Today, I Can See My Driveway

We are ahead of April 6th like it took until in 2014 & 13.  However, there is snow in the forecast for tomorrow.  But the first Bass Pundit sign of spring is here as of today.

2017, I Can See the Driveway!!!

Today is the day I am calling my annual full driveway sighting.  With the lack of snow and the off and on warm temps we have been having this year it's not a big surprise to see it this early. This is the earliest I have ever been able to see it since I started paying attention in 2010.

2016 When Will I See the Driveway? #4

Not quite today.  Tomorrow for sure.

Top of the driveway 100% clear

Just this area in the mid section.

Tackle Warehouse Opener will in all likelihood be later this week.

2016 When Will I See My Driveway? #3

It's been a week since my last edition.  Should be clear by Tuesday at the latest.  It's going to be in the mid fifties again tomorrow and may reach 60 on Tuesday.

 

2016 When Will I See The Driveway? #2

I thought I'd be able to see a little more than I can right now due to the temps we had yesterday.  If the extended forecast is correct the driveway should be ice free sometime next week.

2016 When Will I See The Driveway? #1

I may be jumping gun with my count down this year, but with the rain and warm temps we got last weekend the driveway is showing itself already and it's suppose to make it to 50 degrees or more tomorrow.

2015 I Can See The Driveway!!!

(Click to Enlarge)

The driveway is obviously not totally snow free, but I could drive a car the whole length without having to drive over any, so I'm calling it today.  I believe this is the first time the Tackle Warehouse Opener and I Can See My Driveway are on the same day.

2015 When Will I See My Driveway? #4

No quite today.

I can see the top of the driveway.

Not quite at the turn

Not quite at down the driveway either.

Tomorrow will be the day.

2015 When Will I See My Driveway? #3

How it looked tonight.

From the pole barn

I'm pretty sure it will be totally visible tomorrow.  It is supposed to be in the mid 50's again.

2015 When Will I See My Driveway? #2, Plus Bonus GOMH

I thought there would be more progress by now.  It was in the low 40's yesterday and 50 degrees today.

Kaylee and Lilah survey the scene.

I suspect I will be able to see it all on Wednesday.

I was surprised, there was no open water.  That is water on top of ice.

My ice fishing season may very well be over.

2015 When Will I See My Driveway? #1

This will be the 5th year of me doing the "When Will I See My Driveway?" blogs.  Last year I started doing them on March 21st.  After six updates I saw my whole driveway on  April 6th.

Here are pictures I took 2 days ago.  It looked about the same this morning.

From the garage.  The big patch of driveway is from where our Expedition normally sits.

From the turn

  I predict we will be totally ice and snow free by Tuesday, 3 days from now.

2014 I Can See My Driveway!!!

(Click Pictures to Enlarge)

OK, so the driveway isn't 100% visible yet, but I can walk the whole length on gravel.  So I calling it today.  The past couple of days temps in the 40's and 50's along with the sun really did a number on the snow and ice.

Interestingly, last year I also called it on April 6th.  It doesn't look like this April is going to go down the same road we did last year with the well below normal temps and weekly snowstorms.  With what the extended forecast is showing I would say we are on pace to lose the ice off Platte Lake during the last 7 to 10 days of the month.

April Fools!!!

Did I say I would be able to see the whole driveway this week?

The only spot I could see the driveway this morning.

2014 When Will I See My Driveway? #4

The last of the ice at top of the driveway.

We haven't gotten any rain so far as of 7PM, but I would say the driveway is 85-90% clear at this point.  The temp. has just now dropped below 40°F and we should be getting some rain and snow eventually.  I guess it has started raining in Brainerd.  I'm still guessing I will be able to see the full driveway this week.

2014 When Will I See My Driveway? #3

View from the Garage.

View from the Pole Barn is Clear

From Half Way Down

End of the Driveway

It didn't get up to 50 degrees today here in Hillman.  It was 60° in the cities today.  We are supposed to get rain and then a couple of inches of snow tomorrow into Tuesday with a chance of more snow Friday before it warms up again next weekend.  Depending on how much it rains tomorrow I might be able to see the driveway this week.

2014 When Will I See My Driveway? #2

Snow height at the garage door.

The view out of the garage before I got the snowblower out..

We got 5" of snow today and after one trip up and back with the snow blower I broke it when I dug up a golf ball sized rock.  Not sure at this point if it's something I will be able to fix or not.  I'm guessing not.  It's going to warm up this weekend, but then we are probably going to get a another snow storm on Monday.

#TBT: My First Bass Jig

#TBT stands for Throwback Thursday.

One of my earliest memories of catching a bass was from when I was probably 4 or 5 years old and my dad gave me a little yellow hair jig that he called a "Crappie Killer" to use.  I went down to the "back bay," our cabin on West Sylvia had water we could fish on the front and back of the property, hoping to catch a crappie.  Instead of a crappie I got a largemouth instead.  Puzzled I went up and showed dad the bass I had caught.  He explained to me that just because it was called a "Crappie Killer" didn't mean that it would only catch crappies.  Satisfied with that explanation I threw back the bass, which weren't in season yet, and went back to try and get me crappie.   All I could ever seem to catch on these "Crappie Killers" were bass. No matter how much I tried, I don't think I ever caught a crappie on these jigs. As you can see from the picture, I still have a few of them. Judging from the pound test still tied on to the one jig I can see why I didn't get any crappies with them.

2014 When Will I See My Driveway? #1

It's time once again for what has become a tradition here at Bass Pundit Blog; "When Will I See My Driveway."  I first started tracking this sign of Spring on March 5th of 2010.  With the way the forecast is looking.  I may not be taking any pictures for a couple of days.  However, the snow is probably going to go pretty quick as the ice is off of a lot of the driveway at this point from the melting we have already had.  I got the picture today because we had a light dusting last night that covered up the spots that were already bare driveway.

View from the garage.

New view this year from down by the pole barn

From half way down.

The end of the driveway.

Lilah's tracks

Kaylee's tracks