It’s The Last Dance For 2021 Ice Fishing Season
We've been saying it over and over again this year, but it really has been a weird one. The weather even went through a few mood swings this winter as well. We had a record cold first half of February, followed by a very warm second half. We made a lot of ice early in February, but it is quickly melting. If you've wanted to go ice fishing, now is the time to get that last trip in, as ice is melting fast. Today we will reach the 50s, and tomorrow we could reach even 60 degrees in some areas.
Here's a couple tips if you do go out on the ice. Ask around to see how thick the ice is. Drill a test hole just a ways from shore to make sure that it's still safe. Also make sure you wear waterproof boots. It gets really sloppy in March and you don't want to get wet feet.
Bodies of water that have currents will have thinner ice and be quicker to break up. That includes rivers, reservoirs, etc. You may sometimes see standing water on top of the ice. In some cases that's not as scary as it may look. When the ice starts to "honeycomb" is when that water will go back under the ice. When a lake starts to honeycomb (which means pockets of melted ice), the ice melts super fast. I've had days on Lake Of The Woods when we were driving one warm day on plenty of good ice, and then the next day trucks were breaking through. Things can really change quick, so be aware of your surroundings.
Also one final note, make sure you pick up trash on the lake whether it's yours or not. Some litter bugs leave garbage on the lake, and it's our last chance to get it off the ice before it ends up in the water.