Any ICE yet?

[Haywood04]

The reports that I have heard is that as of Dec. 1 there is no good ice out there yet.
Anyone heard differently?
Be VERY careful and have another person handy if you plan on trying out an area first!
I found this on the web.

Ice Thickness* Permissible Load
3 inches Single person on foot
4 inches Group in single file
7-1/2 inches Passenger car (2-ton gross)
8 inches Light truck (2-1/2-ton gross)
10 inches Medium truck (3-1/2-ton gross)
12 inches Heavy truck (8-ton gross)
15 inches 10 tons
20 inches 25 tons
30 inches 70 tons
36 inches 110 tons
*Solid clear blue/black and lake ice.
Slush ice has only half the strength of blue ice.
Strength value of river ice is 15 percent less.

[jimb]

I checked the Trempealeau Lakes area last night and it was still a little thin. I think we'll be in business by Saturday with the cold nights coming up. Larry's Landing in Trempealeau got a big shipment of shiners in yesterday in preparation for the ice.

[Goosklr]

Single digits for the next couple of night will make alot of ice!

[adloos]

Thanks for the ice thickness table!! 3" is not that much, but I have been there and the fishing was awesome, but I was pretty weary going out there.

[fishermancory]

i heard on the lacress news that if it stays cold it coulb be safe to walk on by saterday

[Asack]

Checked the ice tonight and it was only about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. so i would give it about 2-3 day of cold nights and you would be good to go. I would say try sam n gordies that seems to freez up pritty fast.

[eyecatcher]

Asack, You are exactly right, sam's ice is not only a little thicker than most areas, but can also produce some nice fish right away. Did I just say that. :eek:

[Haywood04]

I have fished Sams 100's of times in the summer.
How do you get back there in the winter?
Walk the tracks? From where?
Thanks

[lookin4fish]

hey jeff,
this is wade, you were my boss at the fitness center about 4 years ago when it first opened up. good to see that you are getting out fishing. your little girl must be old enough to allow you to get out once and awhile. the trick to getting to sams is believe it or not a bicycle. especially if you have one of those kid trailers. take the bridge on to llatch island and park at the boat harbor, load you stuff up in the bike trailer and head down the road to the tracks, take a right at the tracks and it is a mile or two. you can walk it but i got in the habit of biking to save time. traveling light is best of course. the new icefishing backpacks are the way to go and you can tie your hand auger to the handlebars is you dont have the trailer. i am heading up north to snowmobile this weekend but i might see you out there later this year. good luck.
wade

[adloos]

You can also walk the tracks from the Wis side. Take a right at the spur, then you will see a gate about a 1/4 of a mile down the road.

[Haywood04]

Wade, GOOD to hear from you!

I did get out today on, but not on the ice. I fished from one of the boat docks. There is the need to cut a hole but you can sit right on the dock. I did manage a few crappies on about 1.5 hours. It was nice to get out and I am looking at other boat docks to fish from. :D

[Jake]

Jeff......seriously??? sitting on a dock fishing through a hole in the ice.....How desperate does one have to be??? :rolleyes: :D


P.S. The ice was holding my weight where we were duck hunting on Pool 7 today.

[fishermancory]

I think the dock thing is a good idea, if you want to really fish. It beats going out ont the ice with that fealing that you might go through. i wish i thought of it. How did you get the hole anyway?

[chops]

I have been fishing the docks at Minnesota City boat harbor and coming up with some real decsent sunnies. WE have also been catching a few nice bass and there is nothing I enjoy more than a freshly caught bass.

[scum frog]

How much further is the walk to sams from the boat club across the wagon bridge? I know if you do walk the track you run the risk of a trespass ticket.

[jimb]

I went ice fishing Sunday on mud lake. The ice was about 3 and 1/2 inches in most areas but was a lot thinner towards the current spots. The water was dirty at mud which always slows things down. My son caught a small bass and a 2 foot northern on tip-ups with shiners. We couldn't locate any panfish with jig rods and small minnows or waxies.
I shot a little test film of our early ice fishing trip and put it on our new video streaming server. You can see the 3 minute clip at this address.
mms://streamer.riverangling.com/mudlake.wmv
You can see additional show clips on our riverangling video page.
http://www.riverangling.com/index.php?page=video
Let Andy or I know what you think.
JB

[scum frog]

Went out today punched a few holes in the ice and found it to be a good solid 3 inches. Found a few patches less than that but never had the spud go threw or did the ice crack. Seen three guys at McNally's two were fishing side by side. They claimed around 4 inches. Drilled one back farther and found a good 3 inches. Minn. city boat club had a couple by the docks and afew clams in the pocket behind the boat club. Bartlet lake is going to need alittle more time before I check it. Maybe this weekend. Walked back to Sams and found about 3 to 3.5 inches. I plan to start the season tommorrow.

[adloos]

Thanks for the update!! I was also thinking that Bartlets would still need a few more days.

[jimb]

I checked third lake in Trempealeau last night and it is still thin once you get out 75 feet from shore. I stomped my foot and heard some unpleasant cracking sounds and saw water start to fill in around my foot.

Less good

[adloos]

I would think that we should have good ice soon especially when its 7 below, I wonder how thick the ice is on lake winona???????

[Haywood04]

Jimb,
That is what the spud bar is for...I bet you skee-dattled out of there at that point! :D

Andy,
I was wondering the same thing.
I hope to get out today and try a few spots. I will let you know what happens


Fishermacy,
I just would bring the auger and run it through. The docks worked better than the bucket.