Ice Out 2020 Guess Statistics

Pineedles · 03-04-2020, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joey2665

I think more the very mild winter and a little bit of optimism

I wasn’t speaking of this year, but rather a majority of the years that guesses are made, overwhelmingly early. Optimistic guesses, wishing for the warmer weather.

Sent from my iPad using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

fatlazyless · 03-04-2020, 03:20 PM

Someone like Top Water or someone, correct me if this is not the case, here.

Fishing Lake Winnipesaukee through natural openings in the ice:

No fishing for trout through any natural openings in the ice before April 1.

Fishing for small mouth bass and sun fish though natural openings in the ice is allowed before April 1, except these fish go dormant in the cold water, basically hibernate, and are not looking for anything to eat, making it a waste of time to go fishing for bass before April 1 ..... and more like before May 1.

The #1 best place to go open water fishing for trout before April 1 is in the Winnipesaukee River in Laconia which has different rules because it is a river and not a lake. A super-duper hot spot is fly fishing the Winni River from the lower parking lot behind the Laconia Walgreens.

Descant · 03-04-2020, 04:01 PM

I have a feeling that thje further south you live, the earlier you think ice out will occur. You just can't walk around in balmy NJ or NY, RI, CT weather and think there is still ice when all the lakes around you have been clear for weeks.

Fishinfergy · 03-04-2020, 04:09 PM

Is the lake currently open anywhere?

Bear Guy · 03-04-2020, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pineedles

... a majority of the years that guesses are made, overwhelmingly early. ....

If you look at the data this way, I'd actually say equal number of average guesses are before declared Ice out as there are after.

Hillcountry · 03-04-2020, 05:51 PM

Southern NH ponds (Cobbett’s in Windham) and others was said to be opening up earlier this week...I can’t verify, just what I see online.

MAXUM · 03-05-2020, 05:32 PM

Taken 3 weeks from now

ishoot308 · 03-05-2020, 07:20 PM

Does anyone know if Massabesic Lake in Manchester is open yet?...That has always been my reliable “two weeks to go” indicator....

Hillcountry · 03-06-2020, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ishoot308

Does anyone know if Massabesic Lake in Manchester is open yet?...That has always been my reliable “two weeks to go” indicator....

Someone on an ice fishing forum said it was "looking very sketchy"
That was yesterday...

ishoot308 · 03-05-2020, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Top-Water

If it was still light out I would go ............ and make an an excuse up to go to bass pro shops at the same time.

Kind a my 2 week warning as well.

I’ll be back in town on Tuesday and will check it out!

Dan

MAXUM · 03-05-2020, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ishoot308

I’ll be back in town on Tuesday and will check it out!

Dan

I'll try to take a detour over there tomorrow morning and have a look on my way to work. Yes it's usually a two week tattle tail.

MAXUM · 03-06-2020, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAXUM

I'll try to take a detour over there tomorrow morning and have a look on my way to work. Yes it's usually a two week tattle tail.

Massebessic is still pretty solid, but is starting to erode around the shore line. I'd say it's a 7-10 days.

ishoot308 · 03-06-2020, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAXUM

Massebessic is still pretty solid, but is starting to erode around the shore line. I'd say it's a 7-10 days.

Thanks for that report!.... getting my boat ready for April 1st!

Dan

upthesaukee · 03-06-2020, 05:52 PM

Lily Pond is still locked. In fact there was an ice fisherman out in the middle, pulling his equipment sled.

Dave

MikeF-NH · 03-08-2020, 11:20 AM

Me too Dan! I've called the place I store and told them to begin Spring prep and have delivery ready for the Friday before April 1 (I'm feeling good about dragging some lines on that first day of April!).

Even called my bike storage guys and told them to get me the bike as soonest convenience as I've missed a few good days already and I'm ready to get back on the EltraGlide and take a trip to the lakes region to check the ice and stop by AJs.

ishoot308 · 03-09-2020, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Top-Water

Took a little ride thru there today to get a little fresh air and make up an excuse to go to Bass Pro Shop.

