**To fish…or not to fish? That is not a question for iceaholics. But, they need to prepare for the worst possible conditions whenever there is a bunch of snow and slush. **
**A VERY GOOD AND TIMELY POST. I was thinking of posting a warning to everybody about the anticipated conditions over the next few days…and weeks. **
Slush is only part of the problem. If you do not have high topped waterproof boots, wear insulated hip boots or even chest waders. They will keep your feet dry and that is a big part of survival on the ice. If you don’t want to stand in slush, take a shovel and shovel snow onto the area you will be fishing and pack it down. That will give some firmness, but is likely to turn to ice too. Take a piece of carpet to put over it for slick control and wear ice cleats.
The combined weight of the snow and the runoff from snowmelt is going to create more soft edges around many lakes…especially along steep banks. Time to start carrying a plank with you to make sure you can get both on and off the ice safely.
If you don’t want to fight snow and ice, look for venues which have not been clobbered as heavily. For example, Pineview is almost unfishable right now. The heavy snow on the ice is only part of the problem. Pineview, like some other popular lakes, offers very little parking for anglers because all of the pullouts have been plowed full of snow. Unless you can use a snowmobile to travel from a remote parking area to get onto the ice, you simply can’t park and fish.
On the other hand, some lakes have received less snow and the prevailing winds tend to blow a lot of the loose snow off the top. Yuba is a good example. Only in the worst winter storms does Yuba get deep snow. Right now it is still pretty clean and open to both wheelers and sleds. A long way for many to drive…for ten perch…but it can satisfy the addiction until something else is available.
Within the next few weeks, the weather should change and we will see some thawing. That’s when runoff will start bringing the lake levels up fast…with resulting weak ice around the shorelines. Always check well before trudging out on the ice. Take an ice chisel to sample the edges. Once you get past the thin area, you should find healthy ice until daytime temps average above freezing.
Strawberry, Scofield, Huntington and Jordanelle are all buried under a lot of snow and slush. Rockport and Echo both have a lot too, but they are more fishable…if you go prepared for some snow and slush. And, even though the parking has been reduced by the heavy snow, there is still some available.
Same with Deer Creek. Lots of snow and reduced parking, but entirely doable and within easy driving distance of the valley.
So, don’t jump off your tackle box just yet. Still some prime ice fishing left. The problems are mostly with the fishermen and not the fish. They will still bite if you find them and serve them what they want. They tend to slow down and hit lighter during the latter months of the ice season. Lower light and oxygen levels slows everything down a bit. Time to fish slower and lighter stuff and to stay more alert for light bites.
. But seriously as already mentioned. I wonder if it worth getting out tomorrow or if I should stay back and catch up on school work.