Potters or Big Island

thinice · **Posted:** Sat Feb 03, 2018 10:19 am

Was thinking of going out Sunday to Potters or in front of Big Island, any Ice conditions would be appreciated.

Thanks

thinice · **Posted:** Sat Feb 03, 2018 3:02 pm

Hi People,

Just thought it needed to be said. I have been Ice Fishing the Bay for years and know that the two places I mentioned for ice information are some pretty safe places to fish given updated information when others have traveled to them and it only takes a minute to lend you comments with what you know. No one is asking you to sign an affidavit they know the risk and are simply trying to minimize it.

That said there are a lot of great people that lend there comments to help others. But I have seen that there are also people that comment rude stuff that for the most part is unnecessary when some ask a simple question to help with the safety on the ice. It seems that less and less people will ask due to being chastised for just wanting to be safe. Bring a Spud and figure it out, Go to a store and buy some etc.

Since I put this comment up for information 80 plus people have seen it and if you have no information to give then that's part of the process and what you don't know should not be given.

Now for the Facts...

When you look up Quinte ice Fishing this is the first site that comes up, that speaks loudly.
Hundreds of folks are coming from out of town and don't know the ice here and only want to be as safe as possible.
Some of you might be business owners that these people would spend their money at.
Out of the top ten posts, taking out the top 3 views that leaves 3000 plus views and only 30 replies, some great but still a very low number.
Several people have fallen through this year and with any information from you could have be avoided.

I haven't been on this site since 2015 but when I was I always posted any information that could be useful, it doesn't take a lot of time.I'm sure when the administrator started this site years ago it was to promote the great Ice Fishing we have here and to get people the information they need to be as safe as possible.

You can tear this post apart all you want or agree that we really need to help each other to be as safe as possible out there.

If you have been to a location they are asking information about, then help them and tell what you know. What they do with this information may just save their life.

That,s it that's all Mic drop!

Thinice

giggidy · **Joined:** Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:07 pm **Posts:** 119

I couldn't agree with you more thinice. I live 3 hours away and have asked for an ice report for a certain area with very few replies or none. Never have I asked for fishing reports or spots. When I do go up I make sure I report to the world what I see and how I did and if anyone asks about how the fishing was be it here or any other site I will PM as much information I can. It's very hard for an out of towner like myself being 3 hours away to drive up just to see if there is good ice. How hard is it to PM someone that info.? rant over thanks....Simon...

giggidy · **Joined:** Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:07 pm **Posts:** 119

Oh by the way thinice . I was at big bay before the thaw and was on 8 to 10 inches of ice but that was 2 weeks ago . I managed 2 eyes one being 2 lbs. and the other being about 4 but released it do to all the growths on it.hope that helps....Simon.

Wordpecker · **Joined:** Thu Apr 12, 2012 7:34 am **Posts:** 418

Whoa!

Don't want to jump all over you, but realistically weren't you a bit quick to come back with guns 'a blazing... after only five hours? It's Saturday, Man. That's usually a pretty busy day for The Working Stiffs on this site, plus the rest of the Gang may very well have been out there fishing during that five hour period.

Granted, you needed to know stuff quickly, for going out tomorrow. However, it would have been much better to ask for info a couple days or more in advance, instead of less than 24 hrs ahead.

With the crazy weather this Season, in particular over the past week, ice conditions are all over the map, and they are continuing to rapidly change. Nobody wants to send anyone out on the ice at any location under these uncertain circumstances.

Unfortunately now, unless some of our more easy-going, and/or more knowledgeable members, didn't get their backs up over your additional comments, the info you hoped to receive will be probably be pretty limited, and extremely slow in coming.

Nevertheless, you could still garner most of the requested information... by taking the time yourself to read the ice reports submitted for the past couple weeks.

Just sayin'.

Sincerely, Wordpecker

Fry Flier · **Posted:** Sat Feb 03, 2018 11:14 pm

thinice and giggidy I myself have been a member here since 2006 and the truth be known there are just too many people that threw out ice questions and feel that they need to be answered. Well a few years ago people were answering those questions and the people that posted those questions were more or less taking the answers and not checking the ice for themselves. Then when the person who asked the question would find not good or thin ice (which may have been only feet away from where the good ice was)they would blame the people that answered the question. So my reply would be take a spud check the ice or stay home.
I do not only fish the bay I do fish other lakes and you know what, I do ask the same questions. Now sometimes I get some answers and sometimes I do not, when I do I still check the ice and when I do not I will still go and fish it but I do not hold the people that did not answer my question accountable. The last piece of water I fished was 2 1/2 hours away from my home and guess what after no-one answered the ice question I still went and I fished on 14 inches. Was the ice safe "yes" do I feel that the people that did not answer the question should be held accountable "no". Would the answer of "the ice may not be safe" stop me ? Has not in the past, I just did the usual took my spud and checked the ice.
If I answered your question and you went over 25 yards away from my route to the left or the right and went through or found bad ice I could almost guarantee you your next post would be " they , he, she sent me over there knowing the ice was crap"
Sorry if I sound like an ass here but I am tired of people that feel they are owed answers, if in doubt stay home or take a spud.

Grizzly · **Posted:** Sun Feb 04, 2018 6:18 am

they have been fishing potters and big bay for over 2 months, there has been many posts made about potters, and big bay ice conditions, and its February....... shaking head*** .. if you were to call the OPP they would tell you there is no such thing as safe ice............. anyone who posts ice conditions can only say for positive the exact place they walked how would they know what was 30 feet left or to the right if they never stepped there?? for those who have to travel 2 hours to fish. look at it this way,, there is over 70 klm of ice to fish some is safe some is not, but in Feb, if you cant find a place to fish you should just stay home.

