Afraid the Ice is Done

[SkunkedAgain]

I was really hoping this cold snap would bring the ice back for a second season, but doesn't look good in my area.  We have had 10-13 degrees the last three nights and I really figured it would mean ice to fish, but I think the radiation heating during the day time is holding the ice about steady at 1-2" with degraded condition already...  Looking at the ten day forecast I'm thinking about putting my ice fishing stuff away for the year... Lot of stuff I didn't even use... Bummer of a year... later jeff

[jjannie]

That's been our assessment as well. Luckily, we've been able to get many projects done around the house that we've put on hold for one reason or another. We'd like to get them completed before soft water fishing starts up once again.

[SkunkedAgain]

Sounds like you've used your time well... I did the same thing this last weekend and it's nice to have a few of those things cleaned up... Wish I could have fished more this winter though.... I hate missing my favorite time of year... later Jeff

[Mildog]

Well depends on where you go! Fished today, the ice was better by a bunch than previous trip 11 days ago.
Ice got bad and unsafe but single digit temps and freezing temps 24 hours a day can do wonders .
Edges safe no problems ( they were very bad and ice was not safe ) now the ice about 8 plus minus inches, half grey half clear solid with 4 inches of snow. 10 degrees when we got there at 8:30 am holes freezing most of the day we left at 3pm.
Nice safe day on the ice. Couple nice buckets of perch in tow.
Don’t give it up just yet a few very cold days for the next few!

[Bduck]

I for one will be glad when the soft decks return. Got my winter preventive maintenance on my motors and now awaiting a nice day to do a vinegar flush on my kicker. I am ready!

[SkunkedAgain]

Well depends on where you go! Fished today, the  ice was better by a bunch than previous trip 11 days ago.
Ice got bad and unsafe but single digit temps and freezing temps 24 hours a day can do wonders .
Edges safe no problems ( they were very bad and ice was not safe ) now the ice about 8 plus minus inches, half grey half clear solid with 4 inches of snow. 10 degrees when we got there at 8:30 am holes freezing most of the day we left at 3pm.
Nice safe day on the ice. Couple nice buckets of perch in tow.
Don’t give it up just yet a few very cold days for the next few!

That was what I was hoping to see from this cold snap, but it didn't happen in Cache Valley, guess I need to roam further from home... I'm not sure why the ice isn't building here, but it seems to melt out as much each day as it builds over night... maybe the lack of snow on the ice lets the solar heating melt the ice, where snow cover can reflect that heat a little... Anyway glad you found a productive spot... And thanks for the hope that it may not be all over yet...  J

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I for one will be glad when the soft decks return. Got my winter preventive maintenance on my motors and now awaiting a nice day to do a vinegar flush on my kicker. I am ready!

Now you have me curious, I haven't heard of the vinegar flush before.  What does this do for your motor?  What kind of vinegar do you use? How do you do it, put muffs on the motor and pour the vinegar into the muffs???  Guess I need some better muffs, I'd spill more than I got into the motor... I can get away with a leaky water input, but I'd hate to waste too much vinegar, probably not the best on my lawn either.... Anyway you should be good to go with lots of open water already this year... Not too often you have this many choices this early in the year... Good luck on your first trip of the new year... Later J

[Bduck]

Well depends on where you go! Fished today, the  ice was better by a bunch than previous trip 11 days ago.
Ice got bad and unsafe but single digit temps and freezing temps 24 hours a day can do wonders .
Edges safe no problems ( they were very bad and ice was not safe ) now the ice about 8 plus minus inches, half grey half clear solid with 4 inches of snow. 10 degrees when we got there at 8:30 am holes freezing most of the day we left at 3pm.
Nice safe day on the ice. Couple nice buckets of perch in tow.
Don’t give it up just yet a few very cold days for the next few!

That was what I was hoping to see from this cold snap, but it didn't happen in Cache Valley, guess I need to roam further from home... I'm not sure why the ice isn't building here, but it seems to melt out as much each day as it builds over night... maybe the lack of snow on the ice lets the solar heating melt the ice, where snow cover can reflect that heat a little... Anyway glad you found a productive spot... And thanks for the hope that it may not be all over yet...  J

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I for one will be glad when the soft decks return. Got my winter preventive maintenance on my motors and now awaiting a nice day to do a vinegar flush on my kicker. I am ready!

Now you have me curious, I haven't heard of the vinegar flush before.  What does this do for your motor?  What kind of vinegar do you use? How do you do it, put muffs on the motor and pour the vinegar into the muffs???  Guess I need some better muffs, I'd spill more than I got into the motor... I can get away with a leaky water input, but I'd hate to waste too much vinegar, probably not the best on my lawn either.... Anyway you should be good to go with lots of open water already this year... Not too often you have this many choices this early in the year... Good luck on your first trip of the new year... Later J

Jeff, There are many YouTube videos on the vinegar flush. This is a good one to follow.

