Ice Reports 2013-2014

[Idahoguy9488]

Ended the day with 11 good sized perch but it was long and slow. Still pretty fun to just get out. With the few people I did talk with at moses they said they hadn't even had a bite.

[TroutCowboy]

For anyone interested in conditions in Idaho panhandle, we fished Avondale and Fernan yesterday. Both had very good ice up to about 9". Smooth and snow-free. Landed two dink perch at Avondale and one nice rainbow at Fernan.

Avondale is a private lake (it's lined by homes on one side and a golf course on the other) but with public access. It had a nice pull-out parking area and slope down to the water. A few kids were enjoying some hockey on the great surface conditions, and there were a couple of families out ice skating as well. Very nice setting.

Fernan is a nice setting for being so close to Coeur d'Alene. It appears to only have homes on the east end near the launch, and the rest is all treed. Lots of people (kids & adults alike) playing hockey by the ramp (no big deal, too shallow to fish there anyway) and we took a long walk toward the middle of the lake.

We drove to Hayden but the lake was nearly devoid of any ice on the southern end (Honeysuckle ramp). I talked to somebody at Avondale who said the north end, where it's shallower, will freeze up for good fishing and you need to go to Sportsmans Park. We didn't have enough time, so will try it next time. He mentioned the state record pike came out of Hayden, so I'm hoping to pull one through the ice. Anything would beat pulling these dink perch through!

[romanfishing]

At moses right now. About 20 people on the ice and it's about 7 inches thick but the bite is real slow. Three perch in two hours but good size to them

Thanks for the intel! I might make it to Fish Lake in the morning, fri. 7" !!!! Nice!

How was your Friday trip to Fish Lake?

[MarkFromSea]

At moses right now. About 20 people on the ice and it's about 7 inches thick but the bite is real slow. Three perch in two hours but good size to them

Thanks for the intel! I might make it to Fish Lake in the morning, fri. 7" !!!! Nice!

How was your Friday trip to Fish Lake?

I am embarrassed to report, I still haven't made it to the Eastside to ice fish. I was trying to tie it into a visit with friends over there, availability was an issue.

[MotoBoat]

At moses right now. About 20 people on the ice and it's about 7 inches thick but the bite is real slow. Three perch in two hours but good size to them

Thanks for the intel! I might make it to Fish Lake in the morning, fri. 7" !!!! Nice!

Mark, hope your not reading "fish lake" has 7" of ice. Idahoguy fished Moses lake, finding 7" of ice there. Roman reported 3" of ice on "Fish Lake".

Checking out zeitcam for fish lake, lake looks like a ice arena........could be slick out there.

I am itching to visit Fish Lake. But need more than 3" of ice. I like catching fish, but non are worth a full body dip in ice water. Of that, I am certain.

Be sure to post if/when you make over Mark.

[romanfishing]

Mark,

Motoboat is right about the ice on Fish Lake. So, be carefull.

Roman

[MotoBoat]

Mark,

Motoboat is right about the ice on Fish Lake. So, be carefull.

Roman

How slick is Fish lake roman? Were many others out on the frozen lake? When standing at the ice hole, did the water come up out of the hole, onto the ice? I had this happen on Roses Lake two years back. Was 2 or 3 inches of ice at that time. Went walking around, and found one place where the ice started creaking under foot. That is spooky!

Same trip, my two dogs were searching the brush overhanging the lake for quail scent. One dog fell through the thin ice at the edge of open water. The second dog stood on the ice from above, watching the other dog pull himself back onto the ice. Both dogs continued on as if nothing happened.

It amazes me when two big guys will sit next each other, in thin ice conditions like this. That was the only reason I lasted a couple hours on that day.

[MarkFromSea]

Yep, I know Fish is thin and that the 7" is at Moses. Roses probably isn't much better than Fish.

[Idahoguy9488]

Any word yet on fish lakes ice thickness? The webcam still shows some people venturing out on it but it also looks kinda slushy.

[romanfishing]

I fish on Potholes reservoir or actually Lind Coulee for perch and some walleyes.

[ncwflounderer]

I would like some Intel on Lake Palmer up north. I have never caught a Burbot, let alone one through the ice. I would love to hang out with someone up there to show me how its done some weekend, or maybe during the week with a little planning. PM me if you would.

[fishinChristian]

ncw: Palmer is like any other: Jigs with worms, or spoons jigged long style (so sharp lift, 2-3' then bottom, repeat), but they do hit pretty much whatever you get in front of them. Bottom is usually best, and deep holes. Palmer will have lots of holes in the main good spots.

For the Yakima area, Elton has still got fishermen out on the ice, saw 6+ out there when I went by.

[MarkFromSea]

Palmer, two years ago, lots of small kokes... couldn't get around them to find the perch I was seeking. Again, 2 years ago...

[fishinChristian]

MFS: Mine's even farther back, and I was mostly describing how to catch the burbot, not any recent experience, just so ncw is clear. Nuisance Kokes, like those at Rimrock, can be annoying. On the other hand, you can can them like sardines...

[MarkFromSea]

MFS: Mine's even farther back, and I was mostly describing how to catch the burbot, not any recent experience, just so ncw is clear. Nuisance Kokes, like those at Rimrock, can be annoying. On the other hand, you can can them like sardines...

LOL limit was 5 though if I recall correctly. I could fill a tiny can LOL... I just couldn't get away from those lil guys.... it was beautiful ice though, nice setting.

[fishinChristian]

5 trips per can?

So, 8" on Potholes? Is Moses back to similar ice? A friend went to Moses and said 3 guys fell through in 2 different breakthroughs (hmmmm... having a breakthrough isn't always a good thing...) about a week ago. He saw one and heard about the one with 2 guys. According to him, they all lived. Still folks fishing on Elton.

[ncwflounderer]

I fished Fish Lake this morning. Ice is 5-6" everywhere I checked. ice was cracking quite a bit on the way back in. I caught several big female perch, No trout today. Early season is light crowds.

[wmf]

FC, Moses is similar ice to Potholes, drilled tons of holes on Moses all over and never found anything less than 8". I was fishing there last weekend and the weekend before. How are the I 82 ponds for ice?

[fishinChristian]

Thanks, wmf. I-82's were good 2 days ago, probably now as well. Snowing here. Did you catch anything in all those holes?

[TroutCowboy]

Anyone been on Silver or Hog Canyon in the last couple of days? With the warm temps and rain, I'm curious how it's holding up. Hope to hear from somebody tonight, I might go out tomorrow morning.