TheLandshark · **Posted:** Sun Feb 04, 2018 8:08 am

I kinda agree with fry flier. You should make some friends and contribute. I'll reach out in a pm to help someone. It never hurts to stop at a or call a bait shop and get some. Some people don't give ice reports because it can change so quick especially on Quinte. They aren't worried about a lawsuit as much as having an unfortunate accident on their concious. If you spend any kind of time reading this forum or researching quinte then you know what areas are safer. If you jump on and have to ask if it's safe to bring your kids to a typical high current area, then you probably shouldn't be going there. There are some lakes and bodies of water I wouldn't hesitate to say " hey there is a solid 8" of ice all across the lake no worries have fun. Quinte is certainly not one of them

adventure · **Posted:** Sun Feb 04, 2018 8:38 am

I tend to agree with both sides. Asking about the ice can result in helpful information on whether to make a trip or not. But any answer received should be considered a guideline and not taken as a safe condition or not.
The other thing that doesn't get done enough is post back about what you found and how you made out. If someone helps you out, give feedback. Lots of people get tired of helping all the time and then never hear anything back. That gets old after a while.
Remember too, the majority of us work and have families too and don't respond simply because we haven't been out either.
As to the original question, for Big Bay ice, I was there 1-2 week ago and there was 10" in all areas I was at. Took the sled when there was snow and the atv after the snow melted. No issues for me. I was not near the inlet or outlet of the Bay. Went out from Wagers and point Anne.
Hope to hear back on your trip.

Roblin · **Joined:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 6:53 pm **Posts:** 835

Hi thinice,

I agree with some of your post. I'm pretty disappointed with the flippant, smug replies of a few. Saying that, there's lots of great guy's that are extremely helpful.

I do agree with Woodpecker about the timing. I wouldn't expect many, if any, responses midday Saturday.

If I was travelling down here, I'd like some helpful information. I wouldn't want to drive hours to maybe the only spot I know and find thin ice.

If I didn't get a reply, I would check what posts there were and go with that.

There was a post, maybe two weeks ago, about guy's getting wet at Deseronto. I believe there was a second post about open water off Deseronto. Years ago Deseronto good spot with decent ice. These days Deseronto ice is inconsistent and can be dangerous.

Had dinner last night with a guy from Belleville. He reports good ice and ATV's out off Belleville. If there's ice, the Belleville area usually has decent ice , so if I was from out of town, I would head down there for a look. Lot's of perch off Belleville.

Sorry I can't do better, but that's it.

TheLandshark · **Posted:** Sun Feb 04, 2018 9:20 am

There is a good opportunity stateside after the Ontario season closes not far across the thousands island bridge until the 15th of March. If anyone is interested, pm me and I will give you all the info you need to get you going in the right direction. I'd be happy to help

giggidy · **Joined:** Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:07 pm **Posts:** 119

I own 3 spud bars and I do check as I go but just need a little info if it's worth driving up thats all. I fish simcoe and many other lakes and spud everyone of them. a simple question I asked . is there ice at this area ? yes/no . and I can then go from there. I agree with you Fry Flier about people getting reports and just walking out and not check ice or spuding. I just can't drive up that way to go spud water....Simon.

giggidy · **Joined:** Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:07 pm **Posts:** 119

lol Grizzly.. I asked the question years ago and it wasn't in Feb. I also gave a detailed report on huffs jan 6th. after a day out that way. I'm not much help living so far from the Bay but I do report back after I'm back from a day of fishing the Bay....Simon.

Fry Flier · **Posted:** Sun Feb 04, 2018 10:48 pm

giggidy wrote:

I own 3 spud bars and I do check as I go but just need a little info if it's worth driving up thats all. I fish simcoe and many other lakes and spud everyone of them. a simple question I asked . is there ice at this area ? yes/no . and I can then go from there. I agree with you Fry Flier about people getting reports and just walking out and not check ice or spuding. I just can't drive up that way to go spud water....Simon.

giggidy I know what you are saying and I do try to give info when I can as well. I just can not see how at some times as in yesterday when a person asks for info or help and only allows a few hours on a day when most of the people that can answer the question would be in the area that is being questioned and not even have a chance to reply until later. Yes there may have been 70 or 80 looks at the question but in all likelihood the highest majority of those people would not have been on the ice so as to answer the question. Please do not take my earlier reply as a snub personally I was just pointing out that not all people will answer the question or know about the area in question. I for one have not fished either one of those 2 areas for over a week and I know that 2 of the visits to the question were made by me, one was in hope that the question was answered and the other was to see if I might visit one of those areas on wed. or thurs. when I would be off work.

johnjyb · **Posted:** Mon Feb 05, 2018 5:23 am

I am also 1 of those board lurkers. Don't get out as much the last few years but still check the board daily so I have a few views on most posts as well. I haven't been out this year, but know there is probably 12"-14" at the church, probably about the same at Potters and Big Bay where I have never fished, and maybe thin ice/open water at the Deseronto bridge according to satellite views and some posts. Read the previous posts first to see what is happening, and if in doubt drill a hole and spud.
If you have little or no experience on ice or Quinte in particular, don't go out alone.This is a great site, use it as a research tool as well as a begging board.
John

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Potters or Big Island

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