Early Ice Reports and Conditions

[Quickstrike]

It's that time of year again! The fly rod is put away and I am spending the night sorting through my ice gear. On my drive back up WI 35 from Balsam Lake to Superior I noticed that most small lakes and ponds were locked in and larger lakes weren't far behind as of this past weekend, if anyone has any reports of ice conditions please post them here.

Good luck to everyone this season!

[snoozebutton]

Was out on a bay of the Chippewa Flowage this afternoon and had close to 3 inches. Buddy and I caught 4 walleyes and a 12 pound northern. (He caught all the walleyes and I caught the northern.) Ice was still a little thin and we didn't get out where we wanted to but we should be able to make it out there tomorrow.

[JAR JAR]

I had -4 this morning. might have to some chasin this weekend.mmmm..... but Where to go...?

Jar Jar

[Pescatore]

Conditions in NW Vilas county are improving by the minute..0-3 inches of ice depending on the body of water...with very cold temps forecast for the weekend we should be good to go by next week on smaller to medium size lakes...especially if the wind calms enough to freeze remaining open water.

[snoozebutton]

Made it back out on the Big Chip tonight but fishing was pretty slow, one walleye (19 incher)and one bass. Ice was much better than Monday with about 4 inches as far as we went out.

[Jim Hudson]

Up in my neck of the woods, we found some good ice on one lake. But most lakes still were in that 2.5 to 3 inch range for ice depth. Even some smaller, deeper lakes had pockets of open water on them. Be careful out there if you do make it out this weekend.

[Pescatore]

Just checked Manitowish Water Chain this morning....2-3 inches in the bays but kinda creepy cause you could not tell where it thinned due to the snow cover...gonna be another week til we get that 4-6 inches of good uniform ice if the temps stay down and the snow lets up.

Mike

[Cooter]

Certain Eau Claire area lakes should be fishable within a day or two - I might get out Saturday.

[cRaPpiEMaN8265]

i hope i can get out this weekend up on a little lake my cabin is on in Siren

Can't wait!

Ryan

[outdoor ran]

Jar Jar, did you get out fishing? How did you do and hows the ice after this snow? I had kid duty all weekend so I never made it out. You going to the Fish Lake thing this weekend?

[JAR JAR]

I went up to Boulder with a buddy and my youngest daughter for about 4 hrs and ended up with a big zero.

I'm thinkin of going to Fish but without a sled or wheeler I will find it hard to get out with all this snow.

I'll figure it out by the end of the week.

Jar Jar

[fishinJohn]

I went ice scouting during lunch today in southern wi and I doubt I will be able to fish when I am off Wednesday but the snow might not slow you down; I was able to walk on the top of the snow like it was sidewalk. We had a couple inches of good clear ice but with higher temps all the ice seems to be hardened slush.

[Pescatore]

4-6 on the Manitowish Chain, good clear ice under 8 inches if fluffy snow. Slush in some spots, others you can wipe the snow away and look right down into the lake...last report I heard on walleyes was fantastic....but that was before the snowstorm....