Satellite Imagery for fishing- finding ice-out?

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Hi- I need some help from other fisherman who use satellite web servers to see when the ice is off of lakes...

Last spring I was using a website to see when ice was out of Seymore Lake and Lake Champlain- I can't remember what it was, but I can't find it today.

Google maps shows a photo I can zoom in on, but no ice or snow is in the photo... that ain't a current image for sure. Help! Anyone know of a satellite server that shows something within 24 hours? Or are those no longer available? I can't find what I need...

Thanks - Mark

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Current Satellite Imagery for fishing

Re: Current Satellite Imagery for fishing

That would be nice but the stuff I have seen always has photography that is a couple years old.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Current Satellite Imagery for fishing

Re: Current Satellite Imagery for fishing

Burlington free press recently posted this pic.

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/blog/weather/2009/02/hole-in-lake-champlain-ice.html

Call or email them and ask what service they got that pic from!

Actually, they mentioned where the pic came from at the bottom of the story:

 

[dingbat]

Re: Current Satellite Imagery for fishing

Re: Current Satellite Imagery for fishing

Spring runoff from the rivers causes areas of muddy water to develop that get slowly moved down the Bay by the tides. Stripers are site feeders and the fishing gets tuff when fishing in dirty water. Here is what we use to help locate clean water to fish in.

http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/index.php?subset=AERONET_Wallops.2009106.aqua.1km

You should able to see your lakes when it's not so cloudy in your area.
http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?subset=AERONET_Billerica

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Current Satellite Imagery for fishing

Re: Current Satellite Imagery for fishing

Burlington free press recently posted this pic.
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/blog/weather/2009/02/hole-in-lake-champlain-ice.html

Thanks for that link - I didn't see that! Roger Hill has some of the best forecasting for my area of Vermont for sure. Anyway, I checked it out but the zoom level isn't close enough to see into the bays and smaller lakes. I am going to email him to see if he knows of an interactive database online- the static images at "1km" are not tight enough to define the ice situation.

What I used last year was something like google maps or more like Google Earth but it wasn't using "historical" images; they seemed to be accurate within 24 hours I would guess. I have a friend up by Seymore and the map was showing about a day behind what he was seeing driving by. Some days the lake was not viewable because of clouds, but on clear days I could zoom close enough to see things in the parking lot at the ramp. Although I couldn't figure out what was in the parking lot from the satellite image, when we drove up to launch I realized it was the portapotties at the ramp. I should have bookmarked the site but I figured I found it once - I could find it again. Either it doesn't exist or they don't offer that zoom level- the images look like the NWS/NOAH images, but again, those are only "1km"

Anyone else know of a site? I killed about 45 mins this AM looking again but I can't find anything usable.

Thanks!

 

[John_S]

Re: Satellite Imagery for fishing- finding ice-out?

If you find that site and its free, would be very interested. 24 hours or even a week old would be great. Most online sat photos I've seen are years old. Microsoft Bing site has a birds eye view which I like, which is great for detail, is not updated in that kind of speed, and is not available in all areas.

http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=ZDLE5

 

[Expidia]

Re: Satellite Imagery for fishing- finding ice-out?

I'm surprised Google has not started a service like they do "street view" where they drive through neighborhoods with a camera mounted on the hood. This is the coolest thing. I can view my house and even see my car parked on the street in front of it from any laptop.

They should do this service for lakes and oceans shorelines, islands etc. Would be cool seeing the houses and scenery on lakes or ocean spots before you plan a vacation there.

They could mount a camera on an air boat to map out ice on lakes like Champlain

 

[John_S]

Re: Satellite Imagery for fishing- finding ice-out?

I'm surprised Google has not started a service like they do "street view" where they drive through neighborhoods with a camera mounted on the hood. This is the coolest thing. I can view my house and even see my car parked on the street in front of it from any laptop.

Hmm..., unfortunatly, I'd bet some enterprising thief could use that info to hurt you and I. I just went to MS Bing and looked at some bird's eye views, and think that it does not zoom in as far as it use to. While I was able to tell the pictures were updated this last fall, most car size objects and smaller would need "local" knowledge to tell what you are looking at specificly.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Satellite Imagery for fishing- finding ice-out?

