# Waterfowl Ice Report



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

I don't know about the rest of you, but the bull$hit reports that I hear and read get old. I don't think any WMA is a top secret place that we can't share general information about. I'm sick of reading comments like "go fill up your tank and take a drive" What so a guy can get 2 hours from home to find an area locked up tight. 

Here's my report.
12-01-16 Farmington Bay
Unit 1- open
Unit 2- open/ice
Turpin- Ice from the boat ramp to bridge 3. There were 2 boats out ahead of me, and I still broke ice. 1/4" to 1/2".....It won't be long now, next week it will lock up tight.


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## amrich17 (Jan 19, 2015)

Thank you for the honest reports. Those bs reports do get old.

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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

Ogden Bay north entrance was all frozen on Wednesday.. I went out yesterday to scout and they have now closed the gates and locked them due to construction of the new unit. Not sure if we're allowed to hop the fence or what.


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## crowfoot (Dec 7, 2014)

Was out on Ogden bay Tuesday morning. The shallow water (1-3ft) were freezing over even then. I imagine they have a pretty good layer now. I will give a more detailed report after I go out again this weekend.


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

many times I had the marsh to myself because I was willing to drive out there and see what the conditions were like. No marsh is a secret but sometimes those willing to take the risk get the rewards. but it's public land and people have every right to share what they want and if people feel the need or want to post up conditions then they can do that.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Fowlmouth said:


> I don't know about the rest of you, but the bull$hit reports that I hear and read get old. I don't think any WMA is a top secret place that we can't share general information about. I'm sick of reading comments like "go fill up your tank and take a drive" What so a guy can get 2 hours from home to find an area locked up tight.
> 
> Here's my report.
> 12-01-16 Farmington Bay
> ...


Thataboy

uh....kinda glad ya don't hunt White-tailed Ptarmigan though. 

.


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## waterfowlwhacker (Aug 13, 2016)

I've found my best late season spots by going where is "iced solid" and following where the few birds I see next thing I know I jump a bunch from a open hole or canal and the hunt is on.


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## quackaddict35 (Sep 25, 2015)

How do you think The ice will be on Turpin Turpin tomorrow? 


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## freepunk (Sep 17, 2007)

quackaddict35 said:


> How do you think The ice will be on Turpin Turpin tomorrow?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Was an inch thick out by the 5th/6th bridge on Wednesday. Broke ice from the ramp to the 1st bridge. Won't be long now.


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## hossblur (Jun 15, 2011)

Canal coming out of Willard into the rainbow was mostly open. Not many guys parked at Rainbow pond lot assuming its froze. All the shallow water out by GSL is froze. Heard shooting on Harold Crane, assuming they launched out there ok. Not many, if any swans crossed. 2 flocks of geese circled around Marriots like always, never crossed. Jumped a couple birds off the canal, but much like the last month plus, their aint no birds. Ran on to some flat brimmed little ****s first thing, talked to them on the way out, they were froze, and wet. Good to see a few young dudes getting up at 5 to go freeze to death, but I still can't stomach he flat bills(I know, shut up old timer), I let them decide where they were going, I went the other way, didn't want to cross them up. Seemed like pretty good dudes, happy to share my "secret" spot with them


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## Jdub654 (Oct 28, 2011)

Has anyone been up to the Bear, any thick ice on 1A?


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## fish-n-fool (May 26, 2009)

Went by utah lake yesterday, Some open water out near tributaries but most the lake has a cap of thin ice. With the wind last night of 25+mph I am sure it has opened back up. But I will stop by tonight to see what we have. Mud lake was froze totally up last friday and I assume it is still froze solid today. Water has risen in the last month about 1 foot. Still can't launch normal outboards from any marina because you won't make it out into open water from lindon or AF.


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## Family Man (Dec 8, 2011)

*Farmington Bay*

We launched at Farmington Bay Saturday morning in Turpin. There was pretty much a 1/2 - 1 inch of ice all the way out to the 6th bridge. The ride back in was pretty good if you stayed in the middle of the bay but by the 3rd bridge back to the ramp all the ice had blown over to the dike side so we had to go through it back to the ramp. The hunting was slow we killed 8 birds.


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## Jdub654 (Oct 28, 2011)

Big ponds at BRBR are open back up, slow day, ended up with one greenhead at public, no other shots or birds at PSG or BRBR.


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## waterfowlwhacker (Aug 13, 2016)

Any swans at bear river?


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## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

waterfowlwhacker said:


> Any swans at bear river?


Swan are at rainbow pond. Get there early


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## Wtrfowl (Sep 25, 2016)

Any update on bear river? I'll be heading up there tomorrow morning and not sure what to expect as far as the ice is.


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## fish-n-fool (May 26, 2009)

Utah lake is locked up, it's about 1" this morning, open areas near tributaries out to about 200 yrds are still open. Didn't beat a group to the honey hole so I came to work but thought I would let you all know. I will be up earlier next time out.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

fish-n-fool said:


> Utah lake is locked up, it's about 1" this morning, open areas near tributaries out to about 200 yrds are still open. Didn't beat a group to the honey hole so I came to work but thought I would let you all know. I will be up earlier next time out.


