How Soon Do You Go Fishing Once The Ice Starts Melting? 2024
DocNsanE reply :
Hey,
Saw some folks who seem to be ready to jump onto the lake and wet their lines as soon as there's a bit of ice off of the lake. How soon do you guys go out fishing once it starts melting? And I am assuming you are fishing deep at this time?
Trenton reply :
I can work jigs really really slowly from the front of my boat soon as there is open water lol but I'm the most impatient person I know.
Trenton reply :
But I'll admit soon as the water temp hits 50-55 the action really ramps up. Specially that 55 mark can really get into those moving baits I.e. Crankbaits spinnerbaits etc.
a1712 reply :
As soon as I can safely launch the boat. Brian.
Bankbeater reply :
Usually I start fishing on a regular basis around the middle of March.
nascar2428 reply :
As of right now, those of us in Michigan have to wait until the Bass season opens. Which is currently at the end of April. 
The DNR commision will hopefully be changing that to a year round catch and release with harvesting beginning at the end of May 
BrianinMD reply :
As soon as it is safe to launch, have gone out before and used the boat to break skim ice up so we had a place to cast.
Preytorien reply :
Immediately. Even if I don't catch anything, I start working on casting practice if nothing's biting. Ice out is the beginning of a great year.
Crestliner2008 reply :
Here in MA, we have about 2' of solid ice on the ponds, along with about 1 1/2' of snow on top of that! I seriously doubt that there will be any open water before the end of this month. And that of course would be best case scenario IF the daytime temps consistently stay above 40 degrees. That being said, as soon as the launch ramps are open and there is sufficient fishable water, we'll be out there. 
Dogmatic reply :
Like some have said, as soon as there is open water I will start fishing essentially a winter pattern.
Mainebass1984 reply :
I will go fishing as soon as there is enough water for me to cast. At that time I am fishing a suspended jerkbait or most likely a jig. I have fished ponds that still were half frozen over with a foot of ice and had good luck. It can get a little interesting dodging icebergs or having the wind shift pushing the ice sheet towards you but as long as there is open water you can catch bass. Quality fish too.
Smokinal reply :
As soon as my boat can go in the water instead of on top of it. I have a spot in a cove where the main stream comes into my home lake that I just kill em at first ice out. That bite only lasts for about 2-3 weeks though but it's litterally the best bite of the year.
scaleface reply :
As soon as the ice finishes melting .
einscodek reply :
Temps will hit 59 tomorrow
and guess who will be out there with jigs and jerkbaits
WIGuide reply :
I've had my boat out before when there's still been sections of ice on the lake. Unfortunately in WI there is a closed season for anything other than panfish and a few other rough fish until the first full weekend in May so usually I'm just running around the lake making sure that everything on my boat is in order after it slept for the last 6 months. I usually start panfishing a few weeks after the ice is out, but I fish for bass in the fall until the lakes ice over, so if I could, I'd be fishing for them as soon as the ice comes off.
papajoe222 reply :
I fish Castle Rock in Wisconsin as soon as the ice pulls back from shore. That lake is considered part of the river system, so there isn't a closed season. The bass aren't very cooperative, but the walleye and occasional Muskie keep my interest until they get active.
Missouribassman95 reply :
Well now that the weather has been in the sixties for the last three days, basically whenever I get a few hours.
Delaware Valley Tackle reply :
The rivers and creeks will be fishable any time now as long as they don't blow up from rain & runoff. As soon as the ice is off the lakes they're in play.
BaitMonkey1984 reply :
My home lake is relatively small. The Northeast warms up first and the ice melts enough to be broken up, then one good day of north to south winds can open the entire lake in a day. It is awesome to watch the lake come back to life. I am usually out there that day or the next day. Obviously I would be stoked to be catching lots of fish, but I use the ultra clear water (prior to aquatic treatment) to research the movements of all my new baits bought over the winter. That way, come warmer temps I am confident in my new baits.
ww2farmer reply :
I have been on the lake when parts of it are still ice covered.
Master Bait'r reply :
Seriously considering bringing my ski poles so I can scootch the kayak across the ice with them until I get to open water haha
Not really, but the minute I can launch the yak from shore I'll be out there!
Nebasska reply :
AS SOON as I can get my boat in...its on till the lake is froze again....
SoFlaBassAddict reply :
Ice? What the heck is this ice thing you're talking about?
80 degrees and sunny today. Nice breeze keepin it cool.
Grizzn N Bassin reply :
as soon as there open water! like others have said, i've caught some quality fish with half the pond frozen and half thawed.
Goose52 reply :
I fish anytime the water is soft...
On 3/10/2015 at 11:10 PM, SoFlaBassAddict said:Ice? What the heck is this ice thing you're talking about?
80 degrees and sunny today. Nice breeze keepin it cool.