Ya, that was always a concern to me too. I used to be able to even read my license plate by moving the mouse around.

At least they have the courtesy now to blur my Wife's face out while she is in the shower when I mouse over to our bathroom window

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Satellite Imagery for fishing- finding ice-out?

If you find that site and its free, would be very interested. 24 hours or even a week old would be great. Most online sat photos I've seen are years old...

Will post if I find one. I am thinking that one of the weather sites had it- but now they only go to their "1km" resolution (according to my guess, 1 pixel per kilometer??) 1km covers a number of states. I need to obviously get within a few miles to see ice-out status.

Looking like an early fishing season on Champlain at this point

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Satellite Imagery for fishing- finding ice-out?

http://www.tawasbayweather.com/

Do you guys have weather stations with cameras mounted on buoys?

Not a bad way to get a feel for ice out if you check a few of them. Lake Huron has a bunch of locations. Great info to have without burning any fuel to check on things.

http://www.tawasbayweather.com/buoys/buoys.php

This one gives you a quick overview of windspeed across the big lake and you can click on each buoy for a recent photo.

I know this doesn't help you in VT...but maybe they have something similar out your way?

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Satellite Imagery for fishing- finding ice-out?

Do you guys have weather stations with cameras mounted on buoys?....

No cameras on bouys or gurls that I know of (JK- lol)

We have the NOAA "open waters forecast" with wind speed, direction, and hourly predictions. Lake Champlain forces me to check that carefully when I am going to fish my Niagara there- big water and stiff waves when the wind is up. But not any usable real-time webcams that I know of. And nothing that would monitor what I need to see.

Terraserver, mapquest, and Google Earth show really old photos- like last summer with green forest and cultivated trees- no snow.

will keep looking...

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Satellite Imagery for fishing- finding ice-out?

If you find that site and its free, would be very interested. 24 hours or even a week old would be great. Most online sat photos I've seen are years old.....

HA HA! This site claims 24 hour updates- a little too far distance out (again, I can't zoom in without it getting blury) but it is close to what I had last year as far as picture, just blurry and not sharp when I zoom down a lot: http://www.flashearth.com/

Current pic of Champlain shows the "big lake" as open water, and the Inland Sea as iced in. Will monitor this and Seymore Lake and let you know how it does.

More thoughts welcome....

 

[dingbat]

Re: Current Satellite Imagery for fishing

Re: Current Satellite Imagery for fishing

Thanks for that link - I didn't see that! Roger Hill has some of the best forecasting for my area of Vermont for sure. Anyway, I checked it out but the zoom level isn't close enough to see into the bays and smaller lakes. I am going to email him to see if he knows of an interactive database online- the static images at "1km" are not tight enough to define the ice situation.

What I used last year was something like google maps or more like Google Earth but it wasn't using "historical" images; they seemed to be accurate within 24 hours I would guess. I have a friend up by Seymore and the map was showing about a day behind what he was seeing driving by. Some days the lake was not viewable because of clouds, but on clear days I could zoom close enough to see things in the parking lot at the ramp. Although I couldn't figure out what was in the parking lot from the satellite image, when we drove up to launch I realized it was the portapotties at the ramp. I should have bookmarked the site but I figured I found it once - I could find it again. Either it doesn't exist or they don't offer that zoom level- the images look like the NWS/NOAH images, but again, those are only "1km"

Anyone else know of a site? I killed about 45 mins this AM looking again but I can't find anything usable.

Thanks!

The link I posted goes down to 250m. Very easy to see the back bays of Champlain.Can see lots of lakes frozen over in that area as well. If that's not good enough use the 721 images. Water is black, ice is blue.

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Current Satellite Imagery for fishing

Re: Current Satellite Imagery for fishing

The link I posted goes down to 250m. Very easy to see the back bays of Champlain.Can see lots of lakes frozen over in that area as well. If that' no good enough use the 721 images. Water is black, ice is blue.

WOW! :redface: Sorry :redface: I missed your response earlier...

I have my settings configured for the most recent post on top, and a couple of posts bounced your post down and I missed it. Thank you for re-posting.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Satellite Imagery for fishing- finding ice-out?

