Sauk Centre Area

[lilFEET]

Coming up for the weekend and was just wondering how the ice thickness and water clarity is in the lakes around Sauk Centre? Any info would be great.

[Bushwacker]

I have been out a little in the area and the ice is still pretty spotty. I have found a few smaller lakes that I would feel comfortable driving a small truck on, but I have been on a few lakes that I have seen trucks on, and then found only 7" of ice when I drilled the first hole. It is really spotty most places because of all of the snow drifts that we have had since early ice. If you have access to a ATV or snowmobile I would bring it along to be safe.

As far as water clarity. The lakes I have fished have been a little cloudier than normal on the underwater camera, but still ok to see.

[bigbucks]

I almost hate to post this, but it's true. I drove my gas F-250 across town bay on Osakis last night, probably 3/4-1 mile. I got stuck 5 times. We could shovel out easy enough, although the snow is extremely hard, but without a second person to push & get me started again it would have been really rough. We hit pockets of slush as well, only a couple of inches deep I'd say, but I didn't stop. I can't say that I'd recommend it. There's no plowed road out from town. They said 14" out there. There's definitely 12" anyway. The whole lake is not like that. I was told there was only about 6" near Buck point, which I've not verified.

I had 8-10" where I fished Saturday morning West of the Narrows on the North end. The narrows itself had 12" or more, but it changed very quickly going West, like within a 100 yards or so. I know there were some trucks & bigger houses out there very close to the landing. I heard at least one of those had gotten horribly stuck & there was plenty of slush in spots. The word is, BE VERY CAREFUL, keep checking the ice depth.

Let's just say neither of the places I fished will I be planning to fish next trip out. Conditions NOT being the main reason.

[Bushwacker]

I had a couple Christmas parties this weekend so I didn't get out, but a lot of my buddies did and still the same reports about the ice. VERY SPOTTY. 14"-16" for most of the lakes, but still find those 6"-8" places that have had snow cover. I heard a lot of reports like bigbucks, fishing was slow for almost everyone this weekend.