Rough is iced over

[dpage70]

I had been having some trouble out my boat and thought I would go to the lake today to try it it out. You know make sure it's ok before the pigs start moving up. Anyone ever seen an entire lake frozen??? Well if you haven't drive down to rough. There's freakin cranes standing on the ice out in the middle of the lake by the dam. I have never in my life seen seen that before. Drove all the way down and can't even put the boat in. North Fork, Laurel Branch, Axtel, and the State dock are all completely iced over. Even got out the binoculars and as far as you could see was a solid sheet of ice. Couldn't believe that, not the entire lake anyway.

[Grumpy]

Sorry for your wasted trip, but I am certainly glad to hear that the lakes are freezing over. A couple more weeks of this cold weather and our fishing should be much better next Spring.

[dpage70]

yup a big shad kill is WAY over due.

[condusivecranker]

what other lakes are iced over and how much is needed to kill off the shad?

[bigcarl6446]

I think the main river is the only thing not froze, even most of salt river looks froze.......its cold

Rather be fishin than typin
carl

[dpage70]

a shad kill takes an extended cold period. the ice will make the water stay colder even after it warms up some so the shad will continue to die off. rough was in a bad need this too. the shad were so thick you could walk across them last summer.

[RC5]

I'm not for sure but I was going to Laurel the other day and passed Linville and it looked like it was frozen atleast all of the lake that I could see.

[Grumpy]

what other lakes are iced over and how much is needed to kill off the shad?

If Rough is totally frozen over, then Nolin, Barren, and Green probably are also. From my previous unscientific observations, I think it takes about six weeks of continious/prolonged freezing weather to kill off the shad. According to Ryan Oster, the KY Black Bass Research Biologist that provided input for my previous post on this subject, the water doesn't actaully have to freeze over to have a shad kill--just stay very cold for a long time. Part of his post is quoted below:

"In terms of your question, about winterkills (hard, cold winters) and how that relates to fishing the following season; I imagine that there have been numerous articles written on this topic expressing various comments and opinions. From a biological standpoint, you are absolutely correct in that when you have cold, hard winters (potentially with extended periods of frozen water and cold water temperatures); you create conditions where potential shad kills may occur. Threadfin shad are more susceptible to winterkills once water temperatures drop below the mid/upper 40’s, while gizzard shad become susceptible to winterkills in the lower 40’s. Additionally, hard winters also may potentially create conditions where you have increased mortality of small sunfishes and juvenile bass produced from the most recent spawn."

Grumpy

[RoadToad]

Thanks a lot for sharing those little pearls of wisdom from the biologist.

This is an awesome board!

[CRANKINandYANKIN]

Beaver lake has been frozen in for over 2 weeks now but thats not unuseual here. The big ones will start soon though. Come get some next month.

[mhall]

One of the weather people the other day said that this was the longest period of cold weather of this magnitude we have had in these parts in 12 years. I think it was John Belski on Wave 3. I can believe it, we've had bad cold in short snaps but this has been a dude, we had single digits at my house at night for days on end for awhile.

[birdstrike]

This is interesting to me, the little lake that I live on does not freeze. It's only 15 acres and not one speck of ice. Wish it would freeze as every goose in a 100 mile radius is in it right now I'm guessing the high volume of water due to it's depth and it's relatively small surface area keeps the water from cooling rapidly. I Should start a new post on this I guess, good fishing!!