Here it comes....

[SkunkedAgain]

Good point it will make better ice and should freeze faster without the snow insulation on there... Just have to make sure our spikes are available to keep us upright on the clear glass sheet... Did you fish Hyrum much this fall?  What are your predictions, should I buy an annual park pass or will a day pass be enough to get my fill? Thanks J

This year, and most generally, I fish Hyrum for bass in the spring and then not until the hard water.  The two winters before last grandson and I did well for perch on Hyrum when fishing slowed on Mantua.  Big bluegills are my favorite, but Manta almost always goes through some midwinter doldrums.  Not knowing how much it takes to fill you, I'd say get the pass especially if you are a senior!

Are you close to Hyrum Dam?  Looks like it's trying to tack over today, but I can't tell for sure off the damcam...  it's supposed to get pretty cold after this storm clears, so I'll bet it won't take too much longer to ice up... Guess I got the new state park pass, so I hope there are some fish to chase this winter... Maybe see you over there soon... Later Jeff

[2knots]

Good point it will make better ice and should freeze faster without the snow insulation on there... Just have to make sure our spikes are available to keep us upright on the clear glass sheet... Did you fish Hyrum much this fall?  What are your predictions, should I buy an annual park pass or will a day pass be enough to get my fill? Thanks J

This year, and most generally, I fish Hyrum for bass in the spring and then not until the hard water.  The two winters before last grandson and I did well for perch on Hyrum when fishing slowed on Mantua.  Big bluegills are my favorite, but Manta almost always goes through some midwinter doldrums.  Not knowing how much it takes to fill you, I'd say get the pass especially if you are a senior!

Are you close to Hyrum Dam?  Looks like it's trying to tack over today, but I can't tell for sure off the damcam...  it's supposed to get pretty cold after this storm clears, so I'll bet it won't take too much longer to ice up... Guess I got the new state park pass, so I hope there are some fish to chase this winter... Maybe see you over there soon... Later Jeff

That’s what it looks like to me also Jeff, I’ll run down and take a look later this am, if it hasn’t started I bet it does tomorrow and Saturday

[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks Alan,
I'm glad to see this starting with all the cold on the way, hopefully we'll be on the ice there before too much longer... Are you hitting the ice soon? I'm hoping to get out sometime soon... Have to finish up some holiday prep, but hopefully it won't take too much time.. Thanks for keeping an eye on things down there... Jeff

[2knots]

Thanks Alan,
I'm glad to see this starting with all the cold on the way, hopefully we'll be on the ice there before too much longer... Are you hitting the ice soon?  I'm hoping to get out sometime soon... Have to finish up some holiday prep, but hopefully it won't take too much time..  Thanks for keeping an eye on things down there... Jeff

I’m heading over to Wyoming with a friend for a couple days to go take pics of hopefully some big bucks on the winter range so it will probably be around Christmas when I hit the ice, I would like to see some more thickness 1st also lol

---

Thanks Alan,
I'm glad to see this starting with all the cold on the way, hopefully we'll be on the ice there before too much longer... Are you hitting the ice soon?  I'm hoping to get out sometime soon... Have to finish up some holiday prep, but hopefully it won't take too much time..  Thanks for keeping an eye on things down there... Jeff

Well if that was ice we saw it’s gone now, come on cold snap

[smokepoles]

Indeed, there is only a bit of skim ice/slush along Hyrum shore where protected from winf and waves.  So, if quiet and cold for next few nights I expect it will cap over thoigh not predicting when it will be fishable.  Fill level has been steady at 65% for a good bit, so maybe that's where it'll stay and we will not have receding edges all winter.  

Drove by Manuaband there were several out on east side but open water all along west bank with bunch of ducks happily swimming.  So be careful out there!

Wildlife seems to be out and about this midafternoon - saw 10 bull elk, 12 tom turkeys (and lots hens), and quite a few deer.

[wiperhunter2]

Indeed, there is only a bit of skim ice/slush along Hyrum shore where protected from winf and waves.  So, if quiet and cold for next few nights I expect it will cap over thoigh not predicting when it will be fishable.  Fill level has been steady at 65% for a good bit, so maybe that's where it'll stay and we will not have receding edges all winter.  

Drove by Manuaband there were several out on east side but open water all along west bank with bunch of ducks happily swimming.  So be careful out there!

Wildlife seems to be out and about this midafternoon - saw 10 bull elk, 12 tom turkeys (and lots hens), and quite a few deer.

