Too Early to Be Thinking About Ice?

[joatmon]

I have found myself inexplicably drawn to ice fishing over the past 10 years or so.  And I'm already thinking about it this year!  I just sent my Nils auger blade off for sharpening ($20 plus shipping).  After last year's run on everything ice fishing related, and resulting shortages, I have been watching my online sources for a couple of items. One item I bought was a new jet sled.  My old one developed a hole late last winter, which I patched, but I am not confident the patch will hold well.  I also picked up a second flasher, an Ice 55.  I love my Ice 35, but look forward to being able to read the depths, etc. without needing a flashlight when fishing after dark/before sun up.  I also bought a couple of new reels (not sure why I need so many rod/reel combos, but I am jack of all tackle, master of none!).

I have been trying to decipher what the drought will do to some of my favorite ice fishing lakes.  Will lower water levels mean the lakes freeze earlier and have more concentrated fish?  Or will lower water levels mean more edge issues as water levels in lakes have to come up a long way this winter?  Will there be fewer fish due to higher harvest limits and greater fish kill?  I recognize a lot of other factors are in play, like combinations of temperature, wind, precipitation events, stocking, etc.  Fun to wonder about it though!

I did find a few interesting graphs online, but had a hard time correlating water levels to ice development, quality of ice fishing, etc.  For Strawberry Reservoir, I noticed about a 12 year cycle between peaks of high water, followed by declines to low water valleys also about every 12 years.  Other reservoirs have a much higher frequency of highs/lows (due to irrigation impacts?).  My guess is that is why many of those waters have edge issues as they rapidly refill (Rockport, Echo, others).  See attached charts for a few Utah ice fishing waters.  I found the graphs at https://www.usbr.gov/uc/water/index.html

Here's hoping for early and accessible ice!

[Freakyfisherman]

I have found myself inexplicably drawn to ice fishing over the past 10 years or so.  And I'm already thinking about it this year!  I just sent my Nils auger blade off for sharpening ($20 plus shipping).  After last year's run on everything ice fishing related, and resulting shortages, I have been watching my online sources for a couple of items. One item I bought was a new jet sled.  My old one developed a hole late last winter, which I patched, but I am not confident the patch will hold well.  I also picked up a second flasher, an Ice 55.  I love my Ice 35, but look forward to being able to read the depths, etc. without needing a flashlight when fishing after dark/before sun up.  I also bought a couple of new reels (not sure why I need so many rod/reel combos, but I am jack of all tackle, master of none!).

I have been trying to decipher what the drought will do to some of my favorite ice fishing lakes.  Will lower water levels mean the lakes freeze earlier and have more concentrated fish?  Or will lower water levels mean more edge issues as water levels in lakes have to come up a long way this winter?  Will there be fewer fish due to higher harvest limits and greater fish kill?  I recognize a lot of other factors are in play, like combinations of temperature, wind, precipitation events, stocking, etc.  Fun to wonder about it though!

I did find a few interesting graphs online, but had a hard time correlating water levels to ice development, quality of ice fishing, etc.  For Strawberry Reservoir, I noticed about a 12 year cycle between peaks of high water, followed by declines to low water valleys also about every 12 years.  Other reservoirs have a much higher frequency of highs/lows (due to irrigation impacts?).  My guess is that is why many of those waters have edge issues as they rapidly refill (Rockport, Echo, others).  See attached charts for a few Utah ice fishing waters.  I found the graphs at https://www.usbr.gov/uc/water/index.html

Here's hoping for early and accessible ice!

Never too early to think ice. I actually will use ice sonar from my float tube and will video game fish with my ice rod from the float tube. I am guessing the lakes may be safe a month before usual on the ones that are extremely low. So maybe November ice on Rockport, Echo, Hyrum, and maybe Newton. I usually will hit the Uintah lakes in early to mid November to satisfy the ice fishing itch. Always be cautious on first ice. My two cents.....
Gabe

[MACMAN]

I’m thinking about ice fishing year round. I think a month early is optimistic, but November ice doesn’t sound bad. Although, it will cause a decision dilemma between Bear Lake and ice fishing. I’m thinking even if the reservoirs rise, the edges will freeze fast enough to keep up. Usually deteriorating edges from lake rise come along with warming temps. In my opinion the biggest impact is going to be proximity. Get used to fishing next to 400 of your closest friends. Another issue will be the hike to the ice- glad I got a snowdog. I’m ready to drill.

[GrandpaD 2020]

I miss being able to ice fish.
My health just won't let me do it anymore.
It was some of my most favorite times fishing.

Everyone have a fun year on the ice and stay safe.

[SkunkedAgain]

Kind of crazy but this is the time to be thinking ice fishing, at least if you are going to do any upgrades to the spread for the winter... This is the best time to find good deals on gear and start to scout for good spots to set up... With the water levels so low this year, the fish won't be hanging where they did previous years, in fact a lot of those spots are high and dry this year... Good time to decide which waters will even be worth trying this winter... I have really liked Newton the last few years, but after going over a week or so ago and seeing only 4' of water left in the deep spots and they were still irrigating at the time, I doubt there will be any fish left there this year... You're right it will freeze quick, but may not be any fish to catch in there...

