Hardwater season is still quite a way off as we are experiencing our first true cold front of the year. What a contrast to the last 2 years when we had lots of wintry weather by this same time. To the point, it has been a very pleasant fall, with only a few frosts. With much milder weather this fall than the past 2 years, the waters are still unseasonably warm, and fish are still in their fall feed and have not yet gotten to their wintering spots. Snow is falling currently, and there is snow predicted to cover the ground across the entire state. The middle of the state is expected to have the most snow, with upwards of 6+ inches in the forecast. This will help cool the waters of Saginaw Bay where many ice anglers are eagerly anticipating the early ice walleye bite. Further to the north, the Traverse City area is expecting only a few inches at best. The heavy winds in the days prior to this cold front helped to keep the waters stirred up prompting a turnover on many of the smaller inland lakes. Stay tuned for more ice reports in the future, but for now, the only ice is still in our coolers or our drinks!