Lake Erie ice cover

[jimski2]

Presently over ninety per cent of the Eastern Basin is ice covered. Normally we would have thirty eight per cent coverage. Add a couple weeks for planning a trip to the Niagara Bar this spring.

[Locoman]

Presently over ninety per cent of the Eastern Basin is ice covered. Normally we would have thirty eight per cent coverage. Add a couple weeks for planning a trip to the Niagara Bar this spring.

That's  not going to bode to well for the perch fishing. It sucks for this recent retiree

[baitrigger]

May 3rd is the latest date booms been taken out. 2 weeks for the ice to clear to get to the bar. Second week in may before trolling the bar. I think i might lose my mind.

[tlox]

Most of the ice from Lake Erie melts off before it ever reaches the lake.  I heard its something like less than 2% of all ice ever makes it to the mouth of the Niagara.  That being said, we really need some warmth and some sun to start going to work on all that ice.

[Tim Bromund]

Yes, once the western and central basins are open and start warming up, sometimes all it takes is a couple days of E/NE wind and the bulk of the Eastern Basin Ice gets pushed west and dissolves in the warmer water.  With the entire lake pretty much locked up this year, we'll just have to see how that progresses.

[times two]

Channel 7 said 87% the other night, but if you look at current satellite image....lots of open water by

Cleveland, and some in Long Point bay.   I live on the lake in Dunkirk, and you can see the difference

in the color of the ice, and the increase mounds of piled ice.   Its moving.   50 degree 3 of next 5 days

should help greatly!

[Mike M]

Had some time on my hands Friday afternoon so I took a ride to Ft. Niagara state park. Wanted to see what the boat launches looked like. To my surprize they were 95% ice free. Water level was quite low,but launching a boat would have been no problem.No ice in the river. Lake had about a 6 inch chop, surprized to see no boats at green can. Anyhow getting the itch,I do believe west of the river is going to be on fire longer then ever this spring. Can't wait!!!

[Gill-T]

Olcott is open for now as well.

[jimski2]

We still will have warm water flowing into Lake Ontario from streams, ditches and municipal outfalls that will turn on the metabolism of local fish and good fishing when you locate these sites. Sideplaners and floating stickbaits near shore will be the deal now.

[jimski2]

Latest satellite coverage reports sixty per cent ice coverage for the entire lake, not just the eastern basin.

[GAMBLER]

Lake Ontario deep water temp has gone up 2 degrees in the past 2 weeks, 3 degrees since march 1st.  It bottomed out at 33 degrees in the middle of winter and now it is up to 36. 

[tlox]

Hopefully some of this rain coming up will help melt the ice down too.  Gotta get that ice boom pulled before May 1st.

[Has Been]

Came home from FLA on wens. Drove up on 90 from Erie. All kinds of Ice out there as far out as I could see.  Also saw what I thought was 4 freighters out there in the ice. Was kind of an "ERIE " sight.

[jimski2]

Big blow coming and ice will pile up here. The ice boom will probably pass a lot of ice over it and fill the river with ice this weekend.

[GAMBLER]

Gained another degree today.  37 degrees at the intake. 

[jimski2]

Your high school physics teacher will tell you the water under the ice is 39 degrees on the bottom until the turnover event happens at 39 degrees. My ice fishing camera tells me the same thing, the water on the bottom is 39 degrees F.

[times two]

Will be interesting to see the next clear satellite photo.   Lots of ice moving around since yday by Dunkirk.   Lots of open areas.

[GAMBLER]

Your high school physics teacher will tell you the water under the ice is 39 degrees on the bottom until the turnover event happens at 39 degrees. My ice fishing camera tells me the same thing, the water on the bottom is 39 degrees F.

You are correct jimski. What you physics teacher did not tell you is if the surface cools and continues to cool it will push colder water to the bottom. Our temp sensor is on the bottom of the lake in 50' of water. We see 39 degrees for a long time in early winter. Once the up layer of the water column cools, it is gone unless we get strong east winds and upwelling in the winter. I will keep trusting our calibrated equipment.

[Has Been]

Yes but 50' of water is not the deepest part of the lake. That being said is it 39at 600'?

[GAMBLER]

Yes but 50' of water is not the deepest part of the lake. That being said is it 39at 600'?

More than likely. When we get an upwelling in winter we see 39 degree water again until the wind shifts. Just like temp swings in summer but not as drastic.

[tlox]

Latest Sat image of Lake Erie from yesterday.... open water is getting bigger and bigger every day and the ice pack is fractured.  The end is in site for the ice boom.

 

 

[orangediablo]

Really hoping the warm up this week melts a TON of ice.  Would love to get some ringbacks Easter weekend.  

[Fbodine]

I hate to sound stupid guys, but what is an ice boom?  I hear it mentioned but I would like to know what it is?

 

Thanks,

Frank

[GAMBLER]

There is a floating barrier across the mouth of the Niagara that holds back the ice on Lake Erie.  Google it and do some reading it is interesting.  There is also a camera at the mouth that shows it.

[kliph]

I hate to sound stupid guys, but what is an ice boom?  I hear it mentioned but I would like to know what it is?

 

Thanks,

Frank

This is the ice boom: http://wnyoutdoors.blogspot.com/

You can see it better in the day light.