3 minutes ago, soflabasser said:

Seems like winter came early for many northern states this year. Hopefully it will be a short winter so you guys do not have to deal with hard water for long. You can also fish a nearby river or other body of water that rarely freezes.

It’s not going to be a short winter when it starts at least a month early. Once the water temps get into the 30’s, even if it doesn’t freeze, most bass are somewhat dormant. Guides ice up, hands and feet get cold. Fishing for me at least, is over till spring. 

81 here today and a tornado watch in effect this evening. Supposed to get down to 39 tonight though and high of 59 tomorrow. I feel for you guys up north.

7 minutes ago, Scott F said:

It’s not going to be a short winter when it starts at least a month early. Once the water temps get into the 30’s, even if it doesn’t freeze, most bass are somewhat dormant. Guides ice up, hands and feet get cold. Fishing for me at least, is over till spring. 

It's been over for me...launching the canoe this year required me to get my feet wet. I got a trailer mod I'll be doing over the winter to fix that issue. But with air temps plunging below freezing and not going above it for at least the next week - nope, not me...I don't want to freeze my tootsies off.

13 minutes ago, Scott F said:

It’s not going to be a short winter when it starts at least a month early. Once the water temps get into the 30’s, even if it doesn’t freeze, most bass are somewhat dormant. Guides ice up, hands and feet get cold. Fishing for me at least, is over till spring. 

There is good fishing this time of year in the Fox River, Dupage River, Kankakee river, and other rivers that rarely freeze over. Muskies, smallies, walleye, and other fish can be caught. The sub 35 degree temperatures and +20 MPH winds does not help but dressing in layers does help make the fishing easier in less than ideal weather. 

14 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

There’s not too much around Michigan that doesn’t freeze, even rivers. 

There has to be a river nearby that does not freeze over. I would drive +2 hours if needed to bass fish a flowing river, would not like staying home when I could be fishing.

10 hours ago, A-Jay said:

 

I Know it's Halloween - But it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas 

A-Jay

Well, down here Halloween is like summer but with pumpkins. The only thing is that it's been crazy windy all day long so ...... wind is only moving the friggin hot air !

46 minutes ago, soflabasser said:

There is good fishing this time of year in the Fox River, Dupage River, Kankakee river, and other rivers that rarely freeze over. Muskies, smallies, walleye, and other fish can be caught. The sub 35 degree temperatures and +20 MPH winds does not help but dressing in layers does help make the fishing easier in less than ideal weather. 

There has to be a river nearby that does not freeze over. I would drive +2 hours if needed to bass fish a flowing river, would not like staying home when I could be fishing.

The rivers around here don’t freeze until January-February. They’re really shallow, our rivers are what most of you would call creeks. I imagine there are some fish in them, most of the fish go back to the lakes. There are plenty of bass that are caught through the ice if that’s your thing. 

Well Trick or treating didn’t last long. 6poundbass had a friend over and we took them around our lake. They only made it to 5 or 6 houses and threw in the towel. The wind was blowing hard, rain changed over to snow, and the windchill was in the 20’s.

 

We ended up with around 2 inches of snow. Thankfully it was all gone by the end of the day yesterday. I’m still holding out hope to get another trip or two in. 

Loading the Old Town Right now and heading to Lake Minichuck ~ 

Did I mention that it's snowing ? ? ?

#crazyforbrownbass . . .

A-Jay

6 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Loading the Old Town Right now and heading to mini-Lake Menderchuck ~ 

Did I mention that it's snowing ? ? ?

#crazyforbrownbass . . .

A-Jay

You're just crazy...period.

And we're still 3 weeks from Turkey Day ~

A-Jay

 

On 11/3/2019 at 5:51 PM, A-Jay said:

And we're still 3 weeks from Turkey Day ~

A-Jay

 

Yup not looking too good for the home team. I’m getting closer to throwing in the towel. 

The towel has been officially thrown in here. I spent 5 absolutely miserable hours in the bush yesterday chasing deer ( well trying to chase deer). It started out as snow in the morning with an inch on the ground, but within an hour it “warmed up” just enough to turn to rain. A very cold, steady downpour for the entire time I was out there. Then the wind picked up. Pretty sure I would’ve had to step on a deer to find one out there. Now it’s supposed to turn from rain to snow today and stay that way. I’ll be in the deer woods again later this week, but the boat is hibernating now. 

