Snow, cold and ugly

[John Bales]

For me, once the snow gets over a foot deep and it stays because it's just too cold for it to go anywhere, this is the worst part of the whole year. Denny Coulardot would use the word miserable. It's a good thing I still have some painting to do inside the house so I don't have to look at it. Last year the ice wasn't god enough to walk on and my first day on the water was March 6th. Right now we have at least 9 inches with a foot of snow on it so maybe get out the end of March if lucky. Rods are ready, jigs have been poured, plenty of plastics have been replaced and I am ready. I hate winter. John And forgot, spoonplugs updated also.

[Hal Standish]

March of 2019 and 2020 water was open early March. March 4 2020 was my opener This year we may be pushing those early dates back. I 'm hoping for at least a St Patrick's day opener just to be on the water. Ice is thick here this year and the long term forecast does not have a lot of rain As JB mentioned Rods and reels are ready. Many hooks on the Spoonplugs have been sharpened and my new jigs are ready! Thanks JB. A couple of new batteries this season for the boat and we are good to start. 1st year in a my spoonplugging days really have no major changes to make to the boat. I'm Good to Go!
Think Spring!!


Hal

[Team9nine]

Every year is different. Last year, I already had about 50+ bass to hand by this same time, but they were all from the bank. The first boat trip of the year was first week of March, and it sat in the garage for 2.5 months waiting on open water. This year, I got the boat out half a dozen times in January, and managed close to 300 crappie, but have just caught a couple bass by accident on those trips, and none from shore as the ponds froze early. The boat has now been in the garage for 30 days since its last trip, so still well ahead of schedule in that regard, but we have a lot of ice to melt before it will get out again, so who knows. Extended forecast looks favorable though, so I remain optimistic. Rods and reels are all set to go, new batteries in the boat, and now just waiting...

[Bink]

one of the few positives of living in northern Illinois is our early spring fishing fishing on the local cooling lakes. Regardless of weather there’s 70 degree water and fishing can be stupid good the first couple months.