Worst...winter...ever

I think with the rainstorm this morning, we can safely say this has been the worst ice season ever. I mean really...it's brutally warm for all of December, gets cold for Christmas for 4 days, then gets brutally warm again for a solid month. Then gets cold again for 3 days, now it will be warm again for the rest of winter. Awful. Need to put this season out of my head ASAP!

With temps up north supposed to be below freezing for highs next week and lows in the single digits to teens and no to very little snow I think it is possible to have ice up there until early April. Down south though, no that ice is more than likely done for the year. I'm going ahead and calling this the worst winter I've experienced in my 44 years of existence!

Ice well into April? I'll take that bet, you name the ante.

At this rate I think the ice is in question to make it through the first week of March let alone another 40 days beyond that. I've found ice from 5-10" in Vilas county. And that was last weekend before the week of sun and 50s.

ICE RESCUE GREEN BAY

Some folks had to be rescued yesterday.

Tornado touch downs tonight, rock, Jefferson ctys. As if this winter wasn't strange enough.

Pike I've been thinking the same thing - the ice held up surprisingly well through all this warm weather. Still nothing super cold in the forecast, but with no insulation if we get a 2 week stretch with highs in the 20s and lows in the single digits (which really isn't unrealistic at all), we could easily be sitting on ice well into April.

Hearing more and more people saying that they are really catching a lot of nice fish this winter. Up north, at least. With the cold weather coming, the ice will not only hold, but grow pretty well. Especially with no snow on top. I wouldn’t be surprised to see 18 inches by the end of February. 

I have a positive side to this.  About half of a fishing season is lost. That means there is a half of a "year class" that has not been harvested.  You can figure out the rest. 

There it is........

I’m sorry to see your season end so shortly in SE Wisconsin. That stinks. 11 inches of ice up here has held steady. Luckily the nights have been cold-creating a neutral effect. No loss. No gain. Colder weather finally next weekend. 
Fished today. Not great fishing. Sunny. Slow bite on pike. 

I'm aligning with Crobar's decision to conclude the season in Southeast Wisconsin. Today, I explored a few local areas, settled on one, but faced difficulties upon departure. In fact, I ended up taking an unintentional ice bath, which was far from pleasant. The most frustrating aspect is the extensive time required to clean my gear upon returning home. Next weekend, I plan to venture far north, but I'll be sure to heed the advice of locals there before making the journey. If conditions don't improve, this will be the first time in over 35 years that I'm storing my equipment this early in the season.
Zones4

Crobar, I am right behind you. I am putting my stuff away tomorrow. It was a very short and somewhat uneventful season. I did manage 3 keeper pike for the pickle jar, and a couple of meals of gills. Hoping to go through the boat and have it ready for a river trip this coming Friday. Batteries are charged up. See everyone next near.......................well...........................maybe.

Glad to hear all the success on Northerns...enjoy reading the posts....sad note today Feb 3rd took all my ice fishing gear and put away til next year. Earliest I have ever done this   SE Wis  There is ice ...not safe enough for me.

Ill chime in. Having a good year on pike also. I think I'm at 6 or 7 over 34". All released. Really the key is releasing anything over 30". As others alluded to winter is usually harvest season for pike. So the poor conditions recently certainly limits that. 

The issue in Wisconsin is clearly the generous bag limits and no size restrictions. Need slot limits on pike desperately for certain lakes. 

Nice to see others on here having success and practicing conservation. 

I think winter fishing takes it toll on the pike population.  You rarely see anyone fishing for pike in the open water but in the winter everybody throws out a tip-up just for fun while jigging for panfish.  The popular lakes have an enormous number out every day all winter long.  And you always see pictures of guys with a bunch of 18-21" pike laying on the ice for pickeling.  With last winter and now this winter seeing less fishermen out, I have to believe the next year or 2 is going to be better than average.  My best large pike lake has been discovered by a popular Youtube channel.  They never say the name but I am worried it will come out.  Over the last 3-4 years they have shown several upper 30"s and a couple over 40" being caught and a couple mid 40's getting lost at the hole.  If word ever gets out I think it will be over.

Making ice in Fairbanks