Flush your Outboard with Vinegar and Dawn - The BEST Corrosion Maintenance (youtube.com)

[SkunkedAgain]

Hey thanks for that link, it's interesting, I hadn't ever heard of that before... Thanks Jeff

[MWScott72]

Well depends on where you go! Fished today, the  ice was better by a bunch than previous trip 11 days ago.
Ice got bad and unsafe but single digit temps and freezing temps 24 hours a day can do wonders .
Edges safe no problems ( they were very bad and ice was not safe ) now the ice about 8 plus minus inches, half grey half clear solid with 4 inches of snow. 10 degrees when we got there at 8:30 am holes freezing most of the day we left at 3pm.
Nice safe day on the ice. Couple nice buckets of perch in tow.
Don’t give it up just yet a few very cold days for the next few!

That was what I was hoping to see from this cold snap, but it didn't happen in Cache Valley, guess I need to roam further from home... I'm not sure why the ice isn't building here, but it seems to melt out as much each day as it builds over night... maybe the lack of snow on the ice lets the solar heating melt the ice, where snow cover can reflect that heat a little... Anyway glad you found a productive spot... And thanks for the hope that it may not be all over yet...  J

---

I for one will be glad when the soft decks return. Got my winter preventive maintenance on my motors and now awaiting a nice day to do a vinegar flush on my kicker. I am ready!

Now you have me curious, I haven't heard of the vinegar flush before.  What does this do for your motor?  What kind of vinegar do you use? How do you do it, put muffs on the motor and pour the vinegar into the muffs???  Guess I need some better muffs, I'd spill more than I got into the motor... I can get away with a leaky water input, but I'd hate to waste too much vinegar, probably not the best on my lawn either.... Anyway you should be good to go with lots of open water already this year... Not too often you have this many choices this early in the year... Good luck on your first trip of the new year... Later J

[quote pid="1152577" dateline="1707830934"]

Jeff, I think you Cache Valley types just like your local ponds too much.  I have a brother that lives in River Heights, and trying to get him to fish ( or do much of anything for that matter) outside of Cache Valley is about as effective as trying to keep an ice cube frozen on hot asphalt in July.  The guy is seriously tethered to the area.  What is it that you guys like so much about that valley?? ?

[SkunkedAgain]

Guess we don't like crowds much so we like to stay where they aren't too thick... It's not for the fishing, that's for sure....  For me I usually go fish on days when I don't have all day to go fish, so I like to go close to home so I don't spend all my time on the road... but I do realize I need to branch out a little more, especially this year...  I think I'll be trying Willard next trip...

[lavaman]

Warmest winter we've had in a long while. I guess this was the ice season to miss!

[Fishybear2]

Well depends on where you go! Fished today, the  ice was better by a bunch than previous trip 11 days ago.
Ice got bad and unsafe but single digit temps and freezing temps 24 hours a day can do wonders .
Edges safe no problems ( they were very bad and ice was not safe ) now the ice about 8 plus minus inches, half grey half clear solid with 4 inches of snow. 10 degrees when we got there at 8:30 am holes freezing most of the day we left at 3pm.
Nice safe day on the ice. Couple nice buckets of perch in tow.
Don’t give it up just yet a few very cold days for the next few!

That was what I was hoping to see from this cold snap, but it didn't happen in Cache Valley, guess I need to roam further from home... I'm not sure why the ice isn't building here, but it seems to melt out as much each day as it builds over night... maybe the lack of snow on the ice lets the solar heating melt the ice, where snow cover can reflect that heat a little... Anyway glad you found a productive spot... And thanks for the hope that it may not be all over yet...  J

---

I for one will be glad when the soft decks return. Got my winter preventive maintenance on my motors and now awaiting a nice day to do a vinegar flush on my kicker. I am ready!

Now you have me curious, I haven't heard of the vinegar flush before.  What does this do for your motor?  What kind of vinegar do you use? How do you do it, put muffs on the motor and pour the vinegar into the muffs???  Guess I need some better muffs, I'd spill more than I got into the motor... I can get away with a leaky water input, but I'd hate to waste too much vinegar, probably not the best on my lawn either.... Anyway you should be good to go with lots of open water already this year... Not too often you have this many choices this early in the year... Good luck on your first trip of the new year... Later J

[quote pid="1152577" dateline="1707830934"]

Jeff, I think you Cache Valley types just like your local ponds too much.  I have a brother that lives in River Heights, and trying to get him to fish ( or do much of anything for that matter) outside of Cache Valley is about as effective as trying to keep an ice cube frozen on hot asphalt in July.  The guy is seriously tethered to the area.  What is it that you guys like so much about that valley?? ?

[/quote]
I can think of a few reasons to not venture to far from home. Porcupine, Hyrum, Newton, Weston, Deep Creek, Lamont, Johnson, Foster, Glendale, Twin Lakes, Winder, Oneida narrows, and Oneida reservoir. Any one of these places can kick out good panfish or trout.

[SkunkedAgain]

Warmest winter we've had in a long while. I guess this was the ice season to miss!

Yes sir you picked the right time to have an operation... Didn't miss a thing, well maybe a couple days, but that's about it... Hope you're on the mend and getting closer to being able to get back out...  Later Jeff