I would never say the whole lake is frozen over.  Get up close to the tower at the damn end or mess around by the mouth of the river and I am sure you will go in. Mid lake down to damn ice has been thick always check your own ice.  I have been working the area out from lodge point over to boat club and cabin area drilling old river channel 12-14fow. Think I need to get a bit deeper. If you can find minnies get them. I net my own but am all out at moment. I like to move about thick ice tough drillin tho so that has limited me.  Many times I will punch 30 holes but ice kickin my butt now and only got 10 last time out. Gas auger would be great or maybe try to make one out of cordless drill.  Been a lot of guys out in this area fish just got lock jaw all of a sudden (at least for me). Look for the snowman if it is still standing and try that area for perch.

As I think about this more I am going to paint all my gear white. Maybe a leaf blower to cover my tracks.

A few years back I came back to my minivan and somebody had siphoned most of the gas out of the tank. Just made it to gas station.  Crime on the ice and every place is common now days. I don't trust anybody when I am out. I'll be civil enough but I keep an eye on anybody that comes close.  All the school and mall shootings Hope some nut does not decide to start hunting Ice Fishermen.  I am more afraid of somebody popping me off from 500yrds than going thru the ice. AND THAT IS NO JOKE

If you call park office or marina most likely they will say they do not know. My experience is that sometimes they are afraid to say because of liability. I try to post when I can of what I find at Charles mill and Pleasent Hill. Last report I gave was not good as level of lake was up and water muddy. Edge ice bad. Now with cold temps it should be good down from marina. Always Always check your own ice. Look at lake map study shoreline. Out from down trees can be good. When you look at map the lake is 3 sections fish middle section.Stay away from river section and far section(springs). Drill holes until fish are found. Ihave had some nice cats this year. Wax worms and jiggin rap perch colored 5-9fow so far but that could change. I may be out this weekend blue sled red cooler if I don't have to work. I checked it last sat. but did not fish it tried P'hill ice was sketchy there to so ended up fishing farm pond. Byers woods is only 5-6 mile from Ashland U Little ponds big gills.

Back over to charles mill today.  Ice is still not very good. Dusting of snow covered over several soft spots from yesterday so I followed the shore almost all the way down to channel that connects to river side. Fished same spot as yesterday and hammered them all day long. About 4-4.5 fow wax worm. I did keep 50 gills and put back to many to count. A few perch. No body else out and no sign of anybody even checking ice. Warm up and rain in forecast so that will do it for me for a while.  I remember several years back early ice and then nadda.  Hope this year will be different.

Just fished P'hill the other day and had good ice. Today went out and with in a couple of hours the ice turned to mush. Sun was bright enough to mess up the ice. 25 years I have not had that happen as it did today. Spud started popping thru over areas we had just walked. No good I can not say it enough it is DONE. I hope folks got some tips from my posts as I have picked up some as well. Even an old dog can learn a trick. Post you next season.

Over the years I have been faced with the question of moving off of small fish in hopes of finding some better quality. At times I have continued to fish the smaller fish hot spot in hopes of some better. Other times I have moved and not gotten another bite the rest of the day. What do you do? Go search for better fish or enjoy the day even tho the fish are small.
(I enjoy it either way but sometimes wonder if the lunker is just over there).