Echo ice is finished

[Hardwater]

Ice fished Echo early Friday (Feb 16) morning and again yesterday (Feb 19) afternoon.

The open water between shore and safe ice more than doubled between Friday and yesterday and now ranges from 15' to over 20' on the east side of the lake. The west side of the lake looked even more sketchy, but I didn't inspect up close. The open water, which is really slush due to all of the snow that fell, rings the entire lake.

Ice is 4-5" and covered with 2" of water, then 4" of slush capped by 6" of snow...and this is after below-freezing temps the last few days.

In a nutshell: If you ice fish Echo, better take a looooong board, wear a life jacket, carry a throw rope, and have ice spikes to climb out when you fall in. Also, stay away from the south end where the water flows in as there is a lot of open water now.

The weatherman predicts colder temps, but I'm not sure that will be enough to cool things down and I'm not going to risk a dip for a fish.
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[Fishin_dad]

I was so that I didn't get to Echo at all this year to ice fish. I heard that it wasn't as good as last year, and last year was a LOT of fun. Have you gone after perch there in a boat at all?
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[Hardwater]

I have not fished for perch from a boat outside of Fish Lake, what a blast for young fishermen!

Given the way things are going, you may be launching your boat soon!
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[fishday]

How was the fishing last Friday? Are you the pair that was over by the I-80 side that afternoon? Where did you guys get on the ice that day? I walked across the lake from the road. Did you catch many yesterday?
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[Hardwater]

Fishing last Friday was very slow and very cold...7 degrees.

We were not the pair you saw, we were on the other side of the lake and fished in the morning.

We got on the ice around the boat ramp, though a lot of open water now surrounds our former access point.

Fishing this past Monday was also slow with only one fish between the two of us. Cold, windy, water running from the surface of the ice down the holes we drilled.
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[Lipnrip]

Last night was -10 and tonight is supposed to be even colder. Rockport and echo were both recapped this morning should be uber safe by no later than the end of the weekend
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[Jmorfish]

Hey RipnLip -- glad you're still out there looking .... buddy and I are going to take a look for ourselves on Friday, hopefully close to the same area we met you last month....you going to be there?
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[Lipnrip]

I work through Saturday. I work just west of SR32 so I drive passed both lakes every night and morning when I get off at 7 am. Might stop for a bit if the cold lets up a bit. Definitely be out Sunday.
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[brookieguy1]

Drove by this afternoon 2/23, and there were at least 6 tents out from the dam to the boat ramp. I think the lake has re-capped.
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[Lipnrip]

Went out Sunday at the boat ramp on Echo. Edges are a bit soft to about 3 feet out nothing to worry about. The ice beyond is about 8 inches thick. First fish managed to snap my line on hookset. Second fish got to the hole and straightened my ice fly hook and got away. Finally got the third in with my 3 year old. Went around 3 until 5 pm.
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[wiperhunter2]

I wonder if this warm weather, during the week, will make the edges go bad, especially since they were soft already[:/]. Thanks for the report and info on conditions.
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