Excited to see Dark Ice

Joe Johnson (Coldwell Banker Preferred Partners) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:19:13 -0500

For me, the real sign of spring in the Lakes Area is when the ice goes off the lakes. Oh sure, the snow is gone, and sunshine has some real warmth to it. The grass is even green in places, but an ice covered lake is usually the last remnant of winter here.

In this region of Minnesota I think the average ice out date is somewhere around April 18th. This year's winter seemed long so it's really no surprise that there is still several inches of ice on most of the large lakes.

Now this week it gets exciting...

The ice is getting darker.

You see, this ice-out stuff goes through stages.

First we get a couple warm days and most of the snow on top of the ice disappears. (This is my favorite time to get in as much ice fishing as possible as the pan fish really start biting again.)
The next few warm days and the ice will melt along the shore.
Then you start to see large areas of open water near inlets & outlets.
But the real real exciting change...

The ice goes dark.

You know it won't be long now. OK. Maybe this isn't the most exciting thing for everyone. I think it's cool, (no pun intended). The ice is no longer boring white, but a dark, deep, slate-grey. It really is a hard color to describe. Perhaps it is more of a feeling. The end is near. One good rain or a windy day and the cracks appear; growing larger each day until the end of winter is nothing but slush along the shoreline.

This week the ice went dark.

Goodbye winter.

Blog or not to Blog?...

Joe Johnson (Coldwell Banker Preferred Partners) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 11:07:29 -0600

Should I start a Blog?

Ask around and the general reply is the online equivalent of "Jump In - the water's fine".

Yeah right. I know people that cut a hole in the ice and jump in the lake on New Years day. I'm not buying the whole "water's fine" B.S. then - why should I now?

I'll admit I stuck my toe in the water, spent some time lounging along the waters edge reading the Blogs of others. I've even laughed, learned, picked up a few tips, and left a few comments on Blogs. But to start my own? Hmmm.....

It does looks like fun...

Well, maybe just a quick lap around and see how it goes.... Maybe no one will even notice....

But then again, I guess getting noticed is kinda the whole point isn't it?....

Jump in?

They say it's really the only way to get over the initial shock of the water. Who is "They" anyway?

Awww, the heck with it! Here it goes....

CANNONBALL!!!!!

Joe's Blog

Excited to see Dark Ice

Blog or not to Blog?...