3 hours ago, Way north bass guy said:

The towel has been officially thrown in here. I spent 5 absolutely miserable hours in the bush yesterday chasing deer ( well trying to chase deer). It started out as snow in the morning with an inch on the ground, but within an hour it “warmed up” just enough to turn to rain. A very cold, steady downpour for the entire time I was out there. Then the wind picked up. Pretty sure I would’ve had to step on a deer to find one out there. Now it’s supposed to turn from rain to snow today and stay that way. I’ll be in the deer woods again later this week, but the boat is hibernating now. 

I’m still in denial. 

The low here in Central Minnesota is forecasted to be in the teens a couple nights this week and not get above freezing during the day either.  I do see 40 on Saturday for deer opener, but really not much else that warm in the 10 day forecast.

 

I got my boat winterized and into storage several weeks ago.  Based on the weather we've had recently and what is coming, I made the right decision.  I look forward to next spring though.

4 hours ago, 12poundbass said:

I’m still in denial. 

I feel very similar to ya, and said this year I’m gonna wait until I can’t get the boat in the water for ice to put it away, but in the end, Mother Nature always kicks our arse this time of year. I guess I’ll just have to think positively, at least it’ll make for good deer tracking weather. 

9 hours ago, 12poundbass said:

Yup not looking too good for the home team. I’m getting closer to throwing in the towel. 

 

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

I do see 40 on Saturday for deer opener, but really not much else that warm in the 10 day forecast.

After Saturday, we get the drop. I've already retired the canoe for the season and am starting on this winter's modifications...ya, I'm changing and adding some more things.

2 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

 

After Saturday, we get the drop. I've already retired the canoe for the season and am starting on this winter's modifications...ya, I'm changing and adding some more things.

Saturday and Sunday are high of 42 then the bottom drops out for us too. I’m thinking a trip one of those days are my only chance.

4 hours ago, Way north bass guy said:

I feel very similar to ya, and said this year I’m gonna wait until I can’t get the boat in the water for ice to put it away, but in the end, Mother Nature always kicks our arse this time of year. I guess I’ll just have to think positively, at least it’ll make for good deer tracking weather. 

Rifle season is next week for us. The wishful thinker I am was hoping the inevitable 50-60 warm up would show up sooner than later. Not looking like it’s going to happen. But maybe.....?

Is it winter yet? Going to be around 80 here today. ? Looks like we are getting a cold front on Friday though. We might be in the high 40s for a low this Saturday night/ early Sunday.

They are predicting snow and a low of 20 for us on Tuesday next week. We shall see 

Nov 6 report:

LAKE MINNETONKA AREA    

The lakes were ice-free early this week, but there hasn’t been anybody fishing. Most sloughs or ponds are capped with ice, as are some small bays and shoreline ice was starting to form along wind-protected areas.

 

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

Nov 6 report:

LAKE MINNETONKA AREA    

The lakes were ice-free early this week, but there hasn’t been anybody fishing. Most sloughs or ponds are capped with ice, as are some small bays and shoreline ice was starting to form along wind-protected areas.

 

In my travels this morning I went by a swamp that was 90% covered with ice. Most likely it’s melted already, but 22 degree lows and it won’t be long. ?

On my way doing errands this afternoon - yep, it's freezing over. Emerald Lake was about 1/2 socked in.

28 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

On my way doing errands this afternoon - yep, it's freezing over. Emerald Lake was about 1/2 socked in.

I looked out my back window and there’s ice around the edge of my lake. Forecast for this weekend is high of 40 and windy. I think I’m going to concede this battle to Mother Nature. ?

5 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

I looked out my back window and there’s ice around the edge of my lake. Forecast for this weekend is high of 40 and windy. I think I’m going to concede this battle to Mother Nature. ?

We're getting blast - winter's here to stay unfortunately.

I caved, - cleaned, covered up, and tucked the Old Town away in the kennel for DEEP hibernation.

Until next season . . . .

A-Jay

 

1 minute ago, A-Jay said:

I caved, - cleaned, covered up, and tucked the Old Town away in the kennel for DEEP hibernation . . . 

Scout-SS is in the garage and I've already started this winter's modifications - changing some things and adding some things. That's my main winter project.