I finally made it out onto the flowage I have wanted to today. The ice is still pretty sketchy even after a week of bitter cold. Even worse, the water has dropped about 4 inches so the ice is hollow. I did have one close call when I whacked the ice with the chisel and about an 8 foot area collapsed. According to my phone it is almost exactly a mile to the first house. Between very little snow, heavy down timber and poor ice the Tundra can't do me any good so it needs to get done the old fashioned way. I just thought some of the Southern guys may enjoy this.

At least you have some walkable ice. Here near Lake Michigan and after the warm December and the heavy wet snow any place that has snow in the cattails there is not enough ice to travel on. We did not have that many rats this year and there is not much through the ice trapping either.

Bryce

Fun stuff! Stay dry.

Be careful out there Rob. We need you to pick on and Wheelers is in no shape to carry you.

We’re in the same shape as Bryce the ice never has gotten thick and won’t now I wouldn’t be on ice that’s hollow underneath to dangerous.

Looks nice I really enjoy trapping under ice

Nice! You got snares around the feed bed?

No, I would not enjoy that at all.

Yep, I just love snaring them under the ice with Rally's snares. A fair amount are caught right around the nose or by a foot so there isn't a mark on them. It will be interesting to see what they act like with 4 inches of air under the ice. They can swim anywhere they want in the flowage.

It's gonna get pretty warm next week. Any place with current will be interesting

I am finding a lot of hollow ice. The water has gone down in places, kind of sketchy.

Yes, this has some current that I need to cross. By the house I set today is calm water but anywhere the ice is still suspended, when it goes, a BIG hole opens up. As much as I hate to, I will probably pull these Thursday.

Is that a polite way of saying "You couldn't drive a needle up your butt with a sledgehammer"? I had a fair amount of that today too.

On one of our ponds the water dropped about a foot. Was open water on the low side of the dam last week with -30 temps. Think otter punched a hole cuz we got some under the ice. The ice has an air gap around the edges, buddy went through the first layer thinking he was getting wet but the 2nd layer is pretty thick. I brought snares but never got them in, just a couple 330 re sets. Plans always change on the trapline, all of a sudden we get a pile of wolf activity and the wolf sets have to go up.
Apparently Rally was going to come up here and do a demo before covid, maybe he can make it this spring.

So now you know the " hang-mans knock noise"
Good luck and dont try too many 80 pounders in that sled drag

It's good on the lakes and ponds. I only fell through once today

Only a mile to the first set? At least you’re starting with the easy ones.

Fun Times!!!

You can keep that stuff up there

Be careful

Stay safe

Rob that ice chisel looks familiar...lol.... good one

I want to be buried with that thing, just hopefully not today.

The admiral said that she had her free trial of Alaska and wants to cancel her subscription
Its thawing here now and I think its the beginning of mud season.

It's deteriorating fast wherever there is current or activity

Here next week is going to be pushing 50 it’s going to be a mess.

Ha ! All the sudden you wanna delay the reaper? You always talking about how you could go at any time!
Be careful pal!!!

No, I just don't want to loose that chisel! I should have pulled today but I got greedy. I am going to pay the price tomorrow. I am wearing a life jacket and tying a rope off to a tree. I need to go about 150 yards across the ice to get to my sets and it was VERY sketchy today. I am kicking myself now.

I used to carry a long pole when I walked across sketchy ice like that. It gave me a certain degree of confidence and peace od mind. I can think of one time I didn't and wished that I had.

I wouldn’t wanna die like THAT for sure. Too scary

He’ll make it remember he has Matilda to take care of.

On "new" unchecked ice I either carry a long pole or have one tied to me and just drag it behind me. I have never seen hollow ice like this in my life. Not only is it hollow but it shatters like glass. The it shatters a 8-12 foot area will open all at once. Twice today walking across the pond I heard it "groan" like it does just before it collapses. On a normal beaver pond that is 3-4 feet deep it isn't a big deal but this one is 8-9 feet deep that I know of and I haven't checked the moving water part of the pond for depth. I openly admit it that I got greedy and wanted one more good check before I had to pull. Now it's time to own it I guess.

Oh, and "Matillda" will get her own buoy. I want to make sure she doesn't get lost!

That's What I do

Be careful 160...with that spud

I will have a large boat buoy tied to it on 15 feet of rope. If you REALLY want that spud, come find my carcass.

So did you catch anything today?

3/3, that is why I got greedy and rest the snare poles. Interestingly enough, out of roughly 50 beaver since opener, I have only caught 2 small, young of the year. I am wondering if the dry Spring/summer had anything to do with that. One pond I took 7 out of, all VERY nice, large 50-60 pound beaver, no kits.

good luck

I was on the ice yesterday too. I figured 28-30" of ice. It was a little thicker than I like it. That cold we had made some ice.

Get some more Big ones Rob
And Have Fun be Safe