When does ice-in start? When are agitators needed?

tis · 11-09-2019, 08:45 AM

Generally the broads are not solidly frozen until the third week of January.

Lakegeezer · 11-09-2019, 02:30 PM

The start time depends on where you are on the lake. In coves and northeastern areas, the freeze can come mid-December but it varies. It is important to keep the bubbler going when the new ice is thin. It can move and will move a dock with it if frozen to it. Once the ice is thick, running the bubbler a few hours a day is enough, and only when its below freezing, because the ice isn't moving laterally. In the spring, when the melt starts, you want the posts free from the ice so that the ice doesn't lift your dock up as the water level rises. Then, as winterh said, once the ice is on its way out, there is not much you can do but hope. One theory is that you should still keep bubbling to a minimum, so the ice can't get up momentum. Another theory is that you should bubble 24x7 around mid-April, so the open water is as large as possible. I've see both methods work and not work. Every year is an experiment.

chaseisland · 11-09-2019, 03:05 PM

Ice in started in September when I spilled my burbon on the rocks into the lake. Yes, I did cry over spilled burbon.

Descant · 11-09-2019, 03:17 PM

The nature of the OP leads me to think perhaps a new owner? Then the question is, how old is the dock, how constructed and what did the previous owner do? If you're off site for an extended time, there red services hat ill atch your property and take care of things after power loss, etc as needed, install and remove the bubblers. You can store them in the water under the dock. Note the new law that you cannot keep an area clear that prevents an abutter from accessing the ice from his property.

CooperS7777 · 11-09-2019, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winterh

I use 2 on my big permanent dock but I question the need every year. I guess they can't hurt. Previous owner was there for 40 years and never used one.

As Lakegeezer mentioned below, the circulators provide more protection from the ice heaving pilings and or posts posts as water levels change, and as the ice and associated weight build around the pilings and or posts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lakegeezer

In the spring, when the melt starts, you want the posts free from the ice so that the ice doesn't lift your dock up as the water level rises.

barefootbay · 11-09-2019, 07:12 PM

I think total ice in is going to become a rare event in the coming years .

JADAQ · 11-10-2019, 01:46 AM

I was placing my bobhouse on Alton Bay at noontime on December 31st this year.....8” of fishable ice!

Lakeboater · 11-17-2019, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JADAQ

I was placing my bobhouse on Alton Bay at noontime on December 31st this year.....8” of fishable ice!

How did you do that? It’s only November. LOL

chipj29 · 11-11-2019, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barefootbay

I think total ice in is going to become a rare event in the coming years .

What makes you think that?
And how would you define "the coming years"?

barefootbay · 11-11-2019, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chipj29

What makes you think that?
And how would you define "the coming years"?

I believe that it is a combination of the hundreds of agitators plus warmer winters that makes ice in increasingly tenuous.

Descant · 11-17-2019, 01:09 PM

Do the bubblers also extend the growing season for milfoil and other invasives? What's the impact on aquatic animals? Why don'tr I see crayfish and sunfish anymore? Horned pout also seem to have disappeared.

rsmlp · 11-18-2019, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Descant

Do the bubblers also extend the growing season for milfoil and other invasives? What's the impact on aquatic animals? Why don'tr I see crayfish and sunfish anymore? Horned pout also seem to have disappeared.

Much more likely the prevalence of rockbass.

LFODMatt · 11-11-2019, 12:29 PM

This is kind of a related topic...

Is there some reason that the majority of island docks (nearly all without a breakwater) have retractable docks, and a majority of the mainland docks look to be permanent? Is it safety issue, is it that the mainland residences have their permanent docking system grandfathered, or something else entirely?

11-09-2019, 02:30 PM	#2
Lakegeezer Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Moultonboro, NH Posts: 1,679 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 355 Thanked 640 Times in 291 Posts	Start time varies... The start time depends on where you are on the lake. In coves and northeastern areas, the freeze can come mid-December but it varies. It is important to keep the bubbler going when the new ice is thin. It can move and will move a dock with it if frozen to it. Once the ice is thick, running the bubbler a few hours a day is enough, and only when its below freezing, because the ice isn't moving laterally. In the spring, when the melt starts, you want the posts free from the ice so that the ice doesn't lift your dock up as the water level rises. Then, as winterh said, once the ice is on its way out, there is not much you can do but hope. One theory is that you should still keep bubbling to a minimum, so the ice can't get up momentum. Another theory is that you should bubble 24x7 around mid-April, so the open water is as large as possible. I've see both methods work and not work. Every year is an experiment. __________________ -lg

11-09-2019, 03:05 PM	#3
chaseisland Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Concord, NH Posts: 158 Thanks: 17 Thanked 68 Times in 44 Posts	Ice Ice in started in September when I spilled my burbon on the rocks into the lake. Yes, I did cry over spilled burbon. Last edited by chaseisland; 11-11-2019 at 08:07 AM.

11-09-2019, 03:17 PM	#4
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,414 Thanks: 1,366 Thanked 1,636 Times in 1,068 Posts	To Bubble or not? The nature of the OP leads me to think perhaps a new owner? Then the question is, how old is the dock, how constructed and what did the previous owner do? If you're off site for an extended time, there red services hat ill atch your property and take care of things after power loss, etc as needed, install and remove the bubblers. You can store them in the water under the dock. Note the new law that you cannot keep an area clear that prevents an abutter from accessing the ice from his property.

11-17-2019, 01:09 PM	#11
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,414 Thanks: 1,366 Thanked 1,636 Times in 1,068 Posts	Milfoil Do the bubblers also extend the growing season for milfoil and other invasives? What's the impact on aquatic animals? Why don'tr I see crayfish and sunfish anymore? Horned pout also seem to have disappeared.

11-09-2019, 08:45 AM	#1
tis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,774 Thanks: 755 Thanked 1,464 Times in 1,020 Posts	Generally the broads are not solidly frozen until the third week of January.

The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to chaseisland For This Useful Post:
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11-09-2019, 07:12 PM	#6
barefootbay Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 392 Thanks: 73 Thanked 106 Times in 74 Posts	I think total ice in is going to become a rare event in the coming years .

11-10-2019, 01:46 AM	#7
JADAQ Senior Member Join Date: May 2016 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 198 Thanks: 4 Thanked 66 Times in 43 Posts	I was placing my bobhouse on Alton Bay at noontime on December 31st this year.....8” of fishable ice!

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11-11-2019, 12:29 PM	#13
LFODMatt Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Posts: 7 Thanks: 14 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	This is kind of a related topic... Is there some reason that the majority of island docks (nearly all without a breakwater) have retractable docks, and a majority of the mainland docks look to be permanent? Is it safety issue, is it that the mainland residences have their permanent docking system grandfathered, or something else entirely?