I sure hope that Moss' wife doesn't read this...

[MossRoad]

I'm not following how you can say it's been too warm with 11" of ice. I talked to a guy the other day and he said this has been one of the better ice fishing seasons.

It only takes air temps below 32 to make ice. Also, we had some rain events that flooded the ice, then froze, adding to the depth. I had to mow my lawn on December 12th.

When I was young, we'd get on the ice at Christmas break and fish through the end of March. Over the years we are lucky to get on the last half of January, and fish through maybe the first week of March. In my lifetime, we've lost 6 weeks of cold weather.

The lake I grew up at on the north side of South Bend has had open water for the past 10 years on the area where I used to fish and ice skate as a kid.

This weekend, even with the 11" of ice, I had to jump across 2' of open water at the shore. There were swans and geese swimming in open pools. I've seen turtles sitting on logs in February the past 4-5 years. We used to not see them until April, after the ice melted.

So while there is good ice in some places, it's still warmer than it used to be. And less snow cover. Which means less water soaking into the ground as it slowly melts, vs most of it getting washed away by rains that can't soak into the frozen ground.

I haven't had to plow my driveway in about 2 years. Even the 10" we got a couple weeks ago sank down to 3" in about 2 days and we just drove over it.

If the sandhill cranes didn't migrate south this year, that tells you that something's going on. We used to see them fly south in the fall, and return in the end of March. They stayed all winter this year.

 

[MossRoad]

Went fishing Friday night. That 11" of ice had already turned to 8" of ice, with thin ice for the first 6' by shore. I broke through easily. Threw a couple tree branches across the 6' of thin ice to get onto the 8" of solid ice. It was sunny and near 50's Sunday, Monday and today. Ice has water all over it. Predicting 60s by end of the week. Sad, I used to fish through March. Ice season is done for me here. Time clean everything and put it up until next year, and start getting the boat ready.

 

[airbiscuit]

If ice fishing leads to prostitution, imagine what would happen if we allowed pallets in fields?

 

[MossRoad]

If ice fishing leads to prostitution, imagine what would happen if we allowed pallets in fields?

Well, you know what they say. First you allow pallets in fields, and that seems fine. Then next year, someone will want to put up a pallet shanty. And that leads to another problem.... prostitution.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Dear Ann Landers: We live on a acreage where we observe all sorts of wildlife...birds, deer, quail, squirrels, turkey, etc. We enjoy their visits, but recently they have nearly all stopped coming around. I did recently acquire a wooden pallet, which sits upright against a large Oak tree near the creek. My question...could there be a connection? Should I cover the pallet, burn it, bury it or otherwise dispose of it? It seems innocuous, it just sits there...

Confused in Oklahoma

 

[scaredychicken]

just Ziploc your worms and all should be good. ice fishing is great

 

[Jstpssng]

Went fishing Friday night. That 11" of ice had already turned to 8" of ice, with thin ice for the first 6' by shore. I broke through easily. Threw a couple tree branches across the 6' of thin ice to get onto the 8" of solid ice. It was sunny and near 50's Sunday, Monday and today. Ice has water all over it. Predicting 60s by end of the week. Sad, I used to fish through March. Ice season is done for me here. Time clean everything and put it up until next year, and start getting the boat ready.

Did you catch anything, or just get out of your wife's hair?

 

[MossRoad]

Yes caught a nice bunch. Added them to the catch from the past few trips. They'll be consumed on Fridays in Lent.

 

[oosik]

We use to ice fish in Alaska. Ice was usually two, three - even four feet thick. About half the time - bore the hole and you had a mini gusher. I never thought about much else other than trying to stay dry and warm.

Then there was subsistance ice fishing with gill nets and a jigger board. A whole different ball of wax.

 

[MossRoad]

We use to ice fish in Alaska. Ice was usually two, three - even four feet thick. About half the time - bore the hole and you had a mini gusher. I never thought about much else other than trying to stay dry and warm.

Then there was subsistance ice fishing with gill nets and a jigger board. A whole different ball of wax.

I've seen videos of the netting under the ice. Very interesting. I'd like to participate in that kind of work some time.

There's something that draws me to be out on the ice. It's a great feeling.