[SeaDog1]

Hi,

06:30 AM
Winsted , Ct. 1/31/2013
Temp. 61 F
Raining lightly now -> Poured last night + heavy Fog !

I had snow all over my property last evening - about 3 inches.
Right now 85-90% of the snow is GONE ! -> Just green grass showing.
Not looking good

Independent USGS water flow gages at Riverton and New Boston have spiked up-wards dramaticly !

I'm going to take a drive this morning to check and see what dammage the warm temp and rain has caused to the ponds and lakes

SeaDog1

[SeaDog1]

Hi,

FYI :

It's now 8:26 AM and pouring heavy Rain

Again -> Not Good !



SeaDog1

[NorthEastFisherman]

Its fine the ice isnt going anywhere.
_________________
YouTube Channel: NorthEastFisherman

[SeaDog1]

Hi,

OK Guys! ... Here's my ice report for the NW corner.

Left the house at 9:30 AM
Temp was 57 F
Sunny and wind starting to pick up.

Stops I made in the following order:

1. Highland Lake -> Lots of pooled water + cloudy White ice and 1-3 ft. of open edges + broken ice at boat ramp.

2. Park Pond -> Lots of pooled water + cloudy White ice and 1-2 ft. of open edges.
Winchester DOT was in parking lot -> They had just cut and cleared a big tree that had gotten blown across Blue St.

3. Winchester Lake -> Broken ice at the ramp out 3 ft + some open edges -> lots of pooled water and cloudy White ice.

4. Burr Pond -> Lots of pooled water - cloudy White ice and some open edges.

5. Hogback Res. -> Low water (lowest I've ever seen it) -> 80% covered with White ice and some pooled water -> North end (20%) open water.
Stopped at the MDC west office at Hogback and saw my friend Tim (MDC manager there).
He confirmed that there where a number of ice jams on the river north of Colebrook Res. as well as south of Hogback on the Farmington River last night.
That's why the USGS gages at Riverton and New Boston showed a drastic drop in water flow till the running water undemined the jams and broke them up.
Water flows at the gages then spiked way high early this morning.
(See graphs on USGS page for Connecticut)
He informed me that Army Corp of Engineers as well as MDC have been raising and lowering water levels in both resevoirs which is why edges are broken and water showing 1-4 ft. along most of the shore lines.

Drove to the north end of Colebrook Res. and saw the river running high and rolly.
Sandy Brook was running high and rolly.

6. Colebrook Res. -> Lots of pooled water and White ice + I noticed 3 ice pressure ridges that had formed lateraly across the res.

7. Drove back to Riverton following the Still River -> Huge blocks of broken ice estimated at at least 6-8 inches thick all along the river banks -> This is obviously from the ice jams.
From Riverton I drove down west side of Farmington River to Pleasent Valley (steel bridge Rt. 318) -> Farmington running quite high and rolly.

8. West Hill Pond -> Lots of pooled water and cloudy White ice. -> Ice broken at the boat ram 2-3 ft. and shore lines have open edges.

NOTE:
I saw "NO ONE" at all on any ice

I did not get out on any ice due to open and broken edges, I was alone, and because all that White ice did not look very healthy, actually in my opinion looked quite nasty

All the rain from last night + snow melt run-off + streams have lifted all the ice shelfs on all waters ! -> This is what is causing edges to be broken and showing open water.
I noticed that almost all the snow in fields and forests is GONE -> Only small scattered spots remain and saw No Snow on Rt.8 from Winsted to Torrington.

Returned home at 2:30 PM -> Temp. all day stayed steady at 41 F. + Wind picking up more.

Well that's my report -> Not exactly what anyone wants to hear -> But it is what it is

Mother Nature has not been kind.
How much water percolated down thru the ice and weakened it ... I do not know ... But I "HIGHLY SUGGEST" that anyone attempting to go out tomorrow or Saturday and Sunday .... Take every precaution and have all your Safety Gear and go with a buddy !

We do have colder Wx comming -> But I do belive we need 2 solid days of cold to re-freeze waters back to a reasonable thickness we had before the rain and warm temps.

