How much ice???

[ST42]

Hey guys how badly is the Potholes/ Winchester froze up?

[ducksdogsdownriggers]

I don' t know for sure-not going to make it out till after the weekend, but I can tell you this...  In the basin last Monday morning 12/5, when the first sub freezing temps of the season hit, I had to hunt option #2 due to 1/2" ice in option #1.  It was 17 out.  Ordinarily, that's no biggie, but it hasn't cracked 32 since.  That's 240+ hours straight of freezing temps.   

My take is it had better be big and better be moving or its likely a skating rink by now.  Last weekend we struggled to keep ice off and out of the decoys while running the Ice eater non stop. 

[Badhabit]

hey triple d, Did you hear about the guys using ice eaters last year at the winchester quality hunt area last season. Gamies caught on so they dang near drained it this year so the ice eaters won't work. Carry on didn't want to hijack the thread.

[ST42]

I don' t know for sure-not going to make it out till after the weekend, but I can tell you this...  In the basin last Monday morning 12/5, when the first sub freezing temps of the season hit, I had to hunt option #2 due to 1/2" ice in option #1.  It was 17 out.  Ordinarily, that's no biggie, but it hasn't cracked 32 since.  That's 240+ hours straight of freezing temps.   

My take is it had better be big and better be moving or its likely a skating rink by now.  Last weekend we struggled to keep ice off and out of the decoys while running the Ice eater non stop.

Thanks for the reply. My son and I hunted  last Fri. / Sat. and the ice was coming in with a vengeance. I too have been watching the weather there, and it doesn't look good. I won't be able to hit it again until Monday. Looks like I'll need to crowd up on the moving water. Just hope the ducks haven't all flown the coup. 

[ducksdogsdownriggers]

No, hadn't heard that.  I'll have to call one of my WDFW buddies and get the scoop.

[spur_ride]

North end of the potholes is froze along with many small pockets of water as well. Not quite thick enough to walk on but not sure if it's thin enough to try breaking it up with the boat

[ST42]

Was passing by this morning. Winchester looks like the North end is still open,


Potholes was at a bad angle for a good photo, but It looks like the edges are pretty froze up,

[eastsidemallard74]

Went out,found the state park launch still open,and looks like the east side of Lake is possibly still open. Screw it,I'm trying in the morning. Will upload pictures

[bowjunkie]

Heading to potholes friday either going break ice or find an open hole with moving water. any birds out?

[Bill W]

Heading to potholes friday either going break ice or find an open hole with moving water. any birds out?

you may need a coast guard cutter to break ice.

[bowjunkie]

chainsaw!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[highside74]

A few posts back I noticed someone saying they were running an ice water to keep ice away. I assumed these were illegal to use. Am I wrong?

[EWUeagles]

A few posts back I noticed someone saying they were running an ice water to keep ice away. I assumed these were illegal to use. Am I wrong?

I find this as a gray area in our state laws. You can use them to keep the water open but you can't use them to only move your decoys. I asked a WDFW officer can I use it during my hunt and their response was you can keep it on during your hunt to keep the water open. I asked well what if the water moves my decoys, and he said if the main purpose is to keep the water open it is fine since the ice eater isn't a decoy. Even knowing that I still don't know if I would use one during hunting hours, but I'm sure some people do.

[ElkBOW79]

We were there last weekend...Lots and Lots of ice...probably more now that the temps have been in single digits.  Tough to find anywhere to hunt that actually has open water.

[need2huntmor]

These pictures are from Tuesday. One shows the pier/dock at mardon and the other shows the launch between mardon and the state park. The reservoir has ice a good 200 yards out. If you don't care what kinds of ducks you shoot (and we don't) and you know where to go (I'm still trying to learn the area, and how to hunt ducks) there is plenty of action. We shot a very mixed bag and me, the boy and the dog had a blast.