Shifty Ice and Spawning Jacks

jpietrzak1979 · #1 01-07-2010, 05:42 PM

Spent the day on the ice with a friend today... caught a couple decent jacks and noticed alot of orange stuff. Took me a while to realise it looks suspiciously like a zillion tiny eggs. Wondering if this is encroaching on the spawning season for the pike?
As we were sitting out on the lake we were also getting paranoid. Though the ice was about a foot thick already it kept "popping" more and more frequently as the day went on and the last time I could actually feel it. I'm having to assume that there isn't any chance of ice that thick giving out on us being we didnt even have a vehicle on the ice but we decided it was time to take off. What do you guys think? Hopefully just nerves.
Jay

Wulfespirit · #2 01-07-2010, 05:54 PM

It's pretty rare you'd have to worry about going through a foot of ice with no vehicle (even with for the most part) unless you're right by a spring. 'Popping' is normal. Some lakes up north have 26 inches and it still 'pops'.

Lantzd · #3 01-07-2010, 07:06 PM

cracking and popping is normal and something you definately WANT to hear when your on the ice... the only cracking you dont want to hear is the high pitched cracking, kind of sounding like almost glass because thats when you will fall through ...if you are on the ice and you dont hear nothing, that is when you want to be worried, i worked in the territories alot and all the way past inuvik, we drove the ice roads alot and before you go on them you got to take a course explaining the noices and cracking,,the ice roads crack LOUD and non stop the whole trip and when you are driving you can feel it in your truck,, pretty dam scary

nicemustang · #4 01-07-2010, 08:04 PM

Because of the high pressure ridge coming through and the temp warming up, the ice shifts as it expands and contracts. This is normal for sure.

Pike aren't spawning yet but those eggs aren't ready to be released yet. Depending on the lake, pike will start spawning sometime in april - may when the water temp reaches 45 F or higher. Females carry the eggs for months before they are mature.

Fishfinder · #5 01-07-2010, 11:36 PM

Whereabouts were ya? roughly...

Mike_W · #6 01-08-2010, 12:20 AM

One time at gull 12+ iches of ice and the ice cracked and dropped down actually shot water out of the hole you could here everyone in there tents crapping there pants pretty crazy must have been the Ice heaving

SwampShark · #7 01-08-2010, 10:28 AM

Anyone else notice alot of bubbles and air pockets in the ice Edmonton and north this year?

jpietrzak1979 · #8 01-08-2010, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fishfinder

Whereabouts were ya? roughly...

Was testing out a new lake (for me) which is nervous in winter hehe.. Went to Lake Isle (or was it Isle Lake) and the jacks were hungry, sizable and tasty. (also a lady there told me she caught an 11lbs burbot at a location i am keeping to myself on the lake, in hopes of finding his grandpa for myself)
Jay

Fishfinder · #9 01-08-2010, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpietrzak1979

Was testing out a new lake (for me) which is nervous in winter hehe.. Went to Lake Isle (or was it Isle Lake) and the jacks were hungry, sizable and tasty. (also a lady there told me she caught an 11lbs burbot at a location i am keeping to myself on the lake, in hopes of finding his grandpa for myself)
Jay

Good stuff. New lakes are always fun to try. 11lb burb would be a huge catch. Granddaddy would be Massive! Good luck, hope you find him

Cheers.