Overlooking the lake on RT 28 coming from Derry shows almost 80 to 90 % of the west side of the lake free of ice but not completly free of ice but dam close . The parking area near the rotary circle was closed of today so I did not get a chance see much on that side but on the way over there a lot of open water on the east side. I did not have time to veiw Claire's Landing. Tomorrows high temps will do a number on it. Maybe by the weekend it will be all done.

Thanks for that update Top!

If Massy is free of ice by Friday at the latest, that means Winni should be well open by March 27th.. which means Fishing April 1st!!

Dan

Andromeda321 · 03-09-2020, 03:25 PM

It's pretty insane that I walked to work this morning in a skirt and wasn't cold whatsoever in Boston and to know there's still any ice on the lakes up north. I'm betting on a record-early ice out.

MAXUM · 03-10-2020, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ishoot308

Thanks for that update Top!

If Massy is free of ice by Friday at the latest, that means Winni should be well open by March 27th.. which means Fishing April 1st!!

Dan

I'll take a detour on my way home and check it out again and post an update. Extra light now is nice may hit it before dark. The east side is always the last to go. As of Sunday along Rt 121 there was a open water out about 30 feet from shore but the middle still looked pretty solid and still pretty white. It got up over 70 on Monday and today it is nearly as warm. The Pennichuck ponds along Rt-3 just north of Exit 8 are all but clear and they clear about a week ahead of Massebessic. Even if the Winni isn't completely clear by April 1 no doubt there will be plenty of open water to splash in and fish. May just have to dodge a few ice bergs and of course typical early season debris.

Need to get the wind to get kicked up and that will certainly start to break things up nicely.

Hillcountry · 03-10-2020, 06:55 PM

Someone on an ice fishing forum said Massy was wide open today.

ishoot308 · 03-10-2020, 06:59 PM

Lily Pond is still frozen solid as of a few minutes ago, even the edges....

Dan

MAXUM · 03-10-2020, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hillcountry

Someone on an ice fishing forum said Massy was wide open today.

It is not, but very close. The east side still has ice on it, about 1/4 of the largest area is open on the 121 side, the rest of it is still covered but it will not be for long. The ice is very dark, thin, very weak and looks like a good stiff wind will clear it off quickly. Driving around Auburn side the inlet near the boat ramp is open out a few hundred feet the ice again. Ice down there is in the same condition.

The west side is open.

Ice out is definitely imminent there.

MAXUM · 03-10-2020, 10:28 PM

No problem - I can't imagine it not being ice free by the weekend.

ishoot308 · 03-11-2020, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAXUM

No problem - I can't imagine it not being ice free by the weekend.

I just drove around Massy this morning and I would agree!

Looking out from Claire's Landing on the Auburn side, mostly open water now with very little ice left out in the distance. Coming down 121 heading into Manchester, all open water except a small amount of ice in the 28B bridge channel, which should be gone today. Absolutely no ice in view from the main parking area on 28B, all open water.

I would consider Massy completely ice free by Friday, which means somewhere around March 27th Winni should be open!

Dan

MAXUM · 03-11-2020, 08:37 AM

When I drove by Massebessic this morning looked something like this. All this last night was ice covered.

Wind kicked up last night and cleaned it off good.

03-04-2020, 03:20 PM	#2
fatlazyless Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 8,849 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 303 Thanked 1,033 Times in 752 Posts	..... fishing though natural melted openings in the ice? Someone like Top Water or someone, correct me if this is not the case, here. Fishing Lake Winnipesaukee through natural openings in the ice: No fishing for trout through any natural openings in the ice before April 1. Fishing for small mouth bass and sun fish though natural openings in the ice is allowed before April 1, except these fish go dormant in the cold water, basically hibernate, and are not looking for anything to eat, making it a waste of time to go fishing for bass before April 1 ..... and more like before May 1. The #1 best place to go open water fishing for trout before April 1 is in the Winnipesaukee River in Laconia which has different rules because it is a river and not a lake. A super-duper hot spot is fly fishing the Winni River from the lower parking lot behind the Laconia Walgreens.