Stay Safe,
Best regards,
SeaDog1

[SaTP]

Anybody know if Highland will be safe by Saturday?

[NorthEastFisherman]

The wind will put all that crap rain snow and ice off the good ice so i think anything left over is thick ice.
_________________
YouTube Channel: NorthEastFisherman

[avidangler]

I'm going to check mt tom in the morning.mohawk and bantam.I'll let you know how they are.
_________________
...Randy...

Leeway and elbow room.There's plenty of water to fish!


avidanglingadventures.blogspot.com



"If we concentrated on the really important stuff in life,there'd be a shortage of fishing poles."

[SeaDog1]

[androux]

Mmmm, on the drive through Litchfield today, it looked like most lakes where swelled, pushing the ice up and leaving open water on edges of even the smallest ponds. The Bantam river, which for the past two weeks has been totally frozen over was RAGING (I think it was running over the ice).

Gonna be cold for the next few days, and I don't think the main sheet on most lakes up north was damaged much, but getting on could be tough, especially on lakes influenced alot by rainfall (Bantam, Hogsback, Candlewood).
_________________
"Fish now, answer questions later."

[SeaDog1]

[Dave N.]

And this is why we're heading NORTH for the weekend!!! Gotta let things cool off again in this end of town. I must admit SEADOG that I truly admire your highly detailed posts, and everyone should realize by now your strict regard for SAFETY........BUT.....it seems to me that you've spent more time this season TYPING than FISHING!!! NOW GET OUT THERE AND RIP SOME LIP

[SeaDog1]

Hi Dave,

Wish I had the time to head north !

Per the record ... The majority of ice here in Ct. really didn't form till the Cold Snap started on Jan. 21st.
Prior to that -> All us ice fishermen where begging for cold Wx to show up.

Then we had a week of very bitter cold well below freezing + wind. (Not pleasant conditions)
Now we just got hit with rain and some warm days and everyone is praying that the ice will survive this beating.

Mother Nature has not been kind to us ice fishermen this season, and has hit us left and right at every turn
And because of recent Wx -> Many ice derbys have been cancelled !

It's now Feb 1st which means we've only had 11 days of fishable Wx with reliable ice ... 1/2 of which was dominated by bitter cold.

That's the hard facts per the Wx record.
So far we haven't had much of a "SEASON" at all.

"11 lousy days" -> And most guys can only get out on weekends !

I got out only 3x (1 was a skunk) and 2 was fishing for Golden Shiners (Lots of fun).
Was looking forward to going smelt fishing, but that's turned into a bust for now.

Now you go have fun up north, and I wish you lots of luck and Stay Safe !

No need for you to worry about my getting out to fish ....... I will !
Just hope that this next run of cold Wx will get us all back out on the ice

Best regards,
SeaDog1

[icefishingnewbie]

I am going to Tyler lake Saturday who else is going

[jimbojonez]

the visible ice here in Berlin in minimal at best. LOTS of open water as of this afternoon 2/1/13. One of the more sheltered ponds (the crane one on rt.9) had just recapped; however, the ice was very thin. The bodies of water I am referring to were all safely frozen before the warm moist system dipped its feet in them. I am crushed, as I have been dying to fish ALL of Job's Pond in Portland. I am confident it will take a few days before there will be ANY safe ice there, maybe a week before the whole pond is safe. The weather really damaged everything within a conservative radius of me.

[avidangler]

Went by bantam.The edges of the south bay were refreezing.2 lone jiggers out there.Did not go to mohawk as planned.Went to mt tom.The edges were chunky but,if you step on the chunks and go out you will find 7-9 inches of black ice.5 hrs no flags or anything jigging.4 others there.Couple of flags for then and 1 small brn.Also went by black rock pond.edges were locking up again about 1 inch. thick at that point.Things look fine fine minus the edges but,that will improve by morning.As for mt tom, people have been keeping their lips zipped..The place has been putting out some beasts.
_________________
...Randy...

Leeway and elbow room.There's plenty of water to fish!


avidanglingadventures.blogspot.com



"If we concentrated on the really important stuff in life,there'd be a shortage of fishing poles."