When you speak of Mantua's West side being open, does that include the boat ramp area?

[smokepoles]

Indeed, there is only a bit of skim ice/slush along Hyrum shore where protected from winf and waves.  So, if quiet and cold for next few nights I expect it will cap over thoigh not predicting when it will be fishable.  Fill level has been steady at 65% for a good bit, so maybe that's where it'll stay and we will not have receding edges all winter.  

Drove by Manuaband there were several out on east side but open water all along west bank with bunch of ducks happily swimming.  So be careful out there!

Wildlife seems to be out and about this midafternoon - saw 10 bull elk, 12 tom turkeys (and lots hens), and quite a few deer.

When you speak of Mantua's West side being open, does that include the boat ramp area?

Not sure as I did not drive into town seeing what I needed from highway.  The open water was quite large to my view north of boat ramp to highway exit, but not sure if reached all the way from ramp.  Kind of strange as that area seems to freeze up relatively early except for small
area right north of ramp where people have gone through in past.  I expect those on ice must have come in from raod that goes along east side.  Just speculation here.

[wiperhunter2]

Indeed, there is only a bit of skim ice/slush along Hyrum shore where protected from winf and waves.  So, if quiet and cold for next few nights I expect it will cap over thoigh not predicting when it will be fishable.  Fill level has been steady at 65% for a good bit, so maybe that's where it'll stay and we will not have receding edges all winter.  

Drove by Manuaband there were several out on east side but open water all along west bank with bunch of ducks happily swimming.  So be careful out there!

Wildlife seems to be out and about this midafternoon - saw 10 bull elk, 12 tom turkeys (and lots hens), and quite a few deer.

When you speak of Mantua's West side being open, does that include the boat ramp area?

Not sure as I did not drive into town seeing what I needed from highway.  The open water was quite large to my view north of boat ramp to highway exit, but not sure if reached all the way from ramp.  Kind of strange as that area seems to freeze up relatively early except for small
area right north of ramp where people have gone through in past.  I expect those on ice must have come in from raod that goes along east side.  Just speculation here.

That was what I was thinking myself, might drive up there tomorrow for a closer look, maybe check out the ice. Thanks for the reply.

[SkunkedAgain]

Alan, good luck finding the big boys to get a photo of... I'll bet they will be there with all the snow this year so far...

This is just an ice update for Hyrum, it capped last night so start the clock till when it's safe... I have 8 degrees so far this morning, so it's pretty cool, but I don't know how long it will take to get safe ice at these temps, but I expect it will be probably Monday at the soonest for me to feel safe-ish.... On that deep pond I don't dare venture until there is at least 4"... I know I'm a wimp, but getting too old to pull myself out if I go through... unless it's shallow and I can touch bottom...

Yesterday afternoon Cutler ice had turned ugly, it had an inch of water on top and cloudy top layers of ice and only about 2.5" of good solid ice... However, I expect after the cold last night, I'll bet that water layer has turned to good solid ice so I'm hoping today gets back to 5" of ice, maybe not clear, solid ice, but good enough to fish... I'm thinking of taking the trip to Newton sometime today, I'm pretty sure it's good to go and probably has been for some time, but the fishing wasn't that great over there, so I haven't been in hurry to return, but I have some time off today so I'll probably go check after I get my chores taken care of around here... More later... Jeff

[smokepoles]

I'm ready to go, but I'll be patient and wait for truly safe ice. Maybe we will be fortunate Hyrum will avoid the slush monster that has beset Mantua, at least for a while.

Newton is listed as 20% full - so what is it a 1/2 acre now ;-).

[2knots]

Saw it capped this am , when we went up the canyon the temp at the sinks was -20, Bear had some ice along the shores. Did find some nice bucks today but looking for a real big boy

[SkunkedAgain]

Alan they are sure pretty buck. Thanks for sharing those. What do you figure about 26”?

Smoke pole you’re close on Newton size there’s not much lake left. But I think I’ll go try it tomorrow morning. Cutler grew about an inch to 1.5” of new ice in the last 24 hours. So I’m thinking Newton should be in great shape by morning. Will check it out. Later J

[wiperhunter2]

Couple of nice bucks there Alan, how close did you get to them?

[2knots]

Couple of nice bucks there Alan, how close did you get to them?

200-400yds, we were using our phoneskopes on our spotting scopes, lots of decent bucks that were closer that we didn’t take pics of