Have you ever stared at a rapidly filling calendar and picked the one small window that could possibly work for a fishing trip? We've all been there. I was in this position again not too long ago. Over the last few years, I have added a winter Lake George trip to the already too long list of annual traditions. Yet finding a weekend that works for three grown-ass men with busy lives and jobs isn't getting any easier. Things get even dicier when the type of fishing you are planning to do involves a giant body of water freezing over in time for said trip.
When I texted Jon, our local source of knowledge for all-things Adirondaks, with the date we hoped to pay Lake George a visit, there was a cautiously optimistic tone to his reply. Jon has lived through enough New York winters to know that January 24th could be pushing it in terms of having "safe" ice on Lake George. Some years she is frozen solid by then, other years she is wide open with white caps, but, as far as averages go, he told us that date would be on the early end for ice fishing on The King. Our trip's fate solely rested on the weather conditions leading up to it. We just needed a little bit of luck.
For weeks before our planned departure, we pored over every long term weather forecast we could get our hands on, scrutinized first ice predictions on ice fishing forums, and waited for texts and emails from Jon with updates from the promised land. It got to the point where we were sending daily screen shots to each other of the nighttime low temps and wind speed in Lake George. With just over a week to go, there was a spell of frigid air and windless nights and word came down that the first brave anglers ventured on to virgin ice. It was music to our ears. We were going to Lake George to jig up lakers on black ice. It was a trip I'll never forget.
When I texted Jon, our local source of knowledge for all-things Adirondaks, with the date we hoped to pay Lake George a visit, there was a cautiously optimistic tone to his reply. Jon has lived through enough New York winters to know that January 24th could be pushing it in terms of having "safe" ice on Lake George. Some years she is frozen solid by then, other years she is wide open with white caps, but, as far as averages go, he told us that date would be on the early end for ice fishing on The King. Our trip's fate solely rested on the weather conditions leading up to it. We just needed a little bit of luck.
For weeks before our planned departure, we pored over every long term weather forecast we could get our hands on, scrutinized first ice predictions on ice fishing forums, and waited for texts and emails from Jon with updates from the promised land. It got to the point where we were sending daily screen shots to each other of the nighttime low temps and wind speed in Lake George. With just over a week to go, there was a spell of frigid air and windless nights and word came down that the first brave anglers ventured on to virgin ice. It was music to our ears. We were going to Lake George to jig up lakers on black ice. It was a trip I'll never forget.
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Looks like an awesome trip. Nice lakers.
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