When will you start hitting the water?

Take a drive around Eastern Nebraska and you can see the ice breaking up.

Drove to Wehrspann and Walnut Creek and found close to half the lake is free of ice cover.

Originally i thought, late March maybe the first week of April would be a good starting point. Should the sun shine more and we don't see another cold snap, i see no reason why mid march would be a good time to start hitting the water.

What are your thoughts?

Western Nebraska might be a two or three weeks longer. You guys keep getting the snow.

I'll probably try to get out around mid March. Provided the wind isn't howling!

Chris,
Thanks for the update...I would assume everything within a couple of hrs. of G.I should be open by the 10th or sooner. Harlan probably has open ramps now and I heard N.P ice is going fast. I had the boat out twice in Jan. for trips to KS and I've only logged 8 ice trips this season, pretty bad, considering I usually get 35 days avg. in a 90 day season. Weird weather... I just hope that this spring isn't windy and cold. Good luck,

I will get the boat out of storage the first Sat in April. It will take me a day to get it set up with all the equipment and then will be anytime after that. My first trip with the boat will be to Walnut Creek to check the boat out and make sure everything works. Beaver Lake south of Plattsmouth never did freeze over this year. Just had a little slush around the ends of coves. Hope to do a lot more fishing this year.
My wife retires the 16th of March and will be doing alot more fishing this year.
Good fishing this season and be safe out there. EB

I have to eat my own words in the previous post. I was out in the field today for work and everything is already open from G.I to Lex. I don't know a boat ramp in the lower half of the state that wouldn't be open by the weekend.

I may have to eat my own words as well. Talk to a few weather geeks like myself and folks are talking about a good shot for another snowstorm next week. Now, i love the snow, but winter had its chance to be normal give us snow during the appropriate time. If we get another 6 - 12" snowstorm next week, i'm gonna start chomping on my lures (without the hooks of course) to get back out on the lakes...

Man I feel sorry for you guys up there. Down here we never stop.

BUT, You guys have all the tornado's and hurricanes!!! I will settle for some snow and Ice fishing. hehe :fish . Snowed again overnight. Just a dusting tho. More snow predicted for Wed. I think we will have a very windy spring again this year and will confuse the spawn again and like someone has said it will spread the spawn out so it will be hit and miss. Our spawn is usually mid April on but this year. I am going to start as soon as I get the boat out and ready to go. I get the boat out the first week-end in April so will be ready anytime after that. I may go down and try off the Marina dock before then if it warms up and stays for a week of two. :dono EB

I think your right EB, past few days have been windy and the next several days the winds will be over 20 mph. Went out to Wehrspann today to find the path to get to the handicap pier, water temps seemed around 40 degrees, brrrr. Still 15 degrees below what i want to call the magic number for panfish. Suppose to be close to 70 Tuesday, have to keep an eye on what the winds will be like. I can work with 15 mph, but 20 mph or more and its just a little too difficult.