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So I’m not commuting past Mantua these days. Has anyone noticed any ice starting to form yet? I expect by Saturday we’ll see some, but just wondering if I’m behind the power curve or not. I always hate missing out on early ice over there it’s a fun start to the local season. Been seeing a little on Cutler but not getting thick enough to hold me yet. End of the week I expect things may improve. Later Jeff
When things get stressful think I'll go fish'en and worry about it tomorrow!
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I stopped by Mantua on Saturday afternoon and there was no ice yet. In fact there was a boat out on the lake. The ramp is snow packed and very icy. Last year my kids were out there ice skating on December 8th. Hopefully it starts freezing soon!
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When I dove by yesterday didn’t see any ice
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Echo was showing some ice in the shallow inlet area Monday but the wind and warmer temp today looks like it cleared it out.
Remember: keep the lid on the worms, share your jerky, and stop by to say hi to Cookie and the Cowboy-Pirate crew
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Drove past tonight around five. White caps and rain. No bueno
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Hey guys thanks so much for the update, before the storm the 50 degree temps and 46 mph winds took care of all the ice on Cutler yesterday, but the snow and cold here this morning will probably start a fresh new layer and so hopefully we'll get some good ice now... I haven't been to Newton lately, but I expect it's in the same condition.... I'll check that one out early as well... Since the level is down as much as it has been, it will likely freeze early... I watched enough cold temps up at Tony Grove all week that I was going to try that this weekend if nothing else was ready, but I expect we got enough snow that I can't drive in there anymore... Not worth taking a snowmobile for planter bows... but if it hadn't snowed I think I would have given it a try... Well good luck to all and please be very careful this week, this will probably be the most dangerous one of the season, so stay safe... I'll try to do the same... Later Jeff
When things get stressful think I'll go fish'en and worry about it tomorrow!
We hot about 12" last night at my house so I may skip Scofield Friday and go look for browns at the local hole... I trust 3" of ice.... but not with 20" of snow on it!
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I think you're making a good call...that much snow will make a slush fest for sure... I think we'll be better off starting new ice now rather than having the situation you mention... I guess our problem will be all the snow that comes between now and Christmas will do the same thing to whatever ice gets started this week... The underground is reporting like 6-7 days of measurable snow in the next ten days and some are over 3" per day, so might get snowy by Christmas... Especially if you already have 12"... The wind blew so much out here that I have a foot on one side of the house and bare ground on the other.... So we probably got around 6" if it hadn't got piled up... and scattered... but it sure does look like winter today... Later Jeff
When things get stressful think I'll go fish'en and worry about it tomorrow!
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(12-15-2021, 03:52 PM)SkunkedAgain Wrote: I think you're making a good call...that much snow will make a slush fest for sure... I think we'll be better off starting new ice now rather than having the situation you mention... I guess our problem will be all the snow that comes between now and Christmas will do the same thing to whatever ice gets started this week... The underground is reporting like 6-7 days of measurable snow in the next ten days and some are over 3" per day, so might get snowy by Christmas... Especially if you already have 12"... The wind blew so much out here that I have a foot on one side of the house and bare ground on the other.... So we probably got around 6" if it hadn't got piled up... and scattered... but it sure does look like winter today... Later Jeff
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Ran the blow snower this morning for the first time this year in Ogden. Supposed to snow all day tomorrow, so that won't be my first run.
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(12-15-2021, 03:52 PM)SkunkedAgain Wrote: I think you're making a good call...that much snow will make a slush fest for sure... I think we'll be better off starting new ice now rather than having the situation you mention... I guess our problem will be all the snow that comes between now and Christmas will do the same thing to whatever ice gets started this week... The underground is reporting like 6-7 days of measurable snow in the next ten days and some are over 3" per day, so might get snowy by Christmas... Especially if you already have 12"... The wind blew so much out here that I have a foot on one side of the house and bare ground on the other.... So we probably got around 6" if it hadn't got piled up... and scattered... but it sure does look like winter today... Later Jeff
When my ex-wife moved to Colorado from Wyoming she and the other kids stared in open-mouth wonderment because it was the first time they had seen snow falling straight down instead of going sideways.
The older I get the more I would rather be considered a good man than a good fisherman.
Grantsville isn't frozen so maybe some open water shoreline browns will wanna at, if not oh well ill just keep waiting on Newton or utah lake marinas to ice up
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Temps are about 18.5 degrees F here today at 9:45 ish so it's looking like a good ice making day.... Seems like 17 over night is where we usually see good ice starting to build, so that warm during the day should be a good sign for ice making... Not so good for snow clearing, especially when the wet from the rain before the snow is freezing the snow to the concrete.... Good day for ice melt I guess... Later J
When things get stressful think I'll go fish'en and worry about it tomorrow!
