Pineview and ice?

[albinotrout]

Anyone have a report for how thick the ice is at Pineview?
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[SmokeOnTheWater]

Hi All - New to this Forum

Been a lookielou for some time now and since I live near and drive by Pineview daily I thought I'd start with my first post as a caution to all ice fishermen.

The Valley experienced an early and severe cold spell about the last three weeks but that ended with last weekends heavy snowfall. North Fork, Gertsen Bay, and Middle Fork were ice covered with clear ice early last week (Dec 7th), the rest of the reservoir was open water all the way to the dam. Overnight on Tuesday and Wednesday the mercury hit 7 below. When I came home from work last Thursday, the entire lake had capped and things were looking great. Friday night it began to snow and didn't quit till late Sunday dumping nearly 20" and since then it has warmed considerably with temps around 25 lows and 35 highs. Today the warmer temperatures are settling the snow to about 1 foot near the caretakers home near the dam. Pineview is still completely iced over but looks like April ice conditions. The snowfall must have been too heavy for the ice to support and it all looks saturated and slushy.

I have not ventured out to even check the edges yet but plan to this weekend. I have not seen anyone on the ice even near the docks at the Port Ramp. Parking will be a problem again this year as the plows have just cleared the roadway and nothing more. The small parking lot near the old windsurfer beach and trailhead is closed (gate locked) and the Port Ramp is walk in or snowmobile only. Parking across from the caretakers home has not been plowed and looks miserably messy.

This morning was heavy fog lasting all day and probably all night tonight. It's 18 degrees right now (1030 pm) and maybe things will start to set back up. If anyone wants to try it on their own, I wouldn't recommend it!

Hope this helped? Be Careful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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[waljustia]

Welcome to the forum (Officially).

Excellent report, thanks!
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[PACKFAN]

Ga Day lookielou, glad to see your post once in awhile.[:p]
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[halojm]

about time you show up on this board.
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[RILEYFISH]

Welcome aboard Thom.

Glad you finally joined up here. This place is fun and more comical than the KFF.
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[SmokeOnTheWater]

Pineview Update 12/18/09 27 degrees

Two cars parked near the caretakers home and two groups of brave souls out on the ice. Looks like there were no problems as no-one was waving for help as I drove by. Maybe we'll all see their post in a few hours reporting ice conditions and fishing activity?
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[lunkerhunter2]

I drilled a hole at the caretakers today and it was 1 1/2" thick, 4" of water and another 2" of soft crust. They must have bigger sacks than I.[crazy]
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[k2muskie]

Agree LH2...bring all the safety gear and a change of clothes.

Last weeks heavy wet snow didn't do PV good at all. Won't see us on it for several weeks if then as the Narrows is not a fun hike out for us...Just wish they'd plow or some kind soul would plow the Port Ramp. I'd even kick in some $$ if a kind soul would do that. Then post up...totally ridicilious about the Port Ramp and lack of reasonable access onto PV in the winter...but hey it's managed by the feds so I guess that says it all.[unimpressed][unimpressed]
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[PACKFAN]

Waiting for your reports.[fishin]
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[lunkerhunter2]

Not here Pete.
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[Bduck]

Glad your here Tom. Nice sight seeing report during your drive-bys.
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[albinotrout]

Thanks for the info. At least I will wait a couple of weeks for a good hard freeze before thinking of going up there.
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[PACKFAN]

I understand.
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[tacokid789]

We hit pineview by the damn today on our way home from idaho fishin edges are SOLID and so is the ice. There are lots of spots that look like holes, but are just weird imperfections of solid ice!! Ice was 5". We found two sets of holes about near middle and just hot spotted them so we didn't have to drill our own. We are big trout guys but figured we live so close to the big pine that we'd hit it up for kicks and giggles. Hickory smoked perch can be good! We we picked up a pile of perch off bottom, all of which were VERY hard to set hooks in. We found out why when we pulled them up and all were 2-3" lol... Bummer. Biologists say this is bad year for perch. We did catch a 13" crappie though. I would love to pull a Muskie up onto the deck, any ideas, tips, tackle, or technique??? Thanks and ice was pleanty safe and pleanty thick, at least in narrows.
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[albinotrout]

Good news thanks![cool]
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