Ice conditions thread......????? - Page 5 - NJFishing.com Your Best Online Source for Fishing Information in New Jersey

FASTEDDIE29 · #41 02-10-2019, 08:39 PM

Thanx for reporting guys! It’s really important to keep other guys safe. We had 5-7 on Buddy lake and the Fishing was slow. Edges were melting midday but firmed up in the afternoon. Holes kept freezing over and needed to be cleaned every hour! We got ice fellas, just be safe! I caught a big ole Channel Cat on a dead bait. Bastard pretty much spooled me, LOL!!! Strange day out on that place! At least we didn’t get skunked! Hehe! Those frozen LL Salmon get lots of
Flags, for real!!!!

Fishinfire · #42 02-12-2019, 11:52 AM

Hit a cove on Hopatcong on sunday that had 5". What's everyone's thoughts on ice surviving till this weekend?

phil · #43 02-12-2019, 01:19 PM

ill let you know tomorrow. taking a day off work and heading north.

icebadger · #44 02-13-2019, 07:02 PM

i fished the state park area today and had 6" of good ice.. with the cold temps tonight we should be good for a couple more days, however the weekend looks to be warmer then we would like to see this time of year. the ice has been taking a pounding with the recent warm temps and rain some areas have spots that opened up then re froze with the snow cover it will be hard to see them they were only 2"thick on Monday you had to be careful walking around them. if you go please check as you go be safe and TIGHT LINES

the state park did not have this condition the ice was good there. there is a bunch of open water all around the lake please BE REAL CAREFUL IF YOU GO OUT....

AndyS · #45 02-18-2019, 08:27 AM

Looking at the long range forecast going into February 24th and beyond looks warm, warmer than average. Seems like anytime the West gets wet we get warm "Pineapple Express" At least there was a hard water season for New Jawsey this year, mostly due to one Polar Vortex that locked up just about everything. Saw some nice fish come through holes, that's always a good thing, Fat lady is coming onto the stage I think getting ready to sing.
Be careful out there.

Jigman13 · #46 02-18-2019, 09:23 AM

Was out Saturday in NW NJ. Had to pull 2 traps waaaaay back at noon bc ice was turning into mush in 17+' of water. Some areas that took less of a beating from the sun had 4+" early on and by end of day were 3" of mostly gray ice with a thin layer of black at the bottom. The bottom of the holes were disintegrating while skim ice was building on every hole/trap. I think I'm done. Had a good season. No monsters but caught more than last year!

Chrisper4694 · #47 02-19-2019, 12:44 PM

i had somewhat decent dark grey ice 7-9" in north jersey yesterday, but I see more warm rainy days coming in the forecast so that'll probably destroy the shorelines and open up all the fissures and that'll be RIP ice.

FASTEDDIE29 · #48 02-19-2019, 01:17 PM

8-10 on Monksville as of Sunday and it was making ice during the day. Sunday looks like crap as of right now. It would take 2-3 inches of rain to get rid of the ice we have now. I don’t see that happening thanks to cloudy conditions. Plus overnight temps for the most part are below freezing. Yea boyeeee!!! We got ice!!!

Blackfish Bobby · #49 02-19-2019, 03:06 PM

YES WE DO......and a lot of "stressed out" fish......Which is a good thing when you are an ice fisherman !!!!

My voice is just coming back form yelling FLAG !!!

The lake was moaning and groaning all day Sunday and Monday morning when we left the house...Growth and expansion cracks happening right under foot.
I have been doing this 45+ years now and that feeling and watching cracks appear still un-nerves me....Then those "coca-colas" kick in and we're good to go.

We had some really good ones when the sun hit the ice that you can hear ramp up 100 yards away and zip right under your feet..... CRACK...you look at the ice holes and see the water bobbing up and down in the hole. That's a good ice shift and expansion making room for more.

5 or so inches of snow tomorrow after two nights of temps in the teens will insulate the ice that is there nicely.

icebadger · #50 02-21-2019, 07:41 PM

i hit the cong today and found 6" of ice to work with. the top 1" went soft by lunch time and there was water mixed in with the rot on top. the lake has a lot of open water mostly in the main lake area. the coves in certain places are still good but you need a spud bar to check the ice as you go. i fished the state park area and the ice was good there.. the places where the ice eaters are is opening fast as well. please be careful if you go out. this is a sad time of year for us hardwater guys.