As I may have mentioned in my previous blog entry, central Iowa had fishable ice abnormally early in the season. I fished through 4" of ice on November 22. This was the EARLIEST in the season I have ice-fished, as far as I can remember.
Then, the ice melted COMPLETELY, and we had open-water once again. It soon re-froze, and I fished through 4"+ of ice on Dec. 6.
By the following weekend, the ice turn sour again. By Sunday afternoon, some local ponds had at least SOME open water, and a couple were 100% ice-free. I went ice-fishing. This was the LATEST in the season I flyfished open water. Of course streams and rivers can stay open year-round, but for pond fishing in Iowa, this is extremely unusual.
I did well...flyfished for 90 minutes around dusk, caught 33 Crappies, 1 Largemouth Bass, and 1 Hybrid Sunfish on a chartreuse microjig under an indicator.
The local ponds eventually lost ALL of their ice, again. And as expected, the weather has again turned cold, and the lakes are freezing over once again, for the third time this season!
I hear you man, its been a crazy crazy weather season thus far. I am headed up to Iowa this weekend and not sure to take my ice fishing stuff or the normal fare. Take care and can I just say, you know how to slay those crappie man. You are freakin prolific.
ReplyDeleteNorthern Iowa will likely have good ice for ice-fishing. Here in Central Iowa, the ice is just starting to rebuild. Most smaller waters froze over within the last day or two. It'll be another week or so before the ice will be thick enough to support anglers.
DeleteThere's always the rivers...they are open!
Hi, Dave. The fact that you have some open water to fish in the ponds in December really is interesting. We have sort of had the same icing situation going on in Northern Colorado on the ponds I like to check out. Catching stocked trout out our way here and there on the ponds. Not much as far as warm water fish goes..........
ReplyDeleteChartreuse, apparently, works year round in Iowa!
Yes, Mel, chartreuse is a fairly reliable color for our warmwater species. As Lefty Kreh is often quoted as saying,"If it ain't chartreuse, it ain't no use!" :)
DeleteI feel for you guys and that crazy weather. For what its worth in a few months the bass will be spawning in AR and I always have a little chartreuse on the something pointy and sharp.
ReplyDelete