Willow or Sibbald Point

Anyone out yet at Willow Beach or Sibbald Point? Thanks.

Was out yesterday morning with the goal of checking out willow. Got there at 6:30am, not a soul in the parking lot. Was still very dark and we had two 9 year olds with us so instead of spudding and checking the ice, which we know only froze tuesday in the middle of night, decided to head to Virginia Beach. Was 8” of good Ice There, but only dinks. On way home went back by willow. Two trucks in parking lot this time. One truck, the guys were sitting there, no doubt debating to head out. The other truck empty. We saw 3-4 guys about 1km out, walking. They were still dry so I’m guessing 3” of ice....willow is one of the last places on south side to get good ice so I figure it needs a couple more days. Last year it was late February before we got out there and then the ice broke up before another freeze up later in March so with this early start and the fact that it will be good Black ice, I’m not complaining!

Moonman.

Thanks, I haven't fished Willow for a few years due to the late and crappy ice there some winters. I don't plan on getting out until Monday and there will be another two nights of -25C to make some ice. Mid-March last year was the best ice for me as the crappy ice tightened up after with a week long cold snap. It looked terrible but was solid.

Myself an my fishing partner will be checking the Jacksons point area tomorrow. Going to see if we can get into the trout grounds. I’ll post once we are back.

Decided to check out Sibbald yesterday. Once past the shoreline jumble the ice was so clear it was hard to see its thickness without a test hole. The bottom was easy to see right through the ice. Seemed to be 4"+ of clear, hard ice with virtually no snow cover.

For some reason though there were no fish - not even a single dink. So after prospecting eight or nine locations out as far as 16 fow we packed up and left. Never did bother to set up the popup.

Probably tons of fish there today.

couple guys out from sibbalds this morning

I like your comment

My buddy said there were lots of guys out at jacksons point perch grounds in the afternoon. We're headed out to check farer out in a few hours.

I like your comment

My experience with fishing is that when I arrive at locations and struggling to catch just one fish, I have people coming to me saying it was on fire yesterday. It's always the day before or the day after you leave it's on fire.

Checked the ice at willow today I’ll be out there for opener tomorrow

I was out off sibbalds today. About 6 inches of ice. Saw one school of perch and caught 2 jumbo but after that nothing. Never even seen another fish.

Just got back from jacksons point an willow beach. Jacksons point is iffy start running into 3" of measured ice with a km straight north of the point. We turned back at that point. Tonnes of rough ice an small pressure cracks. Also we cut what appeared to be a set of small vehicle tracks but couldn't make out where it went or where it returned couldn't see any wet spot in the distance either.

Willow beach two clam pop ups fishing a half km north of the warft drill a hole just west of them 7"s of black ice. Continued out another km pushing through the rough ice cutting several holes. The what appears to be rough ice is a few sheets of black that has fused together to form 7"-8" of solid black ice. I'm sure I could have continued but turned back at that point an I was 1.5-1.75 km of the warft

At this point I warn anybody travelling out there to please test as you go the whole lake isn't safe an I ask everyone to travel safe an use you heads out there for opener.

Thanks for the report Mjewell.

Mjewell thank you for the update. I was planning on checking out some more at bonnie boats but didn't have time. I did drive my sled out from bonnie boats with a good 6 inches between there and sibbalds. There are a bunch of pressure cracks as usual around bonnie boats. Very little snow. I am hoping to make it out to trout grounds tomorrow morning. I know there are a couple of huts already set up but I will see how much traffic is around in the morning.

Did you have a sleigh on behind that you lost at one point?