Ice or no Ice??

[Bassman]

There is a local lake that is iced over but its not thick ice. I want to go fishing but the ice presents a problem. The ice is 3/4 of an inch thick and easily breakable.i could very easily break it with a john boat but wouldnt that spook the fish? What exactly should i do about this ice problem?

[fishin3]

Dad use to go duck hunting in Memphis and they took turns using an ax to chop thier way to the duck blind. Maybe get a buddy to do that? I think if you can stand to cold and give them time; they might settle back down and start biting. I would give it a try if given half a chance.
Good Luck and try to stay warm!!

[tarfu]

howdy; don't try to motor your way throught the ice or you can call your boat TITANIC! even the 3/4" stuff will cut your aluminum sides like a hot knife thrugh warm butter!
stay warm and dry tarfu.

[Bassman]

i thought about that.

[Kokanee King]

knowing area where you live Bassman the air temp is going to start to warm over the next week so i would just wait till it thaws it sould not be long. tell me how it goes.

[PIGINTHEPIGPEN]

howdy; don't try to motor your way throught the ice or you can call your boat TITANIC! even the 3/4" stuff will cut your aluminum sides like a hot knife thrugh warm butter!
stay warm and dry tarfu.

I must just be lucky then because, I have broke ice 3/4" in my Ranger Cherokee on several different outings and have not had a hole in the boat yet

[Crappie Attitude]

howdy; don't try to motor your way throught the ice or you can call your boat TITANIC! even the 3/4" stuff will cut your aluminum sides like a hot knife thrugh warm butter!

Huh? I must be lucky too cause I gots a duck boat that has broken miles of 3/4" (plus) ice and I've never sliced a hole in the aluminum like a hot knife through butter. In fact, I know lots of people who have done the same and not one that I know if has sliced their hull open. We must all be blessed.

Bassman, I have on several occasions busted ice to get to my crappie hole, most generally on a warming trend. My best trip ever, bar none, was on a day that we busted ice to get to the spot. Go ahead, bust the ice out, it may spook the fish a bit but they'll settle down shortly.

I don't know the rest of you situation there so that leaves lots of variables but remember, if that ice is melting, depending on the water color, those fish could be as shallow as 18". The water right under the ice is the warmest. Good luck!

[unknown 5]

I am not sure where you live but after the very short warm spell, the weather channel is calling for very cold weather over the Eastrn United States. I would play it safe and wait until the ice is thick.

[Roberta]

. >>The water right under the ice is the warmest.<<

Whoever told you that? The water right under the ice is the coldest - just barely above freezing. The warmest water after ice up is ten to fifteen feet deep and deeper since water is its densest at 39 degrees, causing it to sink. Oxygen content canbe high right under th eice, though, which is why fish can be caught very shallow. - Roberta

[Crappie Attitude]

. >>The water right under the ice is the warmest.<<

Whoever told you that? The water right under the ice is the coldest - just barely above freezing. The warmest water after ice up is ten to fifteen feet deep and deeper since water is its densest at 39 degrees, causing it to sink. Oxygen content canbe high right under th eice, though, which is why fish can be caught very shallow. - Roberta

Really. What if the water isn't 10 to 15 feet deep? What kind of stratification is there in water that is 15 feet deep and clear? 15 feet deep and dingy?

So, you are telling me that ice doesn't melt from the bottom up like I have been told all these years? (Due to convection.)

Why do the fish normally get right up under the surface during and just after ice out then? Are you saying that wave actions doesn't disperse that oxygen content? Does it just hover there?

How do you explain the fact that often the day of ice out on X body of water the surface temp may be anywhere between 40-50 degrees if the water right under the ice is the coldest? Is it because of it's superior oxygen content?

Several questions there, maybe you'd like to share with us your knowledge on each.