Where the heck you been Eric ?
SoFlaBassAddict reply :
On 3/11/2015 at 12:33 AM, Goose52 said:I fish anytime the water is soft...
Where the heck you been Eric ?
Been building the SOBE wine and food festival since early November. Then a couple of small jobs right afterwards. Just finished up. Start taking some time off day after tomorrow. Had roughly 6 days off since we started.
Choporoz reply :
On 3/10/2015 at 11:37 AM, DocNsanE said:How soon do you go fishing once the ice starts melting?
One hour....wait... that was swimming after eating.....I meant 10 minutes
Jaderose reply :
I was pulling a jig off an ice shelf into open water 2 days ago. That soon enough for you?
Klebs01 reply :
On 3/10/2015 at 8:54 PM, papajoe222 said:I fish Castle Rock in Wisconsin as soon as the ice pulls back from shore. That lake is considered part of the river system, so there isn't a closed season. The bass aren't very cooperative, but the walleye and occasional Muskie keep my interest until they get active.
Are you sure? I haven't seen that in the regulations. Do you know what section that exclusion is in? Not saying you are wrong. Just that I didn't know that and would like to take advantage of that exclusion.
Ratherbfishing reply :
Assuming the weather remains about where it's at now, the first of April. We had about 10 inches of ice on the lakes and that doesn't go away overnight. Plus, truth be told, I seldom catch anything when the water temps are really low and I don't bother if I don't think I'll catch anything.
wisconsin heat reply :
On 3/10/2015 at 7:10 PM, nascar2428 said:As of right now, those of us in Michigan have to wait until the Bass season opens. Which is currently at the end of April.
Wisconsin needs this too.
FrogFreak reply :
This year Minnesota moved the bass opener up to coincide with the Walleye Opener (May 9th) so not until then.
Note: The first two weeks of bass season is catch and release only and it's different for the Northeast part of the state I believe.
hoosierbass07 reply :
I hoping to get out on my kayak as soon as the ice melts. I'm only going into my second year of kayak fishing. Last spring I waited till it got really warm before I took my kayak out. I don't want to make that mistake again, I want to get in early spring as soon as I can. Being in a kayak though, I have to worry about falling in and hypothermia. So I will only kayak fish in a few small strip pits where I'm not too far from shore.
bonzai22 reply :
I start out fishing ponds first since they open up quicker then wait a few weeks to start taking the boat out.
OntarioFishingGuy reply :
Bass season opens later in the spring, but I generally fish for steelhead as soon as the rivers open up and clear a bit. When they thaw, the runoff makes them super muddy and almost un-fishable, so I wait a week or two before I fish for them.
Patrick Morrow reply :
For me to officially open the season the ice must be completely gone and the weather should be warm enough to comfortably be outside.
Crank Bait Nut reply :
Like Others Have Said , As Soon As It Is Safe To Launch.
Mike
Oregon Native reply :
Have caught many bass along the edges of ice on both reaction and plastics
guitarglynn1 reply :
As soon as I can. I am hitting small ponds first and if there is flowing water I am fishing. I fished small ponds late last year that were half frozen over or more and just fished the spots I could. I'll do the same thing. Soon as I see as much as a small edge of the pond thawed out I am fishing. We have snow on top of ice on top of snow on top of ice here in this god forsaken frozen waste land of a state NJ. But the worst is behind us and the snow is slowly but surely melting. I am going to check a few spots this weekend and I hope I can fish one of them. Only way I'll know is if I get geared up and go check em out. At the very least I'll be setting up my combo and loading up my tackle which in and of itself has me super pumped!
Felix77 reply :
ASAP ... some of my biggest bass come from the bank early in the season up north.
TheBig1 reply :
On 3/10/2015 at 11:10 PM, SoFlaBassAddict said:Ice? What the heck is this ice thing you're talking about?
That's why no one likes you. 
Alonerankin2 reply :
This past weekend in Ky. @ my place the Water is open! As such, invasion of the mating frogs has in all earnest, begun! Time to get my shooting range bag out and get the earplugs in. Geez, they are loud. It will ( fishing ) only improve from here, save flooding.
SoFlaBassAddict reply :
On 3/12/2015 at 3:37 AM, TheBig1 said:That's why no one likes you.
Shhh....quiet you!
Weld's Largemouth reply :
On 3/12/2015 at 1:14 AM, guitarglynn1 said:As soon as I can. I am hitting small ponds first and if there is flowing water I am fishing. I fished small ponds late last year that were half frozen over or more and just fished the spots I could. I'll do the same thing. Soon as I see as much as a small edge of the pond thawed out I am fishing. We have snow on top of ice on top of snow on top of ice here in this god forsaken frozen waste land of a state NJ. But the worst is behind us and the snow is slowly but surely melting. I am going to check a few spots this weekend and I hope I can fish one of them. Only way I'll know is if I get geared up and go check em out. At the very least I'll be setting up my combo and loading up my tackle which in and of itself has me super pumped!