What are your thoughts about Bear Lake, will the lower levels actually make it so we get fishable ice there this year? Man they used to say it would freeze every third year, but it's been a while since we had ice on big blue, lets hope for this year being a good one for the return of ice fishing over there...

Dreaming of a mega 360 for this winter, but still trying to figure out how to afford the transducer... Got two more pieces of the set up to get before I bite off the big cost... Looking for the y cable and the ice adapter for the transducer, and I guess I'll need a new battery to run them. But I hope I can find a way to get this set up for this year... After running the side finder this summer, I'm a believer in seeing things around you and I know from years past that 3' can make a big difference in my catch rate, so I'm hoping the 360 can help put me in the best spots...

Speaking of Humminbird, I've heard you guys mention how bad their customer service is... Well I had my first experience with them and I have to agree with you... I bought a shuttle and ice ducer kit for my Helix and it came without the hardware kit (screws and velcro straps and etc.) So I contacted Humminbird and after 15 minutes waiting for help I opted for them to call me back, well two hours later I got a call back and I figured it would be simple to say my kit didn't have the parts please send them, but no, I had to get all the paper work on my purchase, then document exactly what I had received and what I was missing. It was a real pain in the butt and if I didn't work for the government I would have simply given up there, but I'm used to paper work and documenting everything, so I did what they asked in painstaking detail, and they are supposed to be sending me the parts now, but it's sure different than working with Vexlar, that you get a hold of a tech in less than 5 minutes, they figure out what you need and then bend over backwards to get you the part so you don't miss your fishing trip.... I like smaller companies that care about their customers... Too bad they didn't have the technology that the bird has... Later J

[N.E.T.O.]

Yes. It's too early.

[TubeDude]

Gonna just break your heart (and your auger) when you punch a hole in your fave spot and mud comes up through the hole.

This will be a year when it will pay to know the bottom contours and depth potentials of your targeted spots.  Everything from the last couple of years is no longer valid.

[jjannie]

Gonna just break your heart (and your auger) when you punch a hole in your fave spot and mud comes up through the hole.

This will be a year when it will pay to know the bottom contours and depth potentials of your targeted spots.  Everything from the last couple of years is no longer valid.

So true, hadn't thought about that until you mentioned it. Just when we spent so much time finding some good spots too. 

[joatmon]

Well, I got a little taste of it this week, minus the ice and cold. See my Yuba Reservoir post.

[BRL1]

Never too early.  Had the gas auger running yesterday.

[fast_randy]

Well, I got a little taste of it this week, minus the ice and cold.  See my Yuba Reservoir post.

I saw that post. Interesting. I haven't tried to see my jig from my boat fish finder, like you do ice fishing. Could you do that when you were at Yuba? 
I can't wait for the ice. I have a new Life Saver fishing coat to try out. Well I hope I don't have to officially try it to see if it floats me. But it feels nice and warm and has lots of pockets. I will be the first on Henry's again this year. Last couple years I've been on in October. But it normally doesn't freeze until Thanksgiving. I love that first ice bite. I hope we have some places to fish this year. 
I sharpen my own Nils angers using a Work Sharp knife sharpening tool.

[joatmon]

Well, I got a little taste of it this week, minus the ice and cold.  See my Yuba Reservoir post.

I saw that post. Interesting. I haven't tried to see my jig from my boat fish finder, like you do ice fishing. Could you do that when you were at Yuba? 
I can't wait for the ice. I have a new Life Saver fishing coat to try out. Well I hope I don't have to officially try it to see if it floats me. But it feels nice and warm and has lots of pockets. I will be the first on Henry's again this year. Last couple years I've been on in October. But it normally doesn't freeze until Thanksgiving. I love that first ice bite. I hope we have some places to fish this year. 
I sharpen my own Nils angers using a Work Sharp knife sharpening tool.

I could see both jigs with my flasher, just like through the ice (although I found my transducer "wandered" around a bit - really probably the canoe drifting a little against the anchor).  I could even see the knots where I went from a heavy line to a leader on one rig.  I tried using the flasher with a slow paddle, but the transducer just streamed out behind and I'm not sure what I was seeing.  I did row around a little to find a spot that seemed to have a few more fish.

I've looked at those coats, but decided I could just wear my life jacket over everything else.  It is a fishing life jacket (not self-inflating) and has a couple of pockets that are handy for holding my bait pucks.  Biggest help is confidence to get out on early ice.

I'd like to get up to Henry's sometime.  One of my neighbors goes a couple times a winter (his in-laws have a cabin up there).  Sounds like its better early (like most lakes).

[fast_randy]

Henry's might be one of the only lakes with water this year. It is listed over 90% full right now. Early on at first ice, I think the fish are hungry and running the edges of the bank. So at first you don't need to walk far. But as the ice thickens and season goes on you need to get out way further. At least in my opinion. I usually don't fish it much after first ice, or first couple of weeks. I chase other first ice lakes.