Silver lake or Portage?

[BowSlayer]

hey guys I'm planning on going up to Muskoka for some lakers the weekend after this one, does anyone know how thick the ice is on either portage or silver lake? thanks for any help!

 

[getin]

people's A**'s are frozen, let alone lakes....joking aside, I saw Don river going from open 2 days ago to fully frozen over today with what seemed like at least 1.5 inch ice. I suppose the still-water small lakes are covered fine now.
Is there a hut operator on any of these lakes or any tackle shop near them? they can be reached for some info.

 

[BowSlayer]

i don't know of any tackle shops there, i hope its ready, its a small lake but I've never been up there myself, heard good things though.

 

[MartyLee]

I live 5 min from them, Portage Lake is still open in spots and is unsafe, Silver has been iced over for 2 weeks, But we got like 2 feet of snow here now, going to be slush. Will try to cheak the lake out tomorrow, but I have a very busy weekend, Like I said I will try

 

[redneckchromer]

yea that snow is really going to slow down the ice making. :cry:

 

[BowSlayer]

no big deal for me, i know of a few frozen lakes, if you go let me know Liger, i appreciate it!

 

[MartyLee]

Thinking Saturday, My brother-in-law will be down for the weekend, BIG (family) lunch at the church on Sunday, but Saturday we have some free time,

And yes the SNow is a real Pain in the backside.... can not even get back to the lake I want to try for perch now.

 

[BowSlayer]

Liger, any updates?

 

[MartyLee]

have not got out yet, winter stuff. we got hit hard with snow. Soon thou, maybe tomorrow, thinking about fishing or rabbit hunting

 

[BowSlayer]

ok, let me know Liger!

 

[MartyLee]

Sleds are running both Portage and Silver Lake and I seen a person crosscountry ski ing on Silver lake. There was a young kid driving a Bravo 250 around Silver lake today. REAL close to an inlet stream, it was alittle scary driving by on the road to be honest.

 

[BowSlayer]

thanks man, anyone catching?

 

[MartyLee]

have not been out yet. really wanting to get out. just been soo side tracked lately, buddy is on my to get out for some pike and perch in a back land lake near parry sound after this cold weather maybe.

 

[BowSlayer]

is it usually good for the lakers this time of year?

 

[salmotrutta]

Fished Silver Lake from 3:45 pm til dark..drilled 5 holes..didn't mark a single fish. Tried bays, steep drop offs and points.

The lake was entirely covered in snow today, and the ice is extremely thick, with what seems like two layers. You think you've gotten through, a little bit of brownish water comes up, then you have to drill another foot before you're actually through. Maybe this is normal, but as I am not very experienced with ice fishing this seemed strange to me. Perhaps someone can comment?

If I had to try it again, I'd be bringing glow in the dark lures. With the ice as thick as it is and the heavy snow cover, I'd imagine it's pretty dark in that water now.

The lake is supposedly excellent for ice fishing lakers - so maybe I need to give it another try.

 

[BowSlayer]

its a very good laker lake, gets stocked with quite a bit of them, requires some skill though, unlike joe. I have found them just about everywhere eon that lake, jigging bad boys has been good for me with a tube and 2 minnows or a big pike minnow, dark green glow in the dark, I've gotten them on williams spoons as well there. The thing you were experiencing is normal, probably two layers of ice, ice, slush and water, then ice ice again, don't get too worried about that, annoying but not dangerous, right now at least.

 

[Knuguy]

I've been trying to figure out a good spot to fish before the mid-Feb opening on L Joe. Any good intel on these 2 lakes that anybody wouldn't mind sharing?
thx

 

[MartyLee]

Portage is still open in the middle, silver is iced over but its not safe yet. we get a week of cold weather and I may go and cheak, but till then I would say off med to larger lakes for now

 

[Knuguy]

Portage is still open in the middle, silver is iced over but its not safe yet. we get a week of cold weather and I may go and cheak, but till then I would say off med to larger lakes for now

Have you had much luck there?(apart from not falling thru, I mean :razz: )