I bet this wind opens it up again especially with the warmer temps next week. Getting up at the crack of noon you won't beat anyone out there. ;-)


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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

LostLouisianian said:


> I bet this wind opens it up again especially with the warmer temps next week. Getting up at the crack of noon you won't beat anyone out there. ;-)


We're supposed to get rain too!!!


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## deadduck (Jul 21, 2009)

Is the ice thick enough to walk on at harolds crane or brbr?


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## crowfoot (Dec 7, 2014)

The east side of Ogden bay is pretty iced up. All the ponds are capped as well as most of the small channels. The main two channels are mostly clear as well as a culvert area or two. Even the 2 big ponds in the east are iced over. That was as of close today.


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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

crowfoot said:


> The east side of Ogden bay is pretty iced up. All the ponds are capped as well as most of the small channels. The main two channels are mostly clear as well as a culvert area or two. Even the 2 big ponds in the east are iced over. That was as of close today.


I hit OB over the weekend. It was a tough walk. A few channels open, but a lot of people, mostly the straight brim high schoolers shooting at starlings.


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## crowfoot (Dec 7, 2014)

When I went out last night there were very few people. Just a couple on a boat shooting coot. There were almost no birds. I saw one duck and some geese flying high. I did see some low flying swans out a little ways.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

I was having some stellar hunts while everything was froze. I only got 2 greenheads yesterday after Saturdays rain. It is going to be tough again until next week when things freeze again. It's bad when it freezes for a week and then thaws, the remaining birds have too many options.


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

Fowlmouth said:


> I was having some stellar hunts while everything was froze. I only got 2 greenheads yesterday after Saturdays rain. It is going to be tough again until next week when things freeze again. It's bad when it freezes for a week and then thaws, the remaining birds have too many options.


If you saw what I seen yesterday you would of had an accident in your waders. Lots and lots of birds working the afternoon thaw. Just think outside of the box. 
That's the only hints I'm giving


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

JerryH said:


> If you saw what I seen yesterday you would of had an accident in your waders. Lots and lots of birds working the afternoon thaw. Just think outside of the box.
> That's the only hints I'm giving


I don't have a airboat. ;-) but I know where I can go find ducks with a little effort.


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

Oh no need for a airboat.


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## SidVicious (Aug 19, 2014)

Took a drive around Salt Creek and Public Shooting grounds. Both are pretty well locked up. Little open spots here and there, but not many birds.


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## Goshawk (Sep 7, 2007)

JerryH said:


> Oh no need for a airboat.


Just some bread and a big fishing net..:mrgreen:


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## fish-n-fool (May 26, 2009)

SidVicious said:


> Took a drive around Salt Creek and Public Shooting grounds. Both are pretty well locked up. Little open spots here and there, but not many birds.


Surprised about this info, From the way I understood the way they manage Salt creek now is they create an open channel from the east all the way to the west outlet by drawing the water down to set the ice on the lake bed of the main impoundment, this creates water flow through the channel they made during the improvements up there. I will have to cal the manager up there to see whats up.


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

Goshawk said:


> Just some bread and a big fishing net..:mrgreen:


White bread early season. Then switch up to wheat or rye after freeze up or snow storm


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## SidVicious (Aug 19, 2014)

The north side of salt creek looked to have a bit of open water, but didn't look like much from where I was. There was a channel open, but everything by the South boat ramps and ponds on that side had ice.


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## fish-n-fool (May 26, 2009)

SidVicious said:


> The north side of salt creek looked to have a bit of open water, but didn't look like much from where I was. There was a channel open, but everything by the South boat ramps and ponds on that side had ice.


OK, Sorry I didn't know you were at the south ramp. Take a look up on the west ramp and you will see what I mean. The south end does not get the flow through it. east to west on the north impoundment. Should be lots of full plumage orange feet all over salty right now. and some nice flocks of geese.


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## SidVicious (Aug 19, 2014)

That is very good to know! Sorry, I was vague on what part I was looking at. Maybe I need to venture to that other side


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## quackaddict35 (Sep 25, 2015)

I'm sure a lot is open right now, I work around the stansbury lake and it was 90% frozen yesterday and this morning it's all open 


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

quackaddict35 said:


> I'm sure a lot is open right now, I work around the stansbury lake and it was 90% frozen yesterday and this morning it's all open
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


A lot of that was the wind we had all night. It will freeze again tomorrow.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

The wind, along with 58F temps. Weird year in so many ways.


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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

We're supposed to hit single digits this weekend. A weird year indeed. Pretty crappy one too!


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## snw_brdr10 (May 20, 2014)

How good do you think hunting will be tomorrow after the storm breaks and temps drop? Just trying to learn some weather tips from some seasoned waterfowlers.


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## freepunk (Sep 17, 2007)

I'm going to guess tomorrow will be slow for most. Really screws things up when we have a hard freeze then everything opens back up again. Usually not enough birds around to fill the open water.


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