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(12-15-2021, 04:01 PM)RockyRaab2 Wrote: Ran the blow snower this morning for the first time this year in Ogden. Supposed to snow all day tomorrow, so that won't be my first run.
Why won't it still be your first run. 
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Jeff I couldn’t make it up the dirt road to the dam this am when I tried to see what was happening at the Pig, TG will be sleds for sure
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I hope I am wrong, but the UL marinas might not be very fun this year.
At least for me.
The Saratoga Springs Marina Park harbor only has 2’ of water in it.
When it freezes to 6” now you have 18” of water.
Even if fish are there, it will be lame that when you set the hook a flying fish comes sailing out of the hole.
No reeling, no fun.
Like I said, I hope I am wrong.
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(12-16-2021, 04:33 AM)MrShane Wrote: I hope I am wrong, but the UL marinas might not be very fun this year.
At least for me.
The Saratoga Springs Marina Park harbor only has 2’ of water in it.
When it freezes to 6” now you have 18” of water.
Even if fish are there, it will be lame that when you set the hook a flying fish comes sailing out of the hole.
No reeling, no fun.
Like I said, I hope I am wrong.
There was a line in the movie Jurassic Park..."Nature will find a way". I have seen quite a few winters on Utah Lake and some have been in very low water conditions. I remember thinking that with only skinny water that there would be no fish under the ice. But on a whim I drove down to see what was going on at Lindon Harbor. I was amazed to see several drillers and dunkers working along the outside edge of one of the docks...and catching both white bass and a few crappies...in less than 2 feet of water.
The fish gotta go somewhere to feed and find structure/cover. And if they can't find better habitat then they have to make do with what is available. But ice fishing in thin water requires the utmost in stealth and patience. You can't just go tromping all over the ice and expect to find fish everywhere. And it's better if there is a good snow cover to help reduce your visibility to the fish below. Even better if they are hiding under a dock. But you still have to quietly drill a hole (hand auger or electric) set up and wait quietly...without moving around a lot or banging things on the ice. It may take a while for the fish to move back in to the area you assaulted with noise but once they do you can at least yank a few.
Also fished right in the first spring at Lincoln Beach one year when there was very little water. Same situation. Had to drill holes and sit in a chair quietly for a while before the fish started biting. But we caught a bunch of nice bluegills, a few whities, a crappie and even a small June sucker.
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Hey Alan, I think that storm was a little bigger than I initially thought, that's crazy if it's too deep to get over the dam already... I know the sun will thin that down through the winter, but wow we usually don't see that until January most years... Watching Cutler and going to check Newton, there's a chance we might be on the ice by Saturday... I knew the ice would be too thin yesterday so I resisted the urge to go check, but we got down to 11 last night, so I'm thinking we may be in the 2" range today, so I may go punch a hole and see if my estimate is close... I just can't wait very well... Pretty sure I'm too fat to stay on top today but I think it's getting close... My snowmobile needs some work on my skis, I need to get them greased so they turn a little easier, so I doubt I'll be ready to try TG this weekend... But I think the temps have been cool enough it should be go time up there... At least worth a check... Did you hear if Mantua capped yet? I'll bet it's close if it didn't go already... Thanks for the info... Jeff
When things get stressful think I'll go fish'en and worry about it tomorrow!
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(12-16-2021, 01:43 PM)SkunkedAgain Wrote: Hey Alan, I think that storm was a little bigger than I initially thought, that's crazy if it's too deep to get over the dam already... I know the sun will thin that down through the winter, but wow we usually don't see that until January most years... Watching Cutler and going to check Newton, there's a chance we might be on the ice by Saturday... I knew the ice would be too thin yesterday so I resisted the urge to go check, but we got down to 11 last night, so I'm thinking we may be in the 2" range today, so I may go punch a hole and see if my estimate is close... I just can't wait very well... Pretty sure I'm too fat to stay on top today but I think it's getting close... My snowmobile needs some work on my skis, I need to get them greased so they turn a little easier, so I doubt I'll be ready to try TG this weekend... But I think the temps have been cool enough it should be go time up there... At least worth a check... Did you hear if Mantua capped yet? I'll bet it's close if it didn't go already... Thanks for the info... Jeff
I suspect someone will make it to the top of the dam pretty soon, I just didn’t want to keep making runs and have to dig out or chain up lol. A lion hunter had gone up on a sled. Are you off this week? No haven’t seen anything more on Mantua, with the wind we had anything that formed would be less then 24hrs old. Let me know what you see at Newton and if you need a rope tender for safety or just company send me a text
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