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Ice Thickness Report


Rick

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators

Please tell us your ice thickness, which lake and which area please because we would like to get a general idea of how it varies throughout the state.

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Just got back from the west side of Winni and at the access that pops out by the river there was a sign that says "No Trucks" on it, but I did see tire tracks going out there, not sure if it was smaller SUV's or what. There was a half dozen trucks/trailers parked on shore that pulled there gear out with sleds and ATV's. I talked to a guy coming in, probably a resort worker since he didn't have any gear on him, he said that there was 12" all over out there consistently. Of course with any ice report, get more than one opinion lol. 

 

I checked the landings at a couple smaller lakes around the area and found folks walking out or taking there sleds/atv's. 

 

I did see some meathead that drove out on Pike Bay, he is parked out there now. I haven't heard any ice thickness reports from the bay but there was about a dozen shacks out there people pulled out there with their sleds. 

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6"-11" on various lakes I fished in Stevens & Pope Counties on Friday and Saturday.  Slush was an issue in spots as well. 

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators

Thanks Carpshooter...

Come on guys...please be badass and share your reports....

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

Around Princeton there is any where from 4 to 10 inches but please check often! I found 6 to 8 most places then found 5 and next step the ice cracked. That made the monstermoose back up to the 6 +inch area

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

Green lake is starting to turn on from what I am hearing. Little elk is still a safe bet for crappies but they are small but you may pick up a few eyes. Ann lake by Zimmerman is giving your tip ups a work out. Baxter slowed down but it might take a while for fish want bite they all have sore lips. Long lake is still a crappie lake but you might need to look for envy the weeds. Lori lake is slow but should pick up for crappies and gills. 

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Found  around 5" on blue lake by zimmerman,but the ice varied quite a bit and you should be careful in some areas where the rain was pooling. Baxter has 10",and little elk has to be around there too now. Lots of little crappies on elk

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8 to 12 inches in Lincoln County depending on the lake but still varying a little due to the rain and strong winds when it froze

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Only been on one small lake just west of Cushing and found 7-9 inches of ice.  No snow on the after the rain this past weekend.

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Ok down hear at the bottom of the state went out in fairmount and found 6 inches of good ice and depending on the spot had 1-2 inches of white ice, but thank god we got that rain no more slush to speak of and snow is gone, now just get a little bit cooler and we will be in business!!!

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A reliable source told me that there is anywhere from 8-10" on the lakes around Naytahwaush, my old stomping grounds. 

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Essentially 12" of ice on LOW. Some areas have 10" some have 15", depending on how much snow is there. 

 

5.5-7" on East/West Hunter. 

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Friday (23rd) I fished south of Willmar on a smaller lake, it had 10 inches of solid good ice with about two inches of snow and slush on top of the ice

Saturday (24th) I fished east of Willamar near Atwater and had 8 inches of ice with about an inch of frozen slush on top...

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Out on a lake in Chanhassen area right now. By the boat launch I measured a good seven to nine inches of clear ice to another 3 inches of Cloudy ice then it quickly went down to 4 to 5 inches of clear ice. Needless to say I was punching holes on my way out and now sitting on 3 to 4 inches of good ice. Be careful out there the ice is nowhere near what I thought it was going to be .

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I saw at least 12 pickups out on Vermilion this morning!

I measured 14 inches of ice in newly drilled holes.

Cliff

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anyone have info on Brainerd area lakes.  North Long?  Tried the Brainerd Forum but no reply.  Where I am, Todd County, 9 miles from Staples, small lakes here have 6-10 and growing.  Watch out for lakes with Springs.

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10 hours ago, papadarv said:

Just got off Coon Lake, Anoka 8" to 11" ice in 3 areas 200 yards off shore 18 to 21 FOW. Got some nice 10" to 12" Crappie.

20161228_081527.jpg

Way to go you have that lake dialed in it seems I have never tried for crappies there Usually just tip up fish.

Nice looking shack! I have the same one

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators

Ice thickness reports and fish pics are awesome coming from you badasses!!! :D 

 

More please :) 

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

seems to be 6 to 10 inches on the lakes I have been on around st cloud area and north a bit. seeing quite a few wheelers out and about. the rain zapped a lot of the snow so nice walking but boot traction need for this guy. :) 

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Any ice reports out there or places to look for ice reports would be appreciated? Thinking about getting out this weekend.

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Be careful going out of Trappers if you use their "bridge" that gaps the pressure ridge. It broke a few times over the weekend and left people sitting on the wrong side for a few hours each time. 

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I did not see that Fishie, must have happened Sunday.  Saturday night the bridge was good to go.

 

 

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There was a line of about 40 trucks and houses waiting to get off the ice on Sunday near huddles reef, but they finally got er fixed. It also broke on Saturday early afternoon and it was out of commission for a while.  I'm guessing it'll be okay from here on out. There was a ton of traffic on it over the weekend. I've never seen so many houses in Whipholt bay..

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I was there also and experienced the rush of traffic.  Not saying anything bad about what happened, but a couple pieces of plywood for a bridge is gonna break over time.  I will use them again, maybe they were just not expecting that much traffic and have a better solution.

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West of Brainerd, Lake Alexander was pushing 14 inches on the west end of the lake.  Most folks were still walking or using ATVs but a few were driving.

 

We walked out but trucked back.

 

This was on 1/2/17

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • Brianf.
      I'm not there, so I can't tell exactly what's going on but it looks like a large area of open water developed in the last day with all of the heavy snow on the east side of wake em up Narrows. These two photos are from my Ring Camera facing north towards Niles Point.  You can see what happened with all of snow that fell in the last three days, though the open water could have been wind driven. Hard to say. .  
    • SkunkedAgain
      Black Bay had great ice before but a few spots near rockpiles where there were spots of open water. It looks like the weight of the snow has created a little lake in the middle of the bay.  
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   Thanks to some cold spring weather, ice fishing continues strong for those still ice fishing.  The bite remains very good.  Most resorts have pulled their fish houses off for the year, however, some still have fish houses out and others are allowing ATV and side by sides.  Check social media or call ahead to your favorite resort for specifics. Reports this week for walleyes and saugers remain excellent.   A nice mix of jumbo perch, pike, eelpout, and an occasional crappie, tullibee or sturgeon being reported by anglers. Jigging one line and using a live minnow on the second line is the way to go.  Green, glow red, pink and gold were good colors this week.     Monster pike are on a tear!  Good number of pike, some reaching over 45 inches long, being caught using tip ups with live suckers or dead bait such as smelt and herring in 8 - 14' of water.   As always, work through a resort or outfitter for ice road conditions.  Safety first always. Fish houses are allowed on the ice through March 31st, the walleye / sauger season goes through April 14th and the pike season never ends. On the Rainy River...  The river is opened up along the Nelson Park boat ramp in Birchdale, the Frontier boat ramp and Vidas boat ramp.  This past week, much of the open water skimmed over with the single digit overnight temps.   Areas of the river have popped open again and with temps getting warmer, things are shaping up for the last stretch through the rest of the spring season, which continues through April 14th.   Very good numbers of walleyes are in the river.  Reports this week, even with fewer anglers, have been good.  When temps warm up and the sun shines, things will fire up again.   Jigs with brightly colored plastics or jigs with a frozen emerald shiner have been the desired bait on the river.  Don't overlook slow trolling crankbaits upstream as well.   Good reports of sturgeon being caught on the river as well.  Sturgeon put the feed bag on in the spring.  The bite has been very good.  Most are using a sturgeon rig with a circle hook loaded with crawlers or crawlers / frozen emerald shiners. Up at the NW Angle...  Ice fishing is winding down up at the Angle.  Walleyes, saugers, and a number of various species in the mix again this week.  The bite is still very good with good numbers of fish.  The one two punch of jigging one line and deadsticking the second line is working well.   Check with Angle resorts on transport options from Young's Bay.  Call ahead for ice road guidelines.  
    • CigarGuy
      With the drifting, kind of hard to tell for sure, but I'm guessing about a foot and still lightly snowing. Cook end!
    • PSU
      How much snow did you get on Vermilion? 
    • Mike89
      lake here refroze too...  started opening again yesterday with the wet snow and wind...  very little ice left today...
    • Hookmaster
      A friend who has a cabin between Alex and Fergus said the lake he's on refroze. He texted me a pic from March 12th when it was open and one from 23rd when it wasn't. 🤯
    • SkunkedAgain
      I don't think that there has been any ice melt in the past few weeks on Vermilion. Things looked like a record and then Mother Nature swept in again.   I'll give my revised guess of April 21st
    • leech~~
      As I get older it's really not just about sending bullets down range.  Some of it's just the workmanship of the gun and the wow factor. The other two guns I have really wanted which I'll never have now because of their price, is a 8mm Jap Nambu and 9mm German Luger.   Just thought they always looked cool!  
    • jim curlee
      I had a guy hit me with a lightly used 1969 BAR, he wanted $1650 with an older Leupold scope. More than I think they are worth, I made an offer, he declined end of story.   You know if you look at the old brochures, a grade II BAR sold for $250 in the late 60s, $1650 would be a good return on your investment.    Why would anybody want a 50 year old gun, they are heavy, have wood stocks, and blued metal.  I guess mainly to keep their gun safes glued to the floor. lol   You can probably buy a stainless rifle that you never have to clean, with a synthetic stock you never have to refinish, is as light as a feather, and for half as much money, perfect.   I'm too old for a youth gun, although I've shrunk enough that it would probably fit. lol   No Ruger 10/44s.   Jim      
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