This previous week on Lengthy Island, a number of lakes and ponds had secure ice over 4-inches thick. Even the island’s largest physique of contemporary water, Lake Ronkonkoma, had ice as thick as 6 inches or extra. This uncommon incidence led to a giant exhibiting of hockey gamers, ice skaters, ice fishermen, and even ice boaters.
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For the previous 8 years, our winters have been too delicate to provide secure ice on Lake Ronkonkoma. Nonetheless, the current deep freeze introduced temperatures chilly sufficient to lock up Nice South Bay, quickly halting ferry service to and from Fireplace Island.
Try these Instagram reels posted by @LongIslandWiseGuy of individuals recreating over the ice on Lake Ronk:
On the ice, Sean and I fished small tungsten jigs tipped with mealworms and tiny plastic grubs, which yielded a number of yellow perch in shallow water. We began at 28 toes, then moved to six toes. Despite the fact that the fish had been small, we had been pumped to catch our first-ever fish by way of the ice. The ultra-light deal with concerned in ice fishing made it enjoyable to reel in these small panfish.
One yr for Christmas, my dad purchased me an ice fishing combo—a 13 Fishing Tickle Stick and a Black Betty Freefall Ghost inline reel—that, till at the present time, by no means noticed any arduous water.
I used to be pleased to mud off the hand auger that had been sitting in my basement for over 3 years, together with my ice scooper, which additionally doubled as a fish ruler. Whereas a powered auger is mostly preferable to a hand auger, the ice on Lengthy Island, sometimes, isn’t so thick {that a} hand auger is impractical. It took us round a minute to get by way of the ice, though tag-teaming it helped make the job faster.
Sadly, it’s unlikely that the secure ice on Ronkonkoma will final. With temperatures above freezing right now and solely dipping into the higher 20s at evening, the ice will doubtless thaw shortly and change into unsafe. That mentioned, there’s nonetheless loads of winter left, so we’ll see what February’s forecast has in retailer.
Within the meantime, keep in mind to at all times observe good ice security should you resolve to try ice fishing on Lengthy Island, and don’t take pointless dangers.
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