Date of first ice?

[icebucketjohn]

Dec. 20th:

My 3 Early Sites:

Portage Lakes at Old State Park
Nimisila at C-5
Mogadore at Palm Rd

[Nwohioiceman123]

December 11th

[snowcone]

my 3 early sites would be:             
               my minnow bucket
               the house gutters
               my windshield washer fluid
   hehehheehehe

[crappieboo420]

December 11....

[Jawjacker12]

I'm gonna say Dec. 19th. My anniversary.

[Buckeye John]

I'm going with December 14. I was ice fishing lake Loramie last year on that day !!

[Mullygyn]

I didn't guess the first day, but I drilled my first hole tonight on my own pond and had a little over 2 inches. Checked another local pond about and had about the same. To bad about the forecast but I'll be fishing tomorrow...

[slabslayer]

Looks like either nobody won or it now becomes second ice contest and the dates we guessed will be for second ice. What's everyone think?  Dave, your thoughts?

[Ntoiceman36]

I thought it was SAFE ice 2 inches of ice on part of a bay or pond I don't think is considered safe ice, but dave has the final say but I'm against calling it yet

[toadfish]

I measured 4.5" on a channel on Grand Lake St. Marys on Saturday, November 22nd, 2014.  Whoever was closest I would think would win the JM rod.

I only fished a couple of hours in early morning since it had gotten warmer overnight and rain started to fall around 5:00 AM.  I did catch a few small crappies and 2 small gills.

[snowcone]

even as freaky as this weather has been nothing surprises me , what say you dave ..    

[davidhoheisel]

I don't doubt the early report but I am going to probably call it sometime this weekend if it hits 4 inches.

[davidhoheisel]

Congratulation to Snowcone for his pick and he is the closest date to to safe ice this year. There are multiple reports statewide of ice over 4 inches that is safe to fish.

This does not mean all lakes are safe by any means or that the ice is safe in all places that have some safe ice. You must check your own ice! It just means there was enough safe ice to fish on in some lakes in Ohio to call the contest.

I fished Buckeye lake today and had 6 inches and Indian had 5 inches.

 

ok my guess is jan 12..........

the closest Safe I

[Ntoiceman36]

Way to go snow cone now you got you a new cat fish rod, and they are nice

[snowcone]

awww  that's awesome guys     thanks to all our sponsers, and members that make this site awesome... I kinda think that the whiskered curse has followed me because I finally got out on  wingfoot  sunday along with the rest of the crew, and look what was the first fish for the day, mr whiskers  gggrrrrrrrrr.... bad part I caught 4 of these . and a couple crapps.   but awesome ...say does a new rod come with a no cat guarantee  ?