lake has big numbers of pike and catfish.
What do you guys think?
Good Fishing,
Mike
I know first hand that there is some GREAT pike action on Lake Zumbro…Mike has seen my pictures. I caught a 15lb on a bulldawg, 15lb 6oz on a mepps musky killer, 13 lb on a suick, and numerous 10-12 lb’s on spinners/suicks/mepps. As for catfish, I dont fish for them much but had what I guessed to be near a 10lb cat take a spinnerbait. The cat jumped out of the water once that my buddy and I witnessed, fought me for about a minute, swam under my boat and my line broke… Couldn’t believe it myself when it jumped out of the water…a cat on a safety-pin spinnerbait… All of these fish were caught in the second half of the summer when I first got my boat. The last pike I saw was when a buddy of mine and I were trolling for muskies in early October when another boat came up behind us to troll as well. After about a half hour one of their guys hooked into a nice pike that tipped the scales at 15lb 12oz if I remember correctly, just a bit bigger than my biggest for this year. Nice fish Mr. nameless Can’t wait for ice!
Quote:
As for catfish, I dont fish for them much but had what I guessed to be near a 10lb cat take a spinnerbait. The cat jumped out of the water once that my buddy and I witnessed, fought me for about a minute, swam under my boat and my line broke.
Sometimes it is hard to tell the differance between a catfish and a BASS if you get a sick catfish…
I think a little GTG on Zumbro is a great idea! As long as it’s not on a weekend when my wife has made plans for me…I’m in!
I may finally be able to meet the “whippersnapper”.
Christmas in Austin this year is the 27th. If I’m not moving, I’d be up for Zumbro the 28th or 29th.
ok we got walkabe ice and snow to go with it ..darn white stuff we need more ice before we get snow
Heheh 
There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind it was a cat. Too big to be a bass around here and its whiskers were visible like wings when it took its leap. I know it’s pretty hard to believe and I’ve questioned a few anglers that say they have heard of it before. Shocking, imo 
. 
No Crappies? 
All those reports by you and Ron catching crappies in open water lately and me getting the crappie bug reading them and yet you expect me to put my new crappie backwater boat away for ice and no crappies? Thats asking wayyyyyyy to much Bud. How about making that post again?
Thanks, Bill
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