HA HA! This site claims 24 hour updates- a little too far distance out (again, I can't zoom in without it getting blury) but it is close to what I had last year as far as picture, just blurry and not sharp when I zoom down a lot: http://www.flashearth.com/

Current pic of Champlain shows the "big lake" as open water, and the Inland Sea as iced in. Will monitor this and Seymore Lake and let you know how it does.

More thoughts welcome....

Mark, I'm on the inland sea every few weeks over the summer we stay near Plattsburg and cruise from there, the NY side through the gut which is the body of water between north hero island and south hero island. This is a great spot to fish as its a huge sheltered bay. We usually continue out to its east end and over the inland sea over to Burton Island for the day. There is a reason they named it the inland "sea". It can turn suddenly into an ocean. It's due to the way that north south winds can kick it up. This happens the same anywhere on Champlain, Lake George or the Hudson River because they all run north to south. Sometimes the inland sea is totally flat on the way over and then the wind kicks up around 2-3 pm and it's like 3-4 foot whitecaps. I've never been caught where I had to turn back though from Burton Island back to NY. You just have to hit the waves at a 45 degree angle and make up for your being off course as you get closer to where you are heading when the mountains start blocking the wind again. And the enclosure keeps us dry, but if I didn't have an enclousure fagadaboutit

It's the worst when you have to head east towards the gut and the waves are slamming into your port side.

But I have turned back many times launching from Peru NY and heading over to Burlington, VT for breakfast or brunch and a walk through the town. After lauching from Peru all is well in the bay in front of Valcor island, but as you round the turn into the main section of champlain where it's 10 miles wide, if there is any wind the seas can kick up 4-5 feet and I alaways turn back and head into one of the many coves surrounding Valcor island to salvage the day. There is always some cove that's protected from the wind there.

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Satellite Imagery for fishing- finding ice-out?

Mark, I'm on the inland sea every few weeks over the summer.....over the inland sea over to Burton Island for the day

Going to have a friend dump us in the Hudson below Albany this summer. I have two girls- one 14, one 18. That will be the family vacation for the three of us: boating north over two days to meet friends and campsite reservations on Burton Island. Of course there will be some fishing in there too

There is a reason they named it the inland "sea". It can turn suddenly into an ocean. It's due to the way that north south winds can kick it up.....and it's like 3-4 foot whitecaps.....It's the worst when you have to head east towards the gut and the waves are slamming into your port side.

Lund 145 SS - is that a 14 footer?! So you know what I mean about picking your days! 2-1/2 footers are nerve wracking when they are steady, 3 footers require all my attention. Rogue four-footers come in above or about eye level when you are in a trough. If I took those amidships I would probably swamp my Niagara.

But I have turned back many times launching from Peru NY and heading over to Burlington...the seas can kick up 4-5 feet....

I just started fishing Champlain last year. The way the waves come up there has always scared me- kept me and my little boat on smaller waters. But I manage it now by monitoring NOAA Open Waters Forecast for several days prior, noting the trends and if/how the forecast changes along the way. And having VHF and GPS now is good- they are safety items.

How and what do you fish for?

 

[Tig]

Re: Satellite Imagery for fishing- finding ice-out?

Here is the site I used last year.
http://coastwatch.noaa.gov/
Seems things have changed a bit. I'm still trying to figure it out. Last year I was able to see multiple daily images. Detail was good enough to see snow cover and ice on large lakes.

 

[bigskiohio]

Re: Satellite Imagery for fishing- finding ice-out?

look around on this web site might find something they have a good one of lake erie here
http://coastwatch.glerl.noaa.gov/modis/modis.cgi/modis?region=e&page=1

www.ssd.noaa.gov

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Satellite Imagery for fishing- finding ice-out?

look around on this web site might find something they have a good one of lake erie here
http://coastwatch.glerl.noaa.gov/modis/modis.cgi/modis?region=e&page=1

The Erie pic is cool- but other than Lake Champlain, the lakes I look at are small, such as this one, Lake Seymore in Morgan Vermont on flashearth.com. This site seems closest to what I remember from last year, but the zoom level is lacking. It *is* sufficient to see the ice, just not to the close level I recall.

Thanks for all the links everyone! This turned out to be much more interesting than I expected.