This winter just drags on

I cannot remember a winter that has affected me this much. At least we are past the point of snow and ice everywhere, but it’s still cold and it’s not fun to be outside for very long. I spend the warmer months outside nearly all day. Working on the yard and garden, smoking meat, building stuff in the garage, just going for a walk through the woods. I am just not built to be hanging out inside for months on end. I need a heated shop.

Or just become a snowbird. I get it now why people do it. Ugh, enough complaining. Time to man up and go puts around in the garage.

Picked a good week to head south.
Doesn’t always work that way but this year was spot on. Fishing has been pretty decent.

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This has actually an “average” winter. It’s just that most of the winters in the past decade have been on the milder side, so an average one feels much different.

Last winter was almost non-existent. We had like 2 weeks of cold weather in February. Of course then we had the hottest, driest summer since 1988 and a record warm fall. I would personally prefer not to go back to that anytime soon.

queenswake wrote:

I cannot remember a winter that has affected me this much. At least we are past the point of snow and ice everywhere, but it’s still cold and it’s not fun to be outside for very long. I spend the warmer months outside nearly all day. Working on the yard and garden, smoking meat, building stuff in the garage, just going for a walk through the woods. I am just not built to be hanging out inside for months on end. I need a heated shop.

Or just become a snowbird. I get it now why people do it. Ugh, enough complaining. Time to man up and go puts around in the garage.

You just have to commit to getting outside in the winter. Get the right gear and force yourself outside, especially on the sunny days. I prefer outside in the winter…less people and it’s quiet.

And, you can still have a heated shop!

I walk our dog 2x a day all winter and XC ski 2x per week, and I still feel the same, queenswake.

I enjoy time outside in the winter, but winter still wears on me.

Just convince yourself it is spring even if the temps wont cooperate and carry on with your activities.

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I don’t really consider this winter anymore. Once most the snow melts off and we get above freezing each day. Plus it’s light until almost 8pm

Having said that, there is little doubt I will be a snowbird as soon as I am able. I like some aspects of winter. I like skiing, ice fishing, skating and generally find ways to get outdoors. But… I’d be good doing those things for a shorter timeframe and then spend a couple months each winter fishing saltwater and soaking up sunshine.

Was feeling like a warm spring night tonight

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lindyrig79 wrote:

I don’t really consider this winter anymore.

Was 5 degree when I left for work this morning. We have 4-5 inches of snow coming tomorrow night/Wednesday. Yup, I’m a bit tired of it. I still x country ski, snowshoe and ice fish, but when I bunch it in about 5 years I hope to spend 5 months up north, one month pheasant hunting North Dakota, and the other 6 months fishing central Florida (Okechobee/Sebring area) and the near shore waters of the Gulf Coast.

I would recommend taking a month off and go somewhere warm and have fun. You won’t miss anything about being here trust me. I went to Costa Rica in late January and came back in early March. Perfect timing. Weather is beautiful every day and the oceans were 85 degrees. Fishing is better than anything we have here by a long shot. Next year I will be going for 6 weeks at least.
Start planning for it now rather than in December.
I stopped putting money into anything involving ice fishing long ago and I put it towards saltwater gear and travel. No regrets at all.

I don’t mind winter besides most of my work is out doors. But at home we are out side people. If I hid from winter inside I would go nuts. But there is a million things to do besides ice fishing, but fishing takes most my winter.

normanlly i take winters as they come. but this year it seems to drag out. i grew up around the horseshoe chain in Richmond…i just dont fish the lakes around here much…just dont know them well enough. thats what happens when you have a cabin in itasca county.

but the conditions up there made it beyond miserable since early Jan!!!!!

MnPat1 wrote:

I would recommend taking a month off and go somewhere warm and have fun.

I think almost all of us would like to do something like that every winter, but the reality is that its not possible. We have jobs. We have families. We have homes. Can’t just pick up and leave for a month.

I hear ya man, the older I get the more I try to brainstorm ways to invest in property down south. Never thought I’d want to give up my two seasons but the body doesn’t take winter like it did in my younger years… I picture myself hanging around through Christmas and then coming back in April in an ideal scenario. A man can dream.

Heading to Ft Myers Beach in less than two weeks. Can’t wait.

As soon as I “retire” or stop working my main job and just shift to whatever side work I want, we will try to find a way to more regularly get away from Winter for a break. I like snow, skiing, and ice fishing but by mid January I’ve had my share. If we ideally were somewhere warm from about January 10 – March 10, we’d still experience all the seasons but would skip the worst part of winter where the ice fishing slows under thick ice and temps are coldest. We could still be back for a late ice bite and to clean things up around the house for Spring.

