Polar Vortex Preparations

[aczlan]

On the cellphone issue... I don't call $1200 cheap.
In a year, they need the *NEW* one. Thats $100/Mo BEFORE service charges & taxes.
My land line NEVER cost me that much.

Might try prepaid plans, I pay $26/month for a plan for my $100 smartphone (Motora G4 Play). The plan includes 5000 minutes, 5000 texts, & 2GB of data.
I rarely come close to maxing out any of those.

Aaron Z

 

[MossRoad]

^^^^
The important thing though; did you catch anything? I've seen times when drilling a hole let the water on top go rushing through, just flushing the toilet. I never had much luck fishing when it was like that though.

No. I got a couple nibbles and marked a lot on the flasher, but didn't bring any up. I was only out about an hour. The slush made it kinda no fun. But it was a beautiful day. -6F. Clear skies and bright sun. It's the lake I grew up on, so more sentimental than fish hungry. I like to go there at least once a year. Didn't go last year. First time in probably 50 years. A guy died falling through the ice right where I like to fish. He went out on about 1 inch of ice and people in the park watched him fall in slowly, panicking, and by the time first responders got there in just a few minutes, he was already under. They tried hard to get to him, but they all fell through, too. Took divers a long time to find his body. He's at least the third person I know of that drown through the ice on that lake, and another half dozen in summer.

So, I'm always extra cautious on that lake. I always have ice picks around my neck and carry a rope throwbag in case someone else goes in.

 

[MossRoad]

Might try prepaid plans, I pay $26/month for a plan for my $100 smartphone (Motora G4 Play). The plan includes 5000 minutes, 5000 texts, & 2GB of data.
I rarely come close to maxing out any of those.

Aaron Z

He's confusing the cost of the phone hardware with the cost of the phone service. Our landline service was costing us $46 per month. Our cell line service for the house costs $10 per month. You can buy any hardware you want, from a $59 Walmart smartphone to a $1200 iPhone. That's up to the individual. But the phone service DOES NOT cost $100 per month.

 

[MossRoad]

Looks like the high temp today may hit 0F before midnight tonight.

 

[check]

I went ice fishing today. I figured with the cold the past 7 days, the ice would have firmed up. However, there was about 1/2" of snow, a thin crust of maybe 3/8" ice, two inches of slush and only 2" of mediocre ice. Seems the snow insulated the ice. The water is just above 32 and is melting the ice from underneath and the snow is holding that slightly above 32 temp in like a blanket.

If I stopped pulling my sled and let it sit for more than a few minutes, the water would squish up through the snow and freeze the slush to the bottom of the sled that was in -6F air temp. Then I couldn't pull the sled. I had to turn it over and knock the ice off the bottom.

Gheez, Moss, stay off that ice! Way too thin. Come to our lake where it is 2 feet thick. You can drive your F150 pickup truck on it. Better safe than sorry, because our llake goes down to over 200 feet at the deep point.

 

[coobie]

The old girl coughed & choked to start at -19 below yesterday.

 

[Jstpssng]

^^^^
I start hard at those kind of temps, also.

Actually I,have to boost my 2015 at warmer temps than that. My old '84 L275 wouldn't even think about starting at zero except on the rare occasion that I had an inline heater that actually worked.

 

[MossRoad]

Gheez, Moss, stay off that ice! Way too thin. Come to our lake where it is 2 feet thick. You can drive your F150 pickup truck on it. Better safe than sorry, because our llake goes down to over 200 feet at the deep point.

I've never seen ice thicker than about 11" here. It was reported at 22" on a lake just north of us many years ago. I'm happy with 4" of solid ice. 2' sounds nice and safe, but I'd need a power auger after more than a couple holes. :laughing:

As for 200' deep, some lakes I fish aren't deeper than 5'. Most are less than 60' deep, and we usually fish no deeper than 18'.

I did see a nice pileated wood pecker when I was coming off the ice. They aren't too common around here. :thumbsup:

 

[deezler]

Above zero again up here in SE MI finally, phew. Vortex begone! We bottomed out to around -16 to -18f air temps yesterday morning. Not the worst I've seen, but dang close.

I always think of the deer and coyotes during this kind of weather... wonder how many didn't make it.

 

[MossRoad]

The stray cats all seem to have survived, as I see them peeing on my neighbors' houses.