Northern lower Michigan ice: I toured several lakes in the Kalkaska area. Those that were frozen now have lots of snow and slush on top of the marginal ice! The unfrozen lakes are...

Boatguy1959 Loc: Fife lake, Michigan

I toured several lakes in the Kalkaska area. Those that were frozen now have lots of snow and slush on top of the marginal ice!
The unfrozen lakes are frozen over but thin.
The trails to smaller lakes and a lot of the parking lots are impassable!
The expected warm rains will make a mess of the ice we have.

The Outcast Loc: NE Michigan

Boatguy1959 wrote:

I toured several lakes in the Kalkaska area. Those that were frozen now have lots of snow and slush on top of the marginal ice!
The unfrozen lakes are frozen over but thin.
The trails to smaller lakes and a lot of the parking lots are impassable!
The expected warm rains will make a mess of the ice we have.

👍

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

Thank you for the update...yes...the coming warm up, with all the recent snow we received...is going to make a huge mess of everything as far as ice fishing is concerned. Hopefully things balance out with safe ice forming as the next cold wave arrives. I am anxious to get out and drop some lines in!

Just noticed that you are not very far from me! I get over to Fife Lake now and then both Summer and Winter...nice lake!

davedumont Loc: Oscoda, Michigan

If I remember correctly the Farmer's Almanac predicted exactly the weather we've had so far. I believe it predicted that the last week or two of January and all of February are going to be below normal with March being near normal temps. We'll see. I think maybe this is our January thaw. I sure hope so!

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

davedumont wrote:

If I remember correctly the Farmer's Almanac predicted exactly the weather we've had so far. I believe it predicted that the last week or two of January and all of February are going to be below normal with March being near normal temps. We'll see. I think maybe this is our January thaw. I sure hope so!

I hope that you are correct! I was out buzzing around on the snowmobile today since the local ice is sketchy right now. Checked out a favorite Winter lake and the surface was mushy with soft ice...definitely a set back in terms of what would have been a nice solid layer if all the fresh snow had waited a few more days. Oh well...we'll take what we're given and work with it!

davedumont Loc: Oscoda, Michigan

I was just checking the 2 week forecast and it looks like we are in for only a week of warmer temps and it's gonna dip back below freezing. Cross your fingers! Good luck ice fishing this winter.

Boatguy1959 Loc: Fife lake, Michigan

It’s a Great Lake!
As long as you can get out before the jet ski’s.