Ice Season was too Short, Bring on Spring

A Short Ice Season and an Early Start to Open Water Fishing

This year has been a little different.

Usually, by this time of year, I’m still trying to squeeze every last bit out of ice fishing—drilling holes, chasing that late-season bite, and holding onto winter for just a little longer. But 2026 had other plans.

A Short Ice Season

I did manage to get out on the ice this year, including a solid trip where we found a good afternoon bite and stayed on fish.

Those days are always a reminder of why I love ice fishing—the simplicity, the cold air, and the action when you find it.

Watch that trip here:

But overall, the season felt short. There wasn’t much time to really settle into a consistent ice bite before conditions started changing. Before long, I was already thinking about packing up the auger and looking ahead to open water.

Mixing It Up in Wellsville

In between the short ice season and the early spring conditions, I also spent some time fishing in Wellsville.

The trout weren’t hitting spinners, so I had to adjust and find something that worked instead. It’s a good reminder that even when your go-to setup isn’t producing, making small changes can turn things around.

Watch that trip here:

From Ice to Open Water

Making the switch to open water always feels a little strange, but this year it happened fast. One week you’re drilling holes, and the next you’re picking up a rod and casting again.

With how warm it’s been, I decided to get out and see if anything was happening. I headed to Newton Reservoir, not expecting much this early—but sometimes it only takes one bite to make a trip worth it.

An Early Season Bass

That one bite came in the form of a bass—one of the earliest bass I’ve ever caught.

It’s not often you’re targeting bass in March in Northern Utah, but with the lack of winter this year, things are clearly shifting. Even though it was just a single fish, it felt like the start of a new season.

I caught it on a Ned rig, keeping things simple and fishing slow in the cold water.

Watch the Newton Trip

I filmed the trip out at Newton, including the catch and how the day played out.

Check out the full video here:

Final Thoughts

It may not have been a long ice season, but it led to an early start on open water—and that’s something to be excited about.

From time on the ice, to adapting in Wellsville, to getting back out on open water, this stretch has been a reminder to take what the season gives you and make the most of it.

If you’ve been waiting to get back out, now might be the time. Even if it’s just one fish, it can be enough to kick things off for the year.

– Outdoors with Andrew