Safe ice, What to expect March 26 wknd

After half a dozen years on the ice and many lessons, I have comfort levels..early winter solid 5 is comfortable, spring time 8+ 2 maybe.. walking. do spring ice conditions compare to early ice, I would assume to double it. Looking for some opinions. Also small lakes possibly spring fed is there obvious signs of these areas(open water)? One would assume that smaller northern lakes are good for this week end?

Thanks

Dog

I would agree with you. Right now on lakes further up north, the ice on lake is not really the issue at all (still over 1 foot deep ice though the top 3 or 4 inch ice is sort of crap). And the ice close to shoreline are still not bad except some heavily beaten by ATV/snowmobile travels...

Yeah in most cases, the same thickness now would be weaker than first ice. You can tell when you drill it. The top bit crumbles and falls apart (honeycomb ice). As warmer temps and more and more rain and melt water leak down through the cracks, the quality declines.
That being said, I think you’re still safe Muskoka and north. Under a few inches of crap, there’s still at least a foot of good, clear hard ice where I was yesterday.

I'm expecting a large pike or too on the 26th. One thing I will say is that late ice is way more unpredictable than early ice. I recall reading a long thread on another board about guys experiences going through the ice. About 90% of the stories were of guys going through late in the season.