Ice is a coming………

Thunderstorm going on at the moment, freezing rain advisory out for tonight and the am, cold temps forcasted BRING ON THE ICE

I am so ready it hurts!!

I still got some trailer work to do to be fully ready. Might hit the St Paul ice show that will kick in the burners. Oh yea gotta fill the propane tanks yet.

Im also very excited! although we got a bit longer wait, i’m just content with the slab crappies we are catching on soft water. Hard stuff will make it much more enjoyable though!

Got permission for a few farm ponds. Would also like to try a small oxbow lake south of here, Snyders Bend, there were a few people catching 8-9 inch perch this past spring. They should be a solid 10-11 by ice up. Only time will tell, we have not had really safe ice for several years.

We always got ice up this way chomps, not that far for you.

yeah, I know, I want to hit West O and Spirit some time, is there generally a better time of the year? Early ice or late? When does Iowa’s walleye season end? So much to do and so little time. Want to hit the bluegill tourney at West O in Jan.

We catch eyes till season closes then fish the lakes without a season. Early is most often best. Fish arent pressured yet less traffic ect. Gills seem to be always willing to bite someplace. Eyes and perch somedays make you work for it, but so far I havent been skunked on either Spirit or West other than for Muskies but thats another saga.

Walleye season ends Feb 15th I belive.

my best bud’s dad said that the perch he has been keeping while on Spirit has been around 9 inches, some bigger, some smaller, is this the same size you have been experiencing? He has done real well though on numbers. There once was a year on Lake Winni where we threw them back if they were smaller than the opening on the 5 gallon bucket. That was one of those once in a life time days.

I don’t keep any perch under 10″. We caught a bunch that size and up trolling raps this summer and fall. Lots in that 8-12″ range, looks like it may be a good year if mother nature does her part.

There is a good 1/8″ of ice on my truck this morning in Iowa City.

We in southeast Iowa are going to have to wait a little longer for local ice than you guys up by the IGLs. I may be taking a road trip north soon…

shaley, keep us posted as to when you are starting to get some safe ice and how the fishing is. I’m getting real hungary for a nice fish fry. Will be up in Minnesota the week between Christmas and New Years, have a whole list of lakes which need to be visited. I imagine that is going to be the same time frame when the IGL’s will be safe.

sorry to keep posting, but I may have just secured permission to fish a farm pond which has been verified to have monster crappie and bass, can’t wait!

need any help with those crappies?? I spent all week between X Mas and New Years on West last year started on the ice last year Dec 6. Ice aint far off now with these temps, winds gone down finaly that will help.

Change that from Ice is coming to Ice is here. Oh Boy Oh Boy. Farm ponds are good and Iced. One was walkable around the edges and one I got my feet wet on. Few more days for the brave ones a week for us chickens.

Oldbear, just got back from ice checking. Most of the ponds around here are running around 1″ thick Getting closer with the temps in the 20’s during the day and possible single digits at night Definately will be ice time next friday for me

All you people in northern Iowa (and back home in Minnesota) can get stuffed! Ah, I’m just kidding. I’m just jealous of anyone who has ice in their backyards to fish tomorrow.

Here in Iowa City, our small ponds are still open as of this noon, except for some sheltered puddles that are too shallow to support even bullheads. The wind and slightly warmer temps in southeast Iowa have kept even ponds open except for some skim ice in very small pockets. (It never ceases to amaze me how only a hundred miles of latitude can make such a difference in things like ice formation.) I expect to find more thin ice tomorrow morning, but nothing I can fish on. Catch a few for me tomorrow.

I was walking on water today near Iowa City, Iowa…

Gotta find the ponds out of the wind…
If I wasn’t deer hunting tomorrow- I would be icing crappies for sure. There is always monday!!!

VikeFan, I just north of Waterloo about 30 miles The ponds are not the deepest but hold some nice crappie and produce an occassional huge bass Looking to head to MN on the 15th do give it a try

I checked four ponds in Coralville this morning–the wind is a huge factor in what has ice and what doesn’t.

One sheltered pond is completely iced over, and if I had ever caught a decent-sized fish in it (nothing but tiny bluegills in my experience) I would have checked the ice thickness.

A second pond is mostly froze over, with a couple of waterfowl or wind-related open spots remaining. That had about 2″ of clear ice this morning right near shore. The fishing in there is not the best, but decent enough that I will probably give it a try in a day or two.

The Brown Deer Golf Course water hazard is about half open, but most of that pond is 25′ or more deep, so it is actually making good progress. No geese on there now, unlike years past when the birds kept patches open well into the winter.

The fourth pond is mostly open, with a little skim in one end. Of the ponds I checked, that one is the most exposed to the steady west wind we have had.

I might go out and check some more ponds in Iowa City later this a.m., including a couple I have never fished.

Just checked my neighbor’s pond. it was skimmed over yesterday and it is oh so close tonight. it will be safe tomorrow night (LUKE)!!! I’ll be at work til about 6 and then I’ll be fishing til 9 or 10.