Lake st john, Ice conditions

Heading out there tommorrow just wondering if anyone has an ice update on The lake... going out near the factory

Don't know where the "factory" is, but I with a couple of buddies today did fish the lake just off southeast end of the lake (close to Airport Rd), and the ice was doable, but not that great. Ice was anywhere between 2-1/2 and 4 inches. Where I fished for about 4 hours this morning the ice was about 3 and a half inch I'd say (bottom 2 inch good ice with remaining crap ice on top). Caught lots of small/tiny dink perch and very small walleye. Nothin' worth keeping, though I did see some guy nearby caught a couple of nice pike.

Thanks for the update much appreciated I will pm you on how we do tom if ice conditions are favourable in that area.

man that ice looks spooky ...that being said cant wait to fish in the am haha

Thanks!

Nice pics xiaolu, nice to scratch the itch this season. To all on the board, be SAFE, and happy fishing!

Thanks for the report

perch and pike from there full of grubs wouldn't keep anything from there!

Any recent updates on St John ice quality?

Looking to get out there for our first trip on Dec 22nd/23rd. Hoping to have lots of ice by then... Cant wait!

Thanks,
FF17

Heading out on Sunday. Anyone have a recent update on ice conditions?

Accessing via bluebird park

Thanks,
FF17

Those holes drilled with the anchor lines in them is a great idea!!

Whoever posted that pic....how much weight do you find has to be down there to fold the tent down properly?

Also once it freezes I take it its in there pretty good and holds solid.

Might have to adopt that technique myself this year hmmm lol

Hes probably using ice angels which open in the hole and bite into the ice. I was on st john yesterday i cant believe how much less ice it had than couch. Its had the same 4 inches since the beginning and the shore was already getting rough before the rain.

Tie a rope to 2x2 just wider that the width of your hole, then put it down and turn it to lay flat against the bottom of the ice. If the hole freezes over solid worse case you loose a piece of wood. Better than chiseling for hours to retrieve an expensive anchor.

Oh man that's an even better idea, it floats and is super light.

Wicked stuff, especially on simcoe where last year when my buddy and I went one anchor came out due to melt and almost lost the tent we were JUST about to take it down, waiting for a lull in the wind gusts and boom almost lost her lol

Thanks for the tips gents!

Any time, I’ve lost a hut bag to the gusts of Lady Simcoe, and have seen guys chase their portable huts so far they just give up and head for the car lol.
I learned about the wood chunks a couple years ago, and it’s such a game changer on those brutally windy days.