03-04-2020, 04:01 PM	#3
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,455 Thanks: 1,376 Thanked 1,651 Times in 1,079 Posts	How far south? I have a feeling that thje further south you live, the earlier you think ice out will occur. You just can't walk around in balmy NJ or NY, RI, CT weather and think there is still ice when all the lakes around you have been clear for weeks.

03-05-2020, 05:32 PM	#7
MAXUM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kuna ID Posts: 2,755 Thanks: 246 Thanked 1,942 Times in 802 Posts	Taken 3 weeks from now Attached Images

03-05-2020, 07:20 PM	#8
ishoot308 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Gilford, NH / Welch Island Posts: 6,345 Thanks: 2,415 Thanked 5,337 Times in 2,086 Posts	Massabesic? Does anyone know if Massabesic Lake in Manchester is open yet?...That has always been my reliable “two weeks to go” indicator.... __________________ It's Always Sunny On Welch Island!!

03-06-2020, 05:52 PM	#14
upthesaukee Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 5,607 Blog Entries: 2 Thanks: 2,478 Thanked 1,984 Times in 1,084 Posts	Lily Pond Lily Pond is still locked. In fact there was an ice fisherman out in the middle, pulling his equipment sled. Dave __________________ I Live Here... I am always UPTHESAUKEE !!!!

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03-04-2020, 04:09 PM	#4
Fishinfergy Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: Newburyport & Laconia Posts: 15 Thanks: 0 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	Is the lake currently open anywhere?

03-04-2020, 05:51 PM	#6
Hillcountry Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: In the hills Posts: 2,420 Thanks: 1,677 Thanked 786 Times in 466 Posts	Southern NH ponds (Cobbett’s in Windham) and others was said to be opening up earlier this week...I can’t verify, just what I see online.

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03-08-2020, 11:20 AM	#15
MikeF-NH Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 318 Thanks: 2 Thanked 120 Times in 80 Posts	Me too Dan! I've called the place I store and told them to begin Spring prep and have delivery ready for the Friday before April 1 (I'm feeling good about dragging some lines on that first day of April!). Even called my bike storage guys and told them to get me the bike as soonest convenience as I've missed a few good days already and I'm ready to get back on the EltraGlide and take a trip to the lakes region to check the ice and stop by AJs.

03-09-2020, 03:25 PM	#17
Andromeda321 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2019 Posts: 80 Thanks: 17 Thanked 32 Times in 19 Posts	It's pretty insane that I walked to work this morning in a skirt and wasn't cold whatsoever in Boston and to know there's still any ice on the lakes up north. I'm betting on a record-early ice out.

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to MAXUM For This Useful Post:
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03-10-2020, 06:55 PM	#19
Hillcountry Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: In the hills Posts: 2,420 Thanks: 1,677 Thanked 786 Times in 466 Posts	Someone on an ice fishing forum said Massy was wide open today.

03-10-2020, 06:59 PM	#20
ishoot308 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Gilford, NH / Welch Island Posts: 6,345 Thanks: 2,415 Thanked 5,337 Times in 2,086 Posts	Lily Pond Lily Pond is still frozen solid as of a few minutes ago, even the edges.... Dan __________________ It's Always Sunny On Welch Island!!

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03-10-2020, 10:28 PM	#22
MAXUM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kuna ID Posts: 2,755 Thanks: 246 Thanked 1,942 Times in 802 Posts	No problem - I can't imagine it not being ice free by the weekend.

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03-11-2020, 08:37 AM	#24
MAXUM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kuna ID Posts: 2,755 Thanks: 246 Thanked 1,942 Times in 802 Posts	When I drove by Massebessic this morning looked something like this. All this last night was ice covered. Wind kicked up last night and cleaned it off good. Attached Images