Ice!

Ya Willie...its got some serious chill in the air tonight. I set the 20 power marine binocs on the tripod and set it up out in the driveway to view jupiter. I could see two of the moons. Pretty neat stuff. I gotta admit though that thinking I could grab ten minutes out there in my t-shirt got to be a bit much at around 10 degrees here....had to get a shirt half way thru. The wide spot above the small spillway in the stream behind our property has shale on it tonght so things will definitely tighten up betwixt tonight and tomorrow/tomorrow night.

In Minneapolis this afternoon: Wirth covered over, Brownie covered over, Cedar only open water in northern quarter, Isles covered over except one small spot in far west edge, Harriet and Calhoun both still wide open of course, Nokomis about 70 per cent covered, Hiawatha close to 95% iced over. How deep the ice is I don't know but just beyond the unsafe ice sign down on the east end of the Lake of the Isles there was a portashack out. PFD, picks, and spud for sure, but there are some spots that are worth looking at right now for walk on, if one is really careful. Highs tomorrow only into the mid-20s. Last jigs came in the mail today. Maybe for a little while tomorrow afternoon, depending on how adventurous I feel. Next week for sure.

These are all core Metro lakes, the outer ring suburbs and the surrounding countryside are 5 degrees colder yet. Gentlemen start your augers. :)

Getting the portable down from the rafters and bringing the auger to work tomorrow for a pre-season tune. :)

Fellas, have fun and be safe. We're a few weeks away here in northwest PA. Highs in the 30's all week. Going up to the 40's monday and tuesday so it'll be a while for us here. Guess i'll keep shore fishing, since i put the boat away already.

lol

This here old dawg just aint up to going for a cold swim simply to be first one out on the ice. I let others do that and look for fishing holes and pedestrian tracks that did the preliminary testing. I haven't gone through for the first time yet, and that is one experience I hope to avoid forever. Knock on wood.

Around here those firsts are starting to show up; so pretty soon now I can come in on the second wave on some of our waters. The lakes I fish are pretty small, nothing over 400 or 500 acres and are deep in the Metro to boot. So I am more than happy to let others break the path.

I've done the cold water dunk three times. That's enough for me. I wait until I see a path now, fish aren't that important now at my age.

Got a good laugh at this..

Im not the only one chompin at the bit..

It made a little ice on the swamps last night. Supposed to go to the 20's for a good part of next week, so were getting there..

Saw 7 portables out on my way home. It's time.. :)

Were supposed to hit 10 tonight, and it was only 27 today. We will be fishing by Christmas or before...rotfl:crazy: