Kabetogama Ice Conditions

[guts]

We have been going through lots of changing conditions. Good ice forms, and the winds takes it out, now we are dealing with a 1/2 foot of snow.

Tom Cod bay should be good for foot traffic this weekend, Sandy Point is planning on putting out spear houses today. They have hung onto ice over the last ten days, appears to be 4-6" most areas of the bay. Out of Red Pine, they are a little worried about ice conditions over near the sandbar near the Duck and Irwin bay area, they will check that ice today and continuously until they pull out houses.

Tonight we may drop to -12 to -15 degrees, if the light snow doesn't insulate to much we could make a couple of inches of ice by the weekend.

Looks like possible more snow by Sunday, hopefully ice will be in place by then.

Small neighboring lakes should have decent ice as they would have been protected from the wind.

I will repost with current conditions as they change.

"whenever I feel blue, I just take a breath"

guts

[overdalimit]

Guts,

Did you get everything wrapped up on chippewa trail? How about R.O. did he get the mound finished before he went south? We have alot of snow in cloquet. I plan on trying some ice fishing up on Kab once there is a good 8-10 inches of ice. I will keep in touch as to ice conditions. The Birds are coming for christmas perhaps you and the boss would like to join us too. We always have room for a couple extra at the table.

[guts]

ODL, lots still going on, #6 still need to do kitchen, #5 bathroom in progress. Minor projects on #1

RO, has just about finished the system next door, little bit of work to do yet in spring.

Ice still not safe except in shallow bays.

guts

[SnipeZilla]

From what i hear, not very many people ice fish on kab, but some people spear. Is there a reason for the limited ice anglers on kab besides the small amount of resorts open during the winter?

[Big Jeff]

Any new reports on the ice?

[guts]

Kab isn't known as a ice fishing meca, for a few reasons, we do not have plowed ice roads, only a couple resorts rent houses, and they are spear houses. Kab usually gets early ice which attracts spearing folks, and snow depth usually permits easy travel.

Kab has a few areas that attract anglers that are easily reached, and there are plenty of resorts that offer lodging after Christmas, on Kab and on Ash River trail.

I might mention that very few people fish this lake at night or spend the night in their shantys like they do on some of the other lakes. Hope that covers your question.

[guts]

Howdy Big Jeff, I don't want to answer your question, but oh well. Lots of slush! Kab has basically plenty, of ice for sled travel and many paths are packed down helping travel. Some areas in the middle of the lake have good ice, that formed after the snow. They are fishing the Ash River/Kab area with some success.

I think some folks are fishing over by Lost Lake as well.

If you want to get into Namakan, it seems they are crossing Ash River by Frontier Resort traveling on the Moose Grade trail to Moose Bay and nearby areas. We are dropping to -14 tonight, -8 now so this may all help get a handle on the slush. Hope this helps, guts

[Big Jeff]

OOO it was looking so promising earlier this year, relatives have a place out on Namakan and we have been leaving out of Frontier for a long time now. Did you hear about the park plane tring to land on the Moose River and having a mishap? Hope things start to turn around up there we are hoping to make it up later this month.

[guts]

Big Jeff, yea the VNP plane that tipped up didn't have any fuselage damage, but it did require a new engine that was to be replaced any way. The ice conditions are improving slighty, but I don't think going into Namakan is proven safe yet. The VNP boys were checking ice today so I'll find out conditions tommorrow. I'll give you an update after I talk to them. guts

[Big Jeff]

Thanks for the update, my cousin is heading up today and said the land trails are looking good in orr and arounds Jim's I hope to hear good reports from him when he returns. good luck up there!

[guts]

Big Jeff, Trails by me right into the lot are great, Kab is staked, Ash River to Rainy to the resorts up there. Kab has slush pockets which will prevent grooming for awhile, but ice is deemed safe. The maintenace folks for the park have checked ice from the river to grassy Bay in Sand Point, best ice around, 12" or so solid ice. They should stake next week down to Crane. The Namakan stretch may even get groomed who knows? guts

[JKing]

Was up ice fishing on Kab. over the weekend. Snowmobile & portables is pretty much the only way to get around on the lake. We found 6" to 16" of snow on the lake with a foot of ice underneath it where ever we fished. There were some pockets of slush but nothing that really slowed you down too much. We fished around the Three Sisters, Center Reef, & South of Sugar Bush. Fishing was a bit on the slow side. We caught one 15" sauger, a few perch, & a few northern during the midday hours. The walleye's started to bite the last hour of daylight. We caught a couple 12" er's & a 23" eye on Friday & only a couple smaller ones on Sat. evening.

We'll be back up again this weekend for some snowmobiling & then back up for some more fishing agian 1st weekend of Feb.

Have fun & be safe out there.

John

[Big Jeff]

Thanks for the report, I am heading up thurday night and leaving out of the ash river. We are doing a little of both fishing and sleding. I think we are going to fish all Friday and tips on depths or lures or bait? Haven't been up yet this hard water season. But thanks for the report Jking. Gutz you going to be out there this weekend? Most night we will have on a bar stool at Fronteir and the good folks there. Good luck out there and hope the fish like the cold weather!!!!!!!!!

[guts]

Big Jeff, they are staking the trail from Ash River to Crane Lake today, and as JKing states, the slush is inconvient but very navigable. Eyes hittin on and off, pike pretty active in Namakan.

Something you and other readers need to know if you fish any of the inland lakes, ie; Mukooda or Little Trout you cannot bring in any live or dead bait (no ciscos)nor can you catch ciscos in those lakes and fish with them. Artificals only, such as Heddon Sonar and etc.

Land trails are great. I'd love to share a stoll with you at Debs', but I'll be out of town the 18th to yhe 27Th. Good luck, guts

[let it snow]

The portage between Ash River and Kab/Namakan is groomed as of today 2/5. Black Bay portage (Kab to Rainy) has also been groomed. The yellow trail - Ash River to Kettle Falls - is now staked. Hopefully that can be groomed soon. The park service is talking about getting a groomer on the lakes too.

The land trails are in great condition!

All good news!

Get up here and ride!!

LET IT SNOW

[Dock Boy]

Hello to all. The blue trail from East Namakan to Sand Point will also be open effective this friday. The lake trails from Crane Lake all the way to the Grassy Bay portage into Namakan has also been groomed. Area Snowmobile clubs are doing a great job of keeping these trails groomed from Crane to Kabetogama to Rainy. Everyone needs to come up here to enjoy our areas great snowmobile trail system. We look forward to seeing everyone on the trails.

[dewey1980]

is the ice always this thin on kab this time of year?????????

[guts]

dewey1980, Normally we have 30" plus of ice by now, however the early snow on thin ice slowed deveolpment. The entire lake system Kab,Namakan,Sand Point & Crane have plenty of good ice now, all lake trails are staked, and grooming has been done on many of the ice trails. Anglers can now veture nearly anywhere they care to go as the slush is all but gone. Ice measurements vary from 12" to 20" and perhaps more in some areas.

With less ice than normal, its possible the ice may go out sooner, especially with all the global warming trends they speak of.

Its only suppose to get down to -30+ its -9 right now,

guts