sylvan/gull ready for opening on 11th?
 

who thinks there will be at least 4-5" on these lakes by Dec 11th?


im starting to panic....

happy

Should be close. Supposed to cool off here over the next few days and stay cool.

Keep in mind, once the surface freezes all the way across, it comes/goes pretty quick.

Water temps stable and stratified at 4 degrees and we are in business.

Thats all chinese....lol....yes? No?......

Stratified what? Come go quick?

I say.......yes!!!!

And, your better bet is Gull. Places like Brownlows freeze more quickly - Gull usually has about double what Sylvan has on opening weekend. This year it is down to the wire so we will pretty much have to check in right before opening. It is on a Sunday this year - 11th.

I'm thinking of waiting until XMas break but might decide to walk out a Brownlows if it stays cold enough and some reports come in.

Just got back from the Post Office, it's -6C out & the ice at the main beach is a bit farther from shore than last week, however, I could hit my 9 iron & carry 150 yds to open water.

Will update the other Sylvan Ice thread with a few pic's tomorrow.

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Forecast dips big time starting next Monday. Going to be daytime highs in the Minus-Double-Digits, so we'll start seeing some real freezing going on. I'd say by the opener, it'll be real close. When it gets that cold and a decent starter-layer freezes on top, you can get up to 1" per day...

i like poppa!!! boo ya!!!

calling for -21 in the day and -27 at night on Tuesday - should help a little.

Cheers

Noone wants to stick their neck out.....i wanna drive a quad out so i need 4" minimum......

Booo

They'll be walkable I'm thinking. Been trapping muskrats and beavers on some big sloughs and even the spots the birds kept ice free are froze tight with expansion cracks. Nice hard ice too. I guess a solid ten inch average for gull by opening day.

You guys haven't lived here long have you? Of course there will be ice thick enough to fish. BEL

I like BEL now....but can i drive a quad out?.....lol......

Im pumped....took monday and tuesday off too!!!

Who's gona win the first truck on ice award this year?

I'll say easily +6" by Dec 11th around central Alberta for the bigger lakes if the current forecast holds true.

Penner is my new best friend!!!!

So the question is, if it is 6 inches by the 11th, would you drive a quad on? :)

undoubtedly...id do 5"...pufft....

Never liked such a cold forecast so much:

14 DAY TREND – BENTLEY, ALBERTA

Fri, Dec 2 High-3°C Low-5°C
Sat, Dec 3 High0°C Low-11°C
Sun, Dec 4 High-5°C Low-17°C
Mon, Dec 5 High-17°C Low-22°C
Tue, Dec 6 High-20°C Low-27°C
Wed, Dec 7 High-22°C Low-23°C
Thu, Dec 8 High-17°C Low-20°C
Fri, Dec 9 High-18°C Low-20°C
Sat, Dec 10 High-17°C Low-21°C
Sun, Dec 11 High-14°C Low-19°C
Mon, Dec 12 High-14°C Low-18°C
Tue, Dec 13 High-13°C Low-17°C
Wed, Dec 14 High-12°C Low-14°C
Thu, Dec 15 High-11°C Low-14°C

Next Tuesday looks deliciously great.

Yeah, I'm usually wait until 8 inches. Just my own "thang".

I'm a bit of a chickens&$t when it comes to driving on ice quad or truck. +8" for a quad and +16" for a pick-up. I tend to error on the side of caution.

I'm walking

Hey Penner, I'm about the same for both types of vehicles otherwise I get weirded out too. Spend more time thinking about breaking through than fishing. I'll stick to walking for a bit.

Picked up a skidoo with inch and half paddles on it. Probably not great with the lack of snow around here. 700cc is also a bit much but the price was ridiculous. Sounds powerful just sitting on the trailer. I'll have to wear a helmet this year if I plan on using any of that power. That are start picking out coloring books now before the big crash :)

Check if there's a set of ice scratchers under the floor boards. If not i recommend picking some up from a sled shop. In 0 snow conditions are put down to spray bits of ice on your heat exchangers and sliders. 0 snow means no problems then!

Snow around Edm is always hit or miss but there is always plenty of snow up towards slave and in and around the lakeland. Most years usually too much of it but that won't be a problem anymore if you have a sled...

Opening Day is 1 week away, we got < 2" of snow last night it's -4C now, went out this morning, the lake is still wide open with lots of Canada's hanging around .... that could all change tonight.


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My forecast in Olds is calling for overnight lows around -30 this week. Next weekend is gonna be real good for walk-on fishin'!!

Unless it warms up for next Sunday, I'm staying at home in the hot tub, roaring fire in the fireplace, maybe some wine and a vodka beer or two :)

I'll be a pansy and wait for a warmer start the ice season.

Booya ill be on yhe ice at gull!!!! All thanks to zip....now gunna tie some wire worms zip showed and turn on the stove in the shack and fish in 1 week....6" would be great!!!

Happy

Went for a short walk to see the lake ... it's -16C out & wind is NW 27 gusting 36 km/h, wind chill -26 C .... Sylvan looks like one big hot tub, just steaming!

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That is one hot tub I'm not jumping into :innocent:
Any takers?

P.S. Those temps over the next 4-5 days...and longer. A lot closer to -30 at nights than they were predicting last week. Looks like it should make some decent ice for the holidays :character0053: