Jamestown/VC area ice

[JustLetMeFish]

Haven’t been out but once this year. Long story. Slips, trips and falls. Ice fishing. Surgically repaired shoulder. Sooo, looking for any info on ice thickness and access around Jamestown and VC. Looking at Hobart, Eckelson, Fox, Moon, Key. Is ice getting weak with all the snow or good for atv? Would love fishing reports but mostly just want to know if we can get out there still. Thanks

 

[KDM]

Around the VC area the ice is 36+ inches thick and hard as a rock. The issue is the snow. We have hard crusted snow drifts covered by powdery snow drifts. If you can get on the lake, you will need 4WD all the way and if you don't watch yourself you will end up on a drift with your truck high centered. Make sure you have a spade along as a scoop shovel is WORTHLESS with the crusty crap and those plastic things are even MORE worthless. I had to shovel my 3/4 ton truck out when I got myself high centered on a drift a couple days ago and the spade was the only thing that would touch that snow. Took me an hour to get out. That was fun. Hobart access is plowed, Moon was two tracked a day or so ago, Ashtabula and Eckelson are accessible, as are the Sanborn ponds. Fox was accessible the last time I was out there, but that was a few days ago. Keep in mind accessing the lake IS NOT the same as getting around on the lake. If you head out, be safe. Good Luck!!

 

[JustLetMeFish]

Thanks KDM! Heading out this afternoon for a while. Appreciate the info.

 

[KDM]

No problem!! Good Luck and let us know how you do.

 

[JustLetMeFish]

Went to Kee, first time out there. Marked a couple but no takers. Prob about 3 hours or so. Only saw 1 other set of tracks out there. Looks like lots of holes drilled without any action by the looks of it.

Prob try Eckelson or Hobart tomorrow. Not real familiar with either of those. Maybe even sandborn. I figured perch or northern might be easier to find. ???