............the last time Lake St. Clair froze all the way across?? ??? I know it's been quite a few years. Matter of fact it has been quite a few years since any of the Great Lakes have to the best of my recollection. I guess I'm getting excited about doing some ice fishing this year. With all this cold weather were having it's been years since we had any good ice by Christmas. Some of the inland lakes started freezing over but then we had 2 or 3 days of warmer weather and some 20mph winds and that all the ice broke up. If it stays cold enough, we just may get 4 or more inches of ice by Christmas. I remember having all kinds of ice on the lakes when I was a much younger man during the holidays but I guess that's what global warnings all about. It would be nice to be able to break out the ice gear this year.
BD. ;D
We're getting the first full ice fishing season here since I started www.GreatLakesIceFishing.com (yes - my fault! sorry...) There's already people out ice fishing quite a few places in Southern Michigan. Some ice fishing up North. I'm not much for 'first ice' but I'll keep my ear to the ice angler talk to see when and where ice get 'chunky redhead' safe before I start venturing out a little. Let's get 'em!!! (soon anyway :) )
There was the first test subject out on mylake tonight. Keep wating for skeg to freeze over to start whollopin perch.
Well, try to be patient (and safe). We already had the first GreatLakesBass.com member fall through a couple days ago in Southern Michigan near Grand Rapids. I don't care how good 'first ice' fishing is! That water is TOO COLD for swimming!!!!!
Here's a quick ice fishing safety tip: expect ice around objects sticking through the ice to be thinner and weaker than ice away from those areas. I got this tip from the guy who walked into the reed bed on a lake by me for a quick private time chore years back. Luckily, I was able to lay down spread-eagled, and get enough grip on the ice just outside the reed bed to pull him out onto thicker, solid ice. I last saw him as a steaming apparition, kind of like a white sasquatch, run-hopping and crackling towards the road!
Okay, one more tip. Have a big towel and full-layered change of clothes and footwear handy somewhere close by. (I think he said his were in his truck about 1/4 mile away. Wet clothes freeze real quick on single digit days! brrrrrrr...)
I wonder if there's a band called White Sasquatch?
I remember back in the early 90's walking on ice the 10th of november trapping muskrats. Spending christmas afternoon ice fishing thru a foot of ice. Not the case any more.
If I were a musician, I would start a band and call it White Sasquatch! ;D
Hey maybe that should be the next reel contest: come up with sweet names for a new band. Since you claimed white sasquatch, I will come up with my own...hhhmmmm....oh I got one: Three Blind Rice. Ok so I won't be the KVD of that contest.
Well... there's still time...
Meanwhile, I'm not liking the ice around Lansing tonight very much. I'd rather see this ice on lakes than on trees and roads! I still think we're going to have our longest ice season of the past few seasons. The GLIF jinx is finally wearing off!