Maine Ice is Out!

downeast450 · #1 (**permalink**) 03-02-2010

Usually we are planning a couple of weekend evening smelt fishing sessions for the last two weeks of March. There are many commercial "smelt shack" rental operations on Maine's estuaries that provide wood stove heated shacks, tackle and bait for those of us who have channeled our need to be on the water so we can ride out this long month. Friends gather in these little communities and fish all night sharing food and beverage, catching the occasional smelt and move through another winter marker. Well that is not going to happen this year. The ice went out in February! All the shacks are on the hard and I am guessing a few didn't make it. We often ice fish into April!

It is 48 degrees here in Brunswick, Maine. There is no snow in sight. the weather has been in the 40's for three weeks. Open water fishing doesn't begin until April 1! What is an angler to do?

This could mean a very early splash! Ha!

Down

sailingdog · #2 (**permalink**) 03-02-2010

You might have jinxed yourself...

norsearayder · #3 (**permalink**) 03-02-2010

shore ice in portland harbor is gone,i still wont wake the beast until april .ive sloged throgh deep snow in april just to catch a brownie or two

downeast450 · #4 (**permalink**) 03-02-2010

O! we will get snow; there will be skiing until April; but the shore ice is out at least a month early and that won't be back until next January! It is new to me.

Is the lower NE coast as far ahead? It must be.

Down

rikhall · #5 (**permalink**) 03-03-2010

We live in Fredericton, NB (just east of Maine in Canada). The Saint John river runs through the middle of the city and is usually frozen as hard as a rock this time of year. The water is open! Warmest winter I can remember.

Saint John River in Fredericton, NB - WebCam

Rik

WanderingStar · #6 (**permalink**) 03-03-2010

We've set records for snowfall in NY. December was very cold, January and February about normal I guess. Except no real warm days.