What do you get on bit on around those ice edges in small ponds? I fish small ponds here on Long Island and i can never get a bite with ice still on the water..
BassObsessed reply :
As soon as the water opens enough to fish from the bank I'm ready. Two years ago in January I caught my biggest local bass of 7.3lbs on a shallow crankbait.
hoosierhawghunter reply :
ASAP! When i was about 14 i went to the local farm pond in the middle of winter, ice was about 2.5ft thick. I walked out with a pickaxe and made myself 4 or 5 good holes. Walked back to the dock and practiced flipping into them.
Bigchunk reply :
They hungrrry when ice first comes off
Trenton reply :
UPDATE: ice was off enough yesterday at my local sportmans clubs little lake. So I went and got my lines wet, didn't catch anything, but man it felt great!!
Alpha Male reply :
There are a couple of lakes near me that the dnr is worried about winterkill so they put aerators in. This gives a football field size opening early in the season. In mn they can ticket you for fishing for a species out of season. So it crappie and sunnies until may.
guitarglynn1 reply :
On 3/12/2015 at 5:09 AM, Weld said:What do you get on bit on around those ice edges in small ponds? I fish small ponds here on Long Island and i can never get a bite with ice still on the water..
That particular pond is loaded with yellow perch. Late fall/early winter and then late winter/early spring when there is ice, that is what is biting and I just catch those. Wish I could say I have luck with bass under those conditions but I have not. But this year I have some new tricks up my sleeve and maybe this will be the year. Just waiting for some of the ice to finally begin to melt :-l
Bruce424 reply :
On 3/10/2015 at 7:10 PM, nascar2428 said:As of right now, those of us in Michigan have to wait until the Bass season opens. Which is currently at the end of April.
So you can't purposely fish for bass til then? even if you release them. That is quirky.
Alpha Male reply :
On 3/19/2015 at 3:33 AM, Bruce424 said:So you can't purposely fish for bass til then? even if you release them. That is quirky.
Same in minnesota. Nothing but panfish and certain rough fish until may 9th. This is the first year of a catch and release bass season that starts with the rest of the species. Usually last weekend in may is bass opener.
Penguino reply :
ASAP but the ice still hasn't melted yet.... I'm probably stuck inside for another week or so. This winter is the longest winter NJ has had in a long time... usually, the ice melts by the beginning of March.
RoLo reply :
Not sure what you mean.
Our ice in Florida never melts, except during a power failure 
Roger
Sun Fish reply :
On 3/10/2015 at 8:46 PM, WIGuide said:I've had my boat out before when there's still been sections of ice on the lake. Unfortunately in WI there is a closed season for anything other than panfish and a few other rough fish until the first full weekend in May so usually I'm just running around the lake making sure that everything on my boat is in order after it slept for the last 6 months. I usually start panfishing a few weeks after the ice is out, but I fish for bass in the fall until the lakes ice over, so if I could, I'd be fishing for them as soon as the ice comes off.
What happens if you accidently catch a bass when fishing for lunker sized panfish? 
tnt2671 reply :
the ct river in western mass. is almost all liquid by my house( besides the occasional iceberg floating by) i went out the last 2 days for a few hours and didn't get anything but man it just felt good to throw a line
Sam reply :
First club tournament at the end of March.
WIGuide reply :
On 3/19/2015 at 1:04 PM, Sun Fish said:What happens if you accidently catch a bass when fishing for lunker sized panfish?
Haha well it depends on what you were targeting those lunker sized panfish with. If you are fishing for them with something other than panfish baits and something like an ultralight you can be fined. If they catch you with fish that you're keeping out of season, I'm pretty sure they can treat it the same as poaching which would allow them to take anything used in the capture of the illegal game including tackle, boats, even tow vehicles used to get to the lake. They definitely make it not worth the risk :/
DocNsanE reply :
On 3/19/2015 at 1:04 PM, Sun Fish said:What happens if you accidently catch a bass when fishing for lunker sized panfish?
In my area, Northern Pike fishing opens in mid-May and bass only open around the third week of June. I called the Fisheries department to ask them "what happens if I catch bass when targeting pike" since they can often hit the same lures. They basically told me as long as I didn't have any bass in the boat I couldn't get in trouble. I'm not certain if that explicitly meant I could practice catch and release but it's basically how I took it
Trenton reply :
Had the boat out today marked a bunch of fish and the water temp was a little colder then I thought it would be. Just over 41 degrees. No catches but it was the first time on my little sportsmans club lake with my lowrance and I found a lot of structure on the deeper side. All in all it felt great
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