Made my first RECON trip of the year this morning.

Checked in on 3 Lake Menderchucks and to no one's surprise,

they all looked like this ~ 

 

 Except for a few downed trees across them, the access roads & ramps all seemed to have come through the winter unscathed, so that's a good thing.

 While air temps are still averaging at or slightly above freezing day/night,

there's still time.

 

2 weeks 4 days to go.

A-Jay

 

                                         

 

40 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

they all looked like this

What's out on the ice, ice anglers?  Is that a truck out there still too or an ATV?

 

If its a truck out there, it's probably going to still be a while. ?

4 minutes ago, gimruis said:

What's out on the ice, ice anglers?  Is that a truck out there still too or an ATV?

 

If its a truck out there, it's probably going to still be a while. ?

It's the ice fishing Perch Patrol on ATV's

There were maybe a dozen anglers enjoying the morning on the ice.

A-Jay

Ice went out here about 5-6 days ago...got out yesterday a couple hours and got the ol ice out skunk. Snuck out to a different pond this morning with a buddy...I caught 2 dinks and he got one. No size at all but those first bass of spring are always exciting...we both got our first fish curse lifted for the year.

31 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

we both got our first fish curse lifted for the year.

Great that you got out...

 

Meanwhile in MN - 7 weeks, 6 days until we can legally target bass.

Just took a Sunday drive by what will be our new lake and I’d say we have 10-15% open water. The rest of the lake I’d guess will be open by the end of the week. 

17 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

Just took a Sunday drive by what will be our new lake and I’d say we have 10-15% open water. The rest of the lake I’d guess will be open by the end of the week. 

"Our New Lake"

Bet that feels pretty good to say.

A-Jay

Got the pond hopper ready to go today. New gear lube and she started after 4 pulls. I still have to get a new sticker for the plates and fishing licenses. Weather is all over the place this week

 

22 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

"Our New Lake"

Bet that feels pretty good to say.

A-Jay

It is, especially since it isn’t a big soup bowl and has two other lakes connected to it. 

Got out today and managed my first largie of the year, on a jerkbait!  Never caught a fish on a jerkbait.

1 minute ago, FishinBuck07 said:

Got out today and managed my first largie of the year, on a jerkbait!  Never caught a fish on a jerkbait.

Well, now you're sunk...Bait Monkey is gonna have you filling a box with Vision 110s before too long.

44 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Well, now you're sunk...Bait Monkey is gonna have you filling a box with Vision 110s before too long.

I need to train the Baitmonkey to rob banks so I can buy some Vision 110’s. 

On 3/18/2022 at 6:42 AM, A-Jay said:

No doubt.

So less than it was but still probably more than it needs to be.

A-Jay

 

My tackle load lightens as the season wears on and they become more predictable. Early season... Everything goes, including the kitchen sink. Ya just never know.

12 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Well, now you're sunk...Bait Monkey is gonna have you filling a box with Vision 110s before too long.

Nope I was using the Berkley Stunna, little cheaper!  Lol

We're totally open as far as I can tell.

On 3/20/2022 at 2:56 PM, A-Jay said:

"Our New Lake"

Bet that feels pretty good to say.

A-Jay

Was thinking the same thing....I'm jealous

Air temps here are just above freezing,

but it's been raining hard almost All Day.

Back forty is a giant mess with a delightful combination of slush & mud.

However the ground snow is being eliminated in whole sale fashion.

Got to think the the hard water is too.

Might do a second RECON trip on Monday morning,

just  to see.

 Down to a mere TWO Weeks ~

A-Jay

9 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Back forty is a giant mess with a delightful combination of slush & mud.

Yesterday, my back yard was just mud - no snow in sight...this morning woke up to this.

2 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Yesterday, my back yard was just mud - no snow in sight...this morning woke up to this.

Ya well you can keep that.

A-Jay

Snow was melted by this morning - and running an errand I saw this.

 

OPEN WATER!

 

Ya, it's only about a 6'-8' stretch along the bank...but still.....

 

It has begun.

34 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Snow was melted by this morning

I pretty much had the same thing.  Rained all day Tuesday and a coating of snow on Wed morning, which completely melted by the end of the day.

 

In total I received 1.25 inches of rain prior to the snow.  We're slowly digging out of the drought.

 

The ice I see around here doesn't quite have that "dark gray" look yet.  Once it gets to be that color its gone in like a week.

3 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Snow was melted by this morning - and running an errand I saw this.

 

OPEN WATER!

 

Ya, it's only about a 6'-8' stretch along the bank...but still.....

 

It has begun.

You're about the same stage we are at in Maine...maybe a day or 2 behind. Edges are opening here and ice is pretty black at this point.

I'm hoping for April 2nd or 3rd

Okay - this just popped up in my FB Memories. Last year, 24th of March.

 

We're at about the same stage now - so ice-out is probably going to be close to last year's date of April 13.

 

Looks like my original guess for this year is gonna be off.

It's 60 and sunny. Snow predicted Sunday. 

1 minute ago, J Francho said:

It's 60 and sunny. Snow predicted Sunday. 

Ya - we had 67 earlier in the week...now we're looking at 30s and 40s for highs the next several days.