Ice Watch

[SkunkedAgain]

Looking at the current temps for the next week or so we might get some ice in the usual spots. Let's keep a running tally of ice here for the ice junkies. I'll check Mantua on the way home but I doubt there will be any yet. Hopefully enough cold this week will help us get started. Let us know if you see any ice. Later J
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[SkunkedAgain]

Cutler back sloughs are capped tonight. Later J
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[TopH2O]

I went out to Desert Lake Waterfowl Management are this morning expecting to have one last duck hunt this season. I found all the units frozen with about 1.5 inches of ice and NO sign of any ducks remaining. The ponds are shallow and they freeze quickly but it's a sign that other waters will be capping soon.

I'd bet that Huntington (Mammoth) and Cleveland Res. will have safe ice soon if they don't have it already.

Mike
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[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks Mike, I was suprised to see as much frozen here as there was. Maybe we'll get some ice time this year. Hoping so. Later J
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[Rizzo27]

I ice fished Huntington last year at this time so hopefully it freezes soon.
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[SkunkedAgain]

It put about an inch on all the ponds here last night so if that rate holds in a couple more days it should hold up. Too bad it's a warming trend so it may not get enough thickness before it melts. I'll be watching the better ponds really close. I don't think they will be cold enough yet but who knows. Usually takes some below zero to cap the bigger lakes but I guess a long enough time below freezing should work too. Let's keep hoping. Later J
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[Cowboy_43]

I like the way you think. I was up by Smith and Morehouse on Saturday and it was still wide open.
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[RonPaulFan]

It's not just the commonly thought of factors of the combination of low temperature and wind speed that speeds reservoir ice formation. Another major factor that is often not considered are the sunny blue sky days we are now getting because the nights of clear star filled skies allows radiant heat from the surface to go into the super cold of space whereas a cloudy sky even with cold blowing snow winter conditions is a barrier to radiant cooling.

Further, we might get clear ice which I've never experienced. I want to walk on glass like ice and see the fish below. Clear ice is stronger. I would walk on much thinner clear ice.

I've been preparing to do a lot of ice fishing this winter and have been buying a lot more lures. I've also bought more equipment to be able to invite inexperienced guests.
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[SkunkedAgain]

I was hoping Mantua would be capped, but too foggy to see the lake this morning, so probably means it's still open and the fog is rolling off the warmer water... Nice to see it's finally getting close anyway... Keep your fingers crossed... Later J
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[SkunkedAgain]

Ron, you are right on the money there... Love clear ice, other than it's a little freaky to trust because it doesn't look like there is enough there to hold ya up... I was up on Mackey Reservoir one time with my wife and daughter on 4 wheelers and we were headed out across the lake on snow covered ice doing about 30 mph and all of a sudden we hit a patch of ice where the snow had blown off and it was clear ice... I freaked because I thought it was open water and I'd taken my family to drown... Luck was with me, it was probably 12-14" of ice there and luckily there was a big ole crack in it so I could tell it was that thick otherwise I would been having a heart attack... We had checked the ice before we got on it and knew it was good, but someone had told me to watch out for springs on that lake, so I was on the alert for thin ice so it got me good... Lot rather that kind on situation than the other when you do find thin ice...

With the lack of storms in the future forecast, you just might get your wish for clear ice this year... Won't last long after the storms start, but you might get it for a trip or two... Would be cool, I like seeing the fish under the ice as your dragging them up to the hole... The ice on Henry's was sure ugly this year, somehow the rain and freezing snow on top of the ice layer really makes for ugly top ice... Well let's hope it gets there soon so we can try some clear ice fishing this year... Later J
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[dubob]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]I've seen crystal clear ice on both Starvation and Flaming Gorge. Seeing rocks on the bottom in 40 feet of water through the ice (FG) is freaky as heck. Did the same on Rabbit Gulch in 15 FOW. Could see the fish come to the bait on RG.[/#][/font]
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[SkunkedAgain]

That has to be really fun!!! Hope we get to try it on some of the closer ponds this year. Not very likely but would be cool. How goes the duck hunt? Sure seen a lot of birds in Idaho on the way back Saturday. Good luck. J
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[lakepowellnut]

I belong to an airboat duck club and this year has been off the charts. We’ve bagged over 2300 birds so far.
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[SkunkedAgain]

Wow what do you do with that much duck? Bob had some good sausage, but I have no idea how to use that many birds. Sounds like fun hunting though. Big ammo bill for sure. I love hunting ducks they are so much fun. Sad I didn't even go out this year and I live right on the side of a good area. Must be getting old or too many different things going on. Maybe next year since it's frozen over now. Later J
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[lakepowellnut]

That is our club total and yes, we’re making a lot of sausage. []
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[a_bow_nut]

Speaking of ducks does anybody know how much it snowed around the Willard area?
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[SkunkedAgain]

Not much, maybe an inch on the ground this morning as we drove through. Sun will likely melt it off soon. J
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[SkunkedAgain]

Yup but how big is your club? At 23 members that's a hundred birds each. That's a lot of duck. But I guess that's coming from someone that likes one duck dinner a year and I'm good. Focus on beef and chicken after that. Little deer this year, and I love a little pig in there too. Occasionally I even eat a fish. Just don't love ducks to eat. Tastes like liver to me. Did find a couple recipes that I liked but they take a lot of work to prepare. Maybe I need to get tips on how to enjoy eating them more. I used to guide on the millionaire club and those guys loved duck and made it a big neighborhood event when they would get back from hunting in Utah. Guess it's all in the preparation. Sorry didn't mean to go crazy on you, it just shocked me with that big of numbers. That's an incredible year for sure. Later J
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[a_bow_nut]

Thank you.
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[SkunkedAgain]

You're welcome. Seems like that area clears of snow faster than most. J
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