Macbride Ice Update 2/16

I haven’t been out to Macbride in about three weeks, so I drove out there this afternoon to check the ice. Having heard how Three Mile, Badger Creek, and other lakes on about this latitude had opened up, I wasn’t expecting much.

So I was surprised to find the ice in pretty good shape on Macbride. I didn’t check the South Arm, but at the main ramp, the ice was still holding me up, and my spud bar didn’t break through anywhere. Right in front of the drain pipe and on top of the ramps the ice looked bad, but eveywhere else was OK. There was one shack at the west end of the north arm, and where I checked there the ice seemed to be in pretty good condition. I didn’t see any open water, the ice didn’t have that rotten look, and I din’t see any “stars”. With the weather forecast calling for lows in the teens this week, I plan on getting out on Macbride a couple more times at least.

Let us know when Vikefan. Even though I’m not a big fan of cold-water swimming, I might make it out again, especially if it’s too cold for open-water fishing (I hate when the eyelets freeze, it’s bad enough on a 30″ rod, let alone a 7-footer)!

I’m going out on Macbride tomorrow morning. If the fish cooperate, I will be going out again Saturday.

As for the rivers, I don’t know about the Cedar, but the Iowa has come up three feet below the res. since Saturday. I looked at Burlington Street yesterday, and all the current breaks were under water. According to rivergage.com, the Iowa should be back down by Sunday, but I figure it will take a couple days of steady water levels to get any fish activity going.

Cedar is up also below the 5-in-1. Pushing the high water marks on the 1st ave bridge. I can’t decide what to do this weekend. I’ll probably just let the weather dictate – if it’s above freezing, I might do some open water fishing.

The cedar is out of its banks up here. Just started to go down today, so you guys got some more water headed at ya.

Its been cold the last few nights, so the ice may be OK, but caution is in order. I’m with Gianni, swimming is something you do on a nice, hot, July day. Its still a little too early to get out my speedo.

I just can’t bring myself to head back to Macbride, at least until the ice gets off. Too many trips with little success. I don’t doubt pilot error (with a hearty dose of bad luck thrown in) is the major cause, but I just can’t seem to make it happen out there. I’ll wait til she opens up and see if there are any slabs left. I am starting to wonder if we didn’t pound that 9-11″ age class into the ground last spring…

If I go ice fishing this weekend, it will be to some local pits or backwaters. More than likely, I will throw on the neoprene waders and head to Anamosa or Central City. Its been a long time since I had a nice Northern dinner…

Regards,

Joe

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I am starting to wonder if we didn’t pound that 9-11″ age class into the ground last spring…

If I go ice fishing this weekend, it will be to some local pits or backwaters. More than likely, I will throw on the neoprene waders and head to Anamosa or Central City..

Regards,

Joe

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You and I aren’t the only ones thinking the 9-11″ class got pounded too hard last April…I have a personal limit of ten crappies and ten bluegills that I stick to, but a lot of the boats out there last spring weren’t sticking to that, or any sort of self-imposed limit. I’ve heard that the IDNR sees no need for any sort of panfish limits anywhere in the state, so all we can do is put up with over-harvest, for now at least.

I’ve heard about good action in Anamosa this time of year; I’ve never fished the Wapsi anywhere, but if the action is slow in IC I may have to make a trip up there some weekday morning…

I fished Macbride for about two hours this morning. There was about 7-8″ of ice where I was on the west end of the north arm, and the ice was heaving and popping pretty good. The water is still very dirty from the runoff last weekend, which I think made the fishing slow. I did catch 2 crappies of about 8″ each, and several Macbride bluegills. Since I kept both crappies, I will head back out there tomorrow morning to catch two or three more, so I have enough to eat.

Thanks for the report Vike.

Yeah, I have a self-imposed 12-fish limit on slabs, but I know last spring my son and I were able to get our 12 pretty quickly, and more than once a week during late April and early May. Too many guys have been on the Macbride ice for us not get at least a couple of glowing reports this winter. I think that good age class was over-harvested.

If things go as planned, I think a couple of us are gonna head to ‘Mosa sometime this weekend. I’ll report back if I make it out.

Regards,

Joe