CTFishTalk.com: Short Ice report Jan. 16th - Connecticut Ice Fishing Reports ( CT Ice Fishing Reports ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

SeaDog1 · Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 2629

Hi,

Had to run down to Staples, in Torrington, to get ink for my printer.

Decided to check out some waters on the way home. (4:00 PM)

My on site Observations:

Stillwater -> Snow covered and No foot prints going out.
Park -> Snow covered and No foot prints going out.
Winchester Lake -> Snow covered and No foot prints going out
Burr -> Snow covered and No foot prints going out
Highland Lake (at the boat ramp) -> Snow covered -> 2 Long open water leads across north end of 1st Bay + a couple of wet looking spots middle of 1st Bay.

Snow is heavy and wet -> This will insulate and put heavy weight on what remaining ice (50% white on top of 50% black) there was after this past warm spell.
Snow will fill in and hide the holes drilled the last few days + it will be sloppy!
Next 2 days -> Though cold .... there will be lots of sunshine and snow will melt on top of the ice. -> Not a good condition for the making of new ice.

If you go out -> "CHECK THAT ICE THICKNESS" every few feet starting from the shore outward Exclamation

Stay Safe

SeaDog1

fishermen121 · Joined: 21 Jan 2012 Posts: 7

thanks for the report seadog1, i was gonna head up to winchester lake this weekend, but i wanna hear some other reports on it to see if anyone knows the ice thickness. last weekend there was a good 7in of ice, and tonight and tomorow are soppose to be in the 20s.

icefishingnewbie · Joined: 18 Dec 2011 Posts: 275 Location: Haddam, CT

I am 99.999999999999 % sure it is still safe Wink

SeaDog1 · Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 2629

Hi 121,

You know it's a day by day check !
The recent snow as I said was heavy and wet, and it acts an insulator causing ice to form much more slowly !
Today ...The sun did as I expected and caused the snow to melt and water to form under it on top of last week's remaing ice after the warm spell, and that was a 50-50 mix of white and black ice.
What that will do to the lake and pond ice is unknown as each body of water has its own unique differences effecting it.

Best advice is to check the ice thickness from the shore outward every few feet and also to each side.
You can have reliable ice under you and very thin ice a coupkle of feet to either side.

CHECK - CHECK - CHECK Exclamation

AND HAVE ALL YOUR SAFETY GEAR WITH YOU Exclamation

Best regards,
SeaDog1

SeaDog1 · Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 2629

Advent · Joined: 21 Feb 2012 Posts: 18 Location: Danbury

Have personally check most bodies of water in the greater Danbury area, most you cant even access the ice to check how thick it is(shores are thawed upwards of 8 feet) the only place that ive had consistently good ice all-be-it 3 inches closer to the shore has been the northern cove of West lake res.
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icefishingnewbie · Joined: 18 Dec 2011 Posts: 275 Location: Haddam, CT

Seadog actually i had a friend first hand go out monday on winchester 6-7 inches everywhere he was.... so its not like snow melts the ice an that was by the 1st cove

icefishingnewbie · Joined: 18 Dec 2011 Posts: 275 Location: Haddam, CT

So fishermen you will be able to go out just fine and seadog i am not giving out any false information this is all true just like seadog said be safe but there is a clear visible line where the ice thins out to still 4 inches of black ice as of monday and that is toward the northern part of the lake near the stumps.... I like Ice shanty.com better than this site

x182dan · Joined: 19 Mar 2009 Posts: 329 Location: Seymour, CT

I would be bet winchester is fine, but you should always check before you just run out on the ice. I plan to ice fish this weekend but not on winchester.
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SeaDog1 · Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 2629

Hi,

FYI :

I made a mistake 3 years ago by passing on a second hand ice condition report from an individual that I trusted.

This turned out to be wrong .... and I got raked for it.
I maned-up ..... and made a public apology for making that error.

Second Hand info is just that -> Second Hand and should always be questioned.

Now ..... I only make ice reports on waters that I personally have visited (dated) and either 1st hand observed or actually tested when possible !

(NOTE: Even my 1st Hand reports should be "checked and verified" by all who visit those waters I have reported on Exclamation

)

Right now we have some nice cold Wx -> BUT there is a lot of White ice overlaying a thin layer of Black ice !
This presents its own serious problems -> White ice is weaker and will hide danger spots.

Everyone .... Take extra care going out onto ice, have all your Safety Gear, and CHECK that ice every few feet !
We've already had a few incidents recently of individuals falling thru thin/weak spots ...... Not the time ever to let your guard down Exclamation

SeaDog1