No one ice fishing?

[jethro]

I ride my sled at least 3500 miles a season. These days you have to be dedicated to it, and it's expensive since you have to chase snow. Sometimes it's good in Northern NH, sometimes it's better in Maine, sometimes you need to go to Canada. So I spend a lot of time trailering my sled and buying passes in multiple states. This year I have a trip planned in Quebec that is looking to get cancelled. Here in NH it's actually very common for the first real ride of the year for me to be the 3rd weekend in January. Over the past 30 years of riding, it's probably more often than not we need to wait until mid Jan to get any real riding in. But they are usually able to ride in Quebec. This year there is no snow in Quebec yet. Last weekend it was warm and rained all the way to Hudson Bay. That is unheard of this time of year. A buddy in Labrador City said 2" of rain in late December hasn't happened in the 50 years he's been there. There is no riding around Lac St.-Jean and even north of there, even 150 miles north of Quebec City. Our trip was planned for Jan 19th to ride 1600 miles around the Gaspie' region of Quebec. The Chic Choc mtns. don't even have good snow. This year is very similar to last year, we had a big warm up until mid January, but they were already riding in Quebec.

Anyway, desperately awaiting cold weather for ice fishing and snowmobiling!

 

[LaqueRatt]

I hear ya bro. Some of my buddies used to trailer their toys up to Tip Up Festival. Not for long though. One of them almost lost a leg and for the most part they came back with banged up sleds. Thought about going, but the sleds are most unwelcome and I don't like jails or hospitals. Or lawyers and court dates in far away places.

I really think snowmobiling is just about done in this country. It's a huge PITA to spend weeks getting your sled ready and then it just sits....and sits, and sits some more. I used to service mine in Sept, because even years ago you never knew how much snow we'd get. Didn't want to miss a single chance to get out there. Oct snow was/is not unheard of. Then you get in a few rides. Soon the calendar turns to Feb, then March. March can be a good month. So can April and even May at times. Most years I'd wait too long to put the winter toys up and soon I was mowing around them. Ever notice how damned hard it is to move a sled over a lawn that's not hard and has no snow? One time I got so pissed off I dragged it away with my pick up truck! Hate to admit it, but this was in June......

 

[Stand Up]

We can ice fish here but the ice is dam thin. Everyday the temperatures have been above the freezing mark, so it's not safe to venture out on the ice. No snow. There were motorcycles out yesterday at +10C / 50F. Really unheard of. It's the same across Canada I'm afraid. I was out hunting rabbits on Tuesday and all the designated snowmobile trails were bare of snow and covered in dead fall.
It was a beautiful at the end of December. Out hunting for the wascally wabbit.

 

[Stand Up]

A bunch of people have fallen through the ice in Alberta recently so it's just not safe to be out there. A man and his wife and child fell through the ice on Christmas day and all of them perished. They were all in a side x side vehicle crossing a small creek when they went in. One other individual fell through the ice on a river and didn't make it either. Others across Canada have fell in as well recently with poor outcomes.
There must be 6" of ice thickness before going out or you're putting yourself at risk.

 

[LaqueRatt]

6"? Around here I think 1 1/2" and everybody would be out there! I get your point though. We've had our share of wintertime drownings around here too. A guy I know lost his mom and dad at the same time when they hit open water on their sleds.

 

[thill]

1-1/2? Now that would be eager. Better slide out on your belly!

We couldn't go out until the average was 4", and watch out for thin spots near any feeder creeks or springs.

I went through the ice once near a feeder creek, and thankfully, it was only about 3' deep. I was terrified that my parents would find out and never let us back out there, so we ran around for a couple of hours until I had mostly dried off. Thinking about it, I don't think we ever told our parents.

 

[LaqueRatt]

Luckily my own such misadventures have been in shallow waters. One time before I was even old enough to go to school was playing on the ice with my kid brother. Near a seawall for some odd reason the ice sloped down about 3'. Somehow I managed to get stuck in the water-filled void. Can't remember how I got out, but I'm here, so I must have! Don't remember it told my folks or not.

Another quick story. A bunch of us sledding out in the swamp. Encountered a wide stretch of open water. I was all Nope, let's go back. My drunk buddies decided to try it, one at a time. At least 100 yards of water. With a head of steam I hit the water at about 60 and made it across. Then we waited for the last guy. Waited and waited. What the hell? Getting real worried. Shut the machines down, yelled his name. Nothing. Thought he was dead. Turned out his wonky headlight had cut out again and he decided to go home. We spent two hours looking for that ******.......

 

[jethro]

I've been through the ice while on foot in very deep water. I've also sunk one of my snowmobiles and one time was in a pickup that went through the ice. Not a single one of those times was fun!

 

[Fishingman48]

Gonna get colder here in the Catskills of NY.
Should be fishable ice then.

DONT KNOW ABOUT THAT AFTER THIS SNOW & COLD// SUPPOSE TO WARM UP AGAIN& RAIN SAY GOODBYE TO SNOW! OFF AND ON SHOWERS UNTILL 16TH POSS. FLURRIES

 

[Fishingman48]

I have to admit one thing, My Father, God rest his soul, basically lived in his shanty from opening day until last day before removal by law.
A definite hard-core ice fishing man had all convivence's of home in that 5x 10 shanty, you could kick back and relax like if you were in livin room at home . No wonder he got along with his second wife. he lived his life his way and loved the ADK'S .

 

[Ray Clark]

Was talking to a friend at church this morning. He said that a friend of his near here has an annual ice fishing trip every January to Kenora, Ontario. Kenora is well north of Baudette, Minnesota.

Anyway, the resort operator where that guy goes fishing just cancelled all of the ice-fishing reservations at the resort -- no good ice, too dangerous.

 

[hoohoorjoo]

If I had to cut a hole to fish in winter, I'd either off myself or move South. Fortunate to be in the great state of GA!

 

[Stand Up]

Kids Can Catch! Ice fishing weekend was this past weekend.

 

[Stand Up]

We drilled 400 plus holes in the ice and let the little urchins have at it.
Heres my frozen mug.

 

[LDUBS]

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