ice fishing

[hoyt5199]

Anyone know if any lakes have any good ice on them yet?

[huntinelk]

I drove by eloika lake this afternoon could see drag marks from some sleds I have know idea of the ice thickness but it was neg. 2 this morning in Chattaroy. I will be fishing next weekend to many projects this weekend.

[sled]

  I Checked The Fish Lake Webcam Today.  Looks Like The Lake Is Iced Over Now.  It Will Be A Bit Before It's Fishable Though. 

[sled]

  Looks Like It's Completely Froze Over now.

[Bill W]

There was some foolhardy nuts out on Moses Lake yesterday.

[Tman]

There was some foolhardy nuts out on Moses Lake yesterday.
[/quote/]

I saw them too. With thin ice and lots of small patches of open water around them. Must want to drown in a freezing lake.  The ice should only keep getting thicker the next ten days.

[Longranger]

So is Moses lake completely iced over or just part of the lake? I'm asking cause I wanted to head over that way from the everett area for my first winter fishing experiance at the end of the month. And are the any other lakes that will be fishable by then just want to try to catch walleye or big perch. Any help is appreciated.

[Bill W]

The traditional ice fishing spot is frozen over.  I saw 15 or so people in this one area yesterday afternoon.      I don't think all of Moses Lake is frozen over as I saw some open areas but most of it is iced over.

Note:  All of my ice fishing data is gathered by driving by.  I am not an ice fisherman.   I am a fly fisherman and understand why the ice guys gather up where they do.

[plugger]

I think its froze everywhere except where there is some current. Looked like a little city out there N of I90 yesterday.

[C-Money]

Anyone been to the south end of banks at the marina?

[Longranger]

So maybe a stupid question do I have to have a ice drill or can you use other stuff like axe or something to break thru? Just want to do it safe but don't want to spend a lot of money gearing up for something I cant do often any help is appreciated.

[plugger]

Cant help you there, I don't ice fish. I could see lots of holes that were not being used, Looked like some had froze over, They could be fairly easy to open back up with a hatchet

[Ridgeratt]

So maybe a stupid question do I have to have a ice drill or can you use other stuff like axe or something to break thru? Just want to do it safe but don't want to spend a lot of money gearing up for something I cant do often any help is appreciated.

If you snoop around you might find one! This is on Craig's list. 

http://spokane.craigslist.org/for/4217643959.html

[Skillet]

Cant help you there, I don't ice fish. I could see lots of holes that were not being used, Looked like some had froze over, They could be fairly easy to open back up with a hatchet

A quick ice "fishing etiquette" opinion-

If you come across a hole that is not froze over but nobody seems to be using, look around and see if it's part of a grid of holes that some guys have punched so they can hole-hop.  If you notice that is the case, do not hesitate to ask them to fish the holes you they're not using.  90% of the time you'll get a "Sure, just don't fish one hole in front of me!" type of answer.
Another word about cutting holes with axe's / chainsaws / spuds.  Practically no fish that swims under frozen Washington state waters needs more than a 12" diameter hole to come up through, and 8" diameter covers 99% of ice fishing with ease!  If you cut a hole big enough for a human to fit through, there is the distinct possibility that an unlucky one will if the hole gets a skim of ice back over it and it snows.

Have fun out there!

[C-Money]

There was a LOT of Fishermen on Moses Lake this morning for a Thursday.

[Ridgeratt]

Cant help you there, I don't ice fish. I could see lots of holes that were not being used, Looked like some had froze over, They could be fairly easy to open back up with a hatchet

A quick ice "fishing etiquette" opinion-

If you come across a hole that is not froze over but nobody seems to be using, look around and see if it's part of a grid of holes that some guys have punched so they can hole-hop.  If you notice that is the case, do not hesitate to ask them to fish the holes you they're not using.  90% of the time you'll get a "Sure, just don't fish one hole in front of me!" type of answer.
Another word about cutting holes with axe's / chainsaws / spuds.  Practically no fish that swims under frozen Washington state waters needs more than a 12" diameter hole to come up through, and 8" diameter covers 99% of ice fishing with ease!  If you cut a hole big enough for a human to fit through, there is the distinct possibility that an unlucky one will if the hole gets a skim of ice back over it and it snows.

Have fun out there!

Very good point's Skillet!!

 If you have a place you need a 12 inch hole to get a fish through I need a lesson. I have never had any problems with using an 8" auger.

Last year I did watch some of our Balkan Friends using a chain saw. They stood behind the bar when they were cuttin. It just looked like a darn Good way to get wet!!

[C-Money]

I stopped today on my way home and talked to a fisherman coming off the lake. said there is 6-7" of solid clear ice.

[plugger]

I walked out aways in front of my daughters house, Easy 6" of ice,   also dead frozen crappie all over in the shallows 3 to 4"ers. Probably 50 people out fishing. Must be catching, more guys every day.

[C-Money]

Strange to see deadloss already. rats!

[206]

I wish I was there. 1 more week, but then the ice will probably be too thin.

Ever notice the stink when cleaning perch?  It's a unique stank that stinks, but they eat good. 

[Bill W]

The ice hasn't started getting any thinner yet.

[plugger]

No worries with the ice, forecast  is mid teens at night, low 30's in the day.  So what causes the fish to die? The ones I saw were in shallow water, less than a foot. My only guess is they stayed shallow to long and got trapped.

[Jingles]

Not out yet this year but I use a chain saw and cut a 12 X 24 inch hole but then I put my 4' x 6' ice house over it. Ice shanty has benches, shelves and wood stove for heat and cooking purposes,soups and hot sandwiches, coffee pot and and a pot for hot water for hot chocolate.
I grew up where shanties were spear shanties where we could also spear the pike through the ice and were often used a overnight refuges by the owners instead of sleeping in their cars/ trucks that they drove out to their shanty. The prime fishing spots also ended up being shanty towns on the ice.
Patterson Lake looks like it is drivable.

[206]

How's fishin?  Moses i90, South Soda?  Coulee City?  Lind Coulee, South end Moses 4 trout (always wanted to ice fish them.

[C-Money]

Huge crowd out on the ice yesterday on Moses, but seemed to disperse quickly....to cold or no fish? IDK, I hope to go out Christmas Eve.

[206]

Probably no fish.  My ice fishin history shows it's always hot and heavy at first ice, and then it slows down.  That's what I heard from the Moses reports.  Barometric pressure has a lot to do with biting fish through the ice also.

[Bigshooter]

Any reports on fish lake?  I'll be heading over in a couple weeks to give it a try.