2020 Ice thickness thread - Page 9

martyparty · #**241** 12-21-2020, 04:32 PM

2km off grandview yesterday 15" ice throughout, wind swept ice was good quality.

markusbrainus · #**242** 12-21-2020, 06:46 PM

14" ice on Dalemead reservoir. Weather was warm and calm before the snowstorm started to roll in late in the day. Fishing was very slow; 3 bites on tipups, with 2 dropped and one lost at the hole. No fish iced today.

Skoaltender · #**243** 12-21-2020, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King Midas

How did you make out?

KM

Awful yesterday.
One mediocre pike caught, seen the walleye but nothing interested in any assortment of lures.

14-16” ice at Churchill

Took 6 hours to get home, roads were bad and there was a nasty head on collision minutes before us on hwy 28 between red water and gibbons.

fish99 · #**244** 12-21-2020, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyparty

2km off grandview yesterday 15" ice throughout, wind swept ice was good quality.

pigeon lake at silver beach over a foot of ice

Poppa · #**245** 12-21-2020, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by laker taker2

Fished all day yesterday out front of the resort area. 7-10” was average. Walked out. No way I’d drive on that. Fishing was awful.

Thanks for the update. Wife and I are thinking of making the trek out from Olds on Sunday. I don't fish for food, just for trophies, and really want to get into a big walleye. Hoping we can find em this weekend...

Rob_P · #**246** 12-21-2020, 08:17 PM

Ghost lake 8-14 inches north of the bridge

curtz · #**247** 12-22-2020, 06:58 AM

Anyone been to Cross Lake north of Westlock. Just wondering how much ice, are guys driving on or quad / sled.

Ribolovac · #**248** 12-22-2020, 06:55 PM

Was going to ask the exact same thing? How is the ice at st.anne or west cove?? Was at sylvan on Sunday and it was 12” at Palm Bay.

Battery · #**249** 12-22-2020, 07:24 PM

Anyone been out to Birch by Burnstick?

CatchingWithChris · #**250** 12-22-2020, 08:20 PM

Lots of ice on Birch I bet. I was there at the end of a November and there was about 5 inches.

Battery · #**251** 12-22-2020, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CatchingWithChris

Lots of ice on Birch I bet. I was there at the end of a November and there was about 5 inches.

Right on. Thanks!

Skabulon · #**252** 12-23-2020, 10:07 PM

Anybody know ice thickness at Calling lake? I'm heading out there in the morning, hopefully by the tower. I'll report back after

elk eater · #**253** 12-23-2020, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ribolovac

Was going to ask the exact same thing? How is the ice at st.anne or west cove?? Was at sylvan on Sunday and it was 12” at Palm Bay.

West cove was 15” yesterday were I drilled. But a week ago it was 12 And to my surprise one hole was 6” thick. Guys are driving on. I had my side by side.

curtz · #**254** 12-23-2020, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skabulon

Anybody know ice thickness at Calling lake? I'm heading out there in the morning, hopefully by the tower. I'll report back after

I heard the ice heaved the other day, some people spend the night on the ice and had to find a way off in the morning. There was good ice, my buddy drove out last week. Not sure about now, good luck.

MaxxiD · #**255** 12-24-2020, 12:32 PM

Drove to Chain lakes this morning (south). The road over from Nanton was more bare than the one to Bar-U. Got really windy as I was leaving.

About 12" of snow on the lakes. Some spots have been cleared by others, but it's still a grind getting out there.

I have read before, that snow on the ice can have a negative effect on its integrity and a few spots that had been cleared were showing signs of weakening on the top layer. Can anyone weigh in on this for me? It was very slushy in some spots

AlbertanGP · #**256** 12-24-2020, 02:05 PM

Cloudy ice is a sign that the ice formed and then melted. There are going to be a lot of lakes this season that are more or less cloudy in their entirety due to the weather we've had so far. That ice is significantly weaker than clear ice. All the safe ice depth charts you see are based on clear ice, so keep that in mind when you want to drive your truck out on 12" of ice that is cloudy all the way through, as many lakes up here are.

Regarding the snow, it generally has an insulating effect which can make it more difficult for the lake to make more ice (clear, windswept lakes will make ice the fastest). It can also shield the existing ice from warmer weather...until it doesn't. Warm enough weather for a long enough period to melt the snow...or overflow from the weight of the snow itself...can cause water on top of the ice. However it formed (I would guess melting snow down south) that water and slush also ruins the ice.

TLDR: Snow on ice - not really a problem, but expect less ice on lakes with a lot of snow on them

Slush/water on ice - not a good thing for ice integrity and you might want to pause to ask yourself how it got there.

Talking moose · #**257** 12-24-2020, 02:44 PM

Mostly the slush on top is from the weight of the snow pushing down on the ice and water coming up through cracks.
Can also be from springs and gas pockets.

Smoky buck · #**258** 12-24-2020, 02:56 PM

Medicine lake 14inches

Skabulon · #**259** 12-24-2020, 04:56 PM

Drove on to Calling lake today. There are heaves all along the East side of the lake, couldn't access anywhere near the tower. Went to the provincial park and it was heaved too, but you could still get on at the old boat launch. Just have to take the long way around to get across. 17" of ice where I was at, 600m from shore. Caught a Walleye and a Pike, both released. Could have kept the walleye but he was on the small side of the slot. I stayed until the wind started pushing my tent walls in

lromanchuk · #**260** 12-25-2020, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyparty

2km off grandview yesterday 15" ice throughout, wind swept ice was good quality.

Are people driving on there yet? Are the normal ice shacks in their usually positions yet?

Remps17 · #**261** 12-25-2020, 07:53 PM

Anyone know how much snow the Brooks area got as well as ice reports for Newell.

Thanks.

Whammies · #**262** 12-25-2020, 08:05 PM

14" at coal lake very little snow

pinelakeperch · #**263** 12-25-2020, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Remps17

Anyone know how much snow the Brooks area got as well as ice reports for Newell.

Thanks.

Got around 20cm on Tuesday. Not sure about the ice report.

Huntingonthebrain · #**264** 12-26-2020, 08:22 PM

Travers has 12". Fishing was slow, managed 2 missed 3.

highwood · #**265** 12-27-2020, 07:30 AM

16 -18 inches on La Biche

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35 whelen · #**266** 12-27-2020, 07:43 AM

Any reports from Cold lake frenchmans bay .

burnme · #**267** 12-27-2020, 10:10 AM

Wife just read on Facebook, south of wilson beach on gull there is some open water, looks like a fresh heave. Be careful out there every one.

NSR_RAT · #**268** 12-27-2020, 10:28 AM

Does anyone have any recent ice thickness reports for Lac La Nonne?

Newlyretired · #**269** 12-27-2020, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by curtz

Anyone been to Cross Lake north of Westlock. Just wondering how much ice, are guys driving on or quad / sled.

went out last Tuesday, 16 inches of ice, lots of quads on the ice, saw one truck drive on

FlounderPounder · #**270** 12-27-2020, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by highwood

16 -18 inches on La Biche

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How are the heaves getting on La Biche?

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