Anyone fishing Echo this Winter?

[wiperhunter2]

Thanks Lance, if we go we will be riding our atv's onto the ice from the new campground on the East end of the lakbut from your report it sure does not sound good, hope it gets better in the next three nights.

No - you won't.  Earl & moi tried to fish Rockport this morning.  The limb laying on the ice next to the launch ramp was maybe 15 feet from shore 10 days ago.  Today it has close to 100 feet from the shore.  I backed the trailer to the ice/water edge and dropped the ramp on to the ice about 12 feet from the edge.  Drilled the ice at the end of the ramp - it was maybe 2 inches of cloudy ice and would not support my weight.  Driving by Echo on the way home from Strawberry today revealed open water all along the west side that we could see from the road.  The lower reservoirs are toast as far as I'm concerned and the only real choice for ice fishing now is the Berry.  Problem - with gas now over 4 bucks/gal ($4.19 for 87 octane with my 6 cent Maverick discount) makes the gas cost for one round trip to the Berry $100 plus.  No thanks.  I'm done for this season and will start sorting and storing the gear tomorrow.  Y'all have fun and I'll look for ya in April on the soft deck.

Looks like gas took another jump in the price at the pump today and with us no longer taking oil from Russia, it would not surprise me if gas continues to raise. Next stop $5 a gallon at the pump and maybe even higher. Looks like I'll be fishing closer to home this year.