Cottage Ice Report - Crappie Will Have to Wait :(

[Pikeslayer]

dI was up this past weekend to zone 15 and figured with all the preceding cold temps, there maybe might of been a chance to get on the ice? We arrived Saturday late morning to blueskies & -20C. With zero wind and the sun reflecting off the snow covered lake, it was the warmest -20C I've ever experienced.

At first peek, the lake looked promising. No open water and the preceding winds took a lot of snow off the ice

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately, upon further review under lower light conditions, some sketchy looking ice came into view

 

 

We've been very successful in landing pike through the ice within 15 - 20 metres of shore, but the crappie like to hang under the ice 300 metres across the bay

I did get down to the dock on Sunday and drilled a couple of test holes. Both were a solid 3 - 3.5 inches of black ice. But given that I have a limit of fall pike in my freezer, and we hadn't heard a single boom or zipper over 2 days, I wasn't remotely considering checking the ice any further out. We're back up on the weekend of 6th and with continuing cold temps and little snow in the past week, I might make it across for a feed of crappie. 

In the meantime, I better thaw some pike and make room in the freezer

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all...........

Slayer

 

Edited December 22, 2017 by Pikeslayer

[lunkerbasshunter]

good on ya for being safe.  Pretty view even if you didnt get to fish

Cheers

[Tjames09]

I was on a zone 15 lake the last two days. was 5-6" of good black ice. 

[Pikeslayer]

On December 25, 2017 at 3:53 AM, lunkerbasshunter said:

good on ya for being safe.  Pretty view even if you didnt get to fish

Cheers

Yep, better safe than stupid ?

41 minutes ago, Tjames09 said:

I was on a zone 15 lake the last two days. was 5-6" of good black ice. 

I imagine I'll find similar conditions with the recent cold temps. I've been keeping an eye on the weather from afar and to the best of my knowledge snow & squall activity has been minimal since my last visit. Hopefully the snow activity stays minimal as my mode of transport is hiking on snowshoes. Dragging the sled through deep snow is a game changer

i was wanting to head up this coming weekend but everyone has New Year's Eve plans this year!!!

[Old Ironmaker]

Nice spot there Slayer, very nice. About this time tomorrow we should be disembarking the plane at the Miami Int. Airport. I won't go fishing until Saturday. I have a charter booked with my new Brother In Law out of Isla Mirada in the Keys for the 2nd with an option for the 3rd.  I have more tackle packed than clothing. Everything I need to wear is at Walmart.

You guys ice fishing don't forget the Sunscreen