I almost hesitate to start this thread....I don't want to think of ice out....but, we can turn this into a positive and dream of just how long ice may be on this year. Been a great year so far!
Ice Fishing
Ice out predictions
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I’m in Waukesha County. Was just looking at the 10 day prediction on my favorite weather site- WeatherUnderground. Based in what the ice is right now, I think the 3 days of sun and 40 degrees Fri thru Sun will honeycomb the ice and the rain Monday will make it completely unsafe
My guess for the Madison Chain will be around March 20th. Most years it seems like right around St. Patty's Day the ice is no good anymore. Last year was March 1st, if I remember correct, though you couldn't really get out on the lakes after that real warm spell the second week of February. I did the polar plunge last year and it was 70 degrees! Hopefully no repeat of last year where we go from safe ice to no safe ice in a week!
April 7 for the Bay... The quality of ice on lower Green Bay is excellent this year. Some years the warmer water chugging out of the Fox wrecks it early. This year it might make it to April 7. The goofy rain of January didn't seem to hurt a thing. It did wonders smoothing out the rough ice. Also, water clarity wasn't diminished by the rain like it happened in years past. Pic is of ice from '06.
This winter has the feel of a long one, but with the weather the last few years, ya never know. It can completely change overnight. Down in SE WI we had a few warm spells, so ice is only 15-16 inches most lakes. If a sudden extended warm spell did come, it could disappear fast down here. As n.pike said, 9 or 10 inches of bad ice can start to be dangerous. Last year I fished 8 inches of black, waterlogged ice the last day. Made the mistake of trying to exit on the north side. What a dumb move. Fell thru in chest deep water. Duh!
Twice in the last 5 or 6 years we've had fish able ice on opening day in Vilas County. Not saying that'll happen again, but we have a great base and are stuck in a really cold pattern week after week. -20 or worse temps have happened a lot this winter.
I say up north there will be fish able ice until April 20.
Southern Wisconsin March 25 in most places with a few of the lakes holding on through the end of March.
Fish able ice I will define as the type of ice that the last die hards will be fishing on, maybe not the "best" ice, but still 10 inches. (Yes, I understand that 10 inches of last ice is not the same as mid winter 10 plus inch ice). Ice still has decent color to it and the base is solid. People that know ice can fish on this stuff safely. No vehicles will be going on of course, but walk on access is still doable, sometimes a person will have to "wade" or "walk through water" on, but once a person gets off the first 10 yards or so, the main base is actually in really good shape. The forecast for the "next week" will doom the ice, but people are still feeling good about that last outing on the dates listed above.
Displaying 76 to 90 of 95 posts