This winter has dragged on forever. Love early ice, but once the permanent shacks and Ice Castles hit the ice my season is over. Attempting to move from Eau Claire to Prairie Du Chien. This is 3 hours further south and will make a little difference. If I had it my way I would head to Florida or Texas on December 1st and return the middle of April.

I like winter, but when I retire I will definetly take a few weeks off from it. Overall maybe the winter is average but Feb. & march have been below.

Jan and Feb were 7 degrees below normal. March is 3 degrees below normal so far.

(Just heard the stat on this mornings weather report)

This winter seems colder. P2 never opened up in Jan/Feb. Every weekend windy with brutal wind chills… Glad the end is near!

-J.

On the TV weather last week they mentioned it was one of the windiest winters on record. Apparently it has been trending windier than past decades. I think I have noticed that.

This winter, unlike many in recent memory, the first snowfall lasted all season which is why I think it seems so long. We just finally melted off all the snow last week. We get a 60 degree day and then back into the icebox. Im ready for it to be over and it looks like its close.

Jon Jordan wrote:

Jan and Feb were 7 degrees below normal. March is 3 degrees below normal so far.

(Just heard the stat on this mornings weather report)

This winter seems colder. P2 never opened up in Jan/Feb. Every weekend windy with brutal wind chills… Glad the end is near!

-J.

Low flow going into winter. No run off/warm ups during winter. I’m sure pool 3 was locked up most the winter too without me busting it up.

Windy winter for sure.

gizmoguy wrote:

On the TV weather last week they mentioned it was one of the windiest winters on record. Apparently it has been trending windier than past decades. I think I have noticed that.

I’ve noticed it too, not just in the winter but all other seasons seem windy now. It’s rare that there is a day with less than a 8-10 mph wind..you’ll maybe get one day per week now with calm winds.

Can we delete February and March off the calendar? I don’t want to go somewhere warm just hate the dog days of winter. Nothing better to put a smile on my face than getting the boat ready to fish in a few days tho!

Jon Jordan wrote:

This winter seems colder. P2 never opened up in Jan/Feb. Every weekend windy with brutal wind chills… Glad the end is near!

-J.

I would agree with this. I think some of it was due to really low water levels in rivers going into Fall. Below the dam in Sartell was froze all winter and just opened last week once they opened the gates. I have never seen it last that long as long as Ive lived here. Its typically froze for a couple months tops.

CaptainMusky wrote:

I think some of it was due to really low water levels in rivers going into Fall.

Yes, that’s accurate. Historically low water levels in many parts of the state were evident last year.

gimruis wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>MnPat1 wrote:</div>
I would recommend taking a month off and go somewhere warm and have fun.

I think almost all of us would like to do something like that every winter, but the reality is that its not possible. We have jobs. We have families. We have homes. Can’t just pick up and leave for a month.

“I don’t embrace excuses I embrace solutions” John taffer
I have many friends like you with unlimited excuses. So far 18 years of excuses while I have 18 years of great experiences. You choose everything in your life. If you make different choices you can make anything happen. I make plenty of sacrifices to make it happen but I make it happen. I have a job, a family, and a house also.
Don’t wait until your to old to enjoy your life.

I will take cold over warm any time. I cannot do the hot. Right now I think these are the perfect days out 30’s do not need to be bundled up. I get out put cameras out and look for sheds you just need a hoodie if that . Once that heat comes it kills me.

MnPat1 wrote:

I have many friends like you with unlimited excuses. So far 18 years of excuses while I have 18 years of great experiences. You choose everything in your life. If you make different choices you can make anything happen. I make plenty of sacrifices to make it happen but I make it happen. I have a job, a family, and a house also.
Don’t wait until your to old to enjoy your life.

Seriously the only people that can do every winter are retired. I can’t think of a single person in my life that would be able to do that other than retired folk.

I think every single person here including me would love to do it. That’s not reality though. The logistics simply don’t add up. I can’t take my kid out of school for a freaking month to go saltwater fishing every day. A week, yes. A month, no. 6 weeks, impossible.

^^^
X2

I agree, would take winter over summer every time. I hate hot, muggy, and buggy weather. I could go on n on why I prefer winter over summer. Best thing is my beer stays cold in the winter.

I ordered a new snowmobile for next year, so it will be a warm, low snow kind of year. I thought I would do my part and take one for the team to help so many here that hate winters. If anyone wants no snow at all, and want to kick in some cash for a new snow plow I was looking at. My venmo account is