Spring hasn't arrived yet but ya gotta believe...
The last couple days have been snow and high winds on the Chip. The lake is at full level but there's still 24" to 30" of ice on the water. Unless we get a break in the weather it's possible there could still be ice for the opener. Heavy rain or lots of sun in the next 2 weeks could change that but if you're coming up for the opener you should be planning for cold water fishing. I expect the fish to be more shallow than they've been on the opener in the past few years but with the dark water and high sun it will warm fast once the ice goes off.
Anyway, get your gear ready...the time is almost here.