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Nokomis


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Anyone check ice yet? I have been driving by on my way home and have not had the time...nor the nerve, to check the ice. It's been pretty well locked up since the weekend and I am curious if there is decent ice or not.

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  • Chode2235

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dude there cant be any good ice since it was open just last week plus the snow,once again it will be a late year on mpls lakes confused.gif

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That's why I am asking. The lake locked up on Saturday morning to the best of my knowledge. I drove by yesterday and it is completely covered. I too doubt the strenght of the ice due to the amount of snow, but this lake is the first to freeze out of the City Lakes and am curious if anyone else's curiousity got the better of them. If anyone checks please post.

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I fish Nokomis each winter and drive by every morning. Friday morning about 80-85% of the lake was iced, but main portions in the middle were still open. Saturday the snow covered the ice and I'm sure has acted like an insulating blanket.

Monday morning there were wet slushy spots visible around the lake so, in my opinion, there is not good ice on there yet. Plus this snow isn't helping. I'll certainly head out once it looks safe but I'm not going to even try it until I'm more confident that the cold temperature has done it's work.

If someone has actually gone out there and tested the ice, I'd be interested in knowing the depths. Though I doubt that this is the case yet.

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I am relatively new to the metro, and live pretty close to Nokomis. How is the fishing on the lake, what do you catch?

I am looking forward to trying my luck ice fishing the lake this winter and any assistance would be appreciated.

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i drove by fri. night and saw a lot of rippling water so i'd wear a life jacket if you go out.there are walleyes to be had and some potato chips.i usually hit up harriet but i dont think its even covered yet frown.gif

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Quote:

i drove by fri. night and saw a lot of rippling water so i'd wear a life jacket if you go out.there are walleyes to be had and some potato chips.i usually hit up harriet but i dont think its even covered yet
frown.gif


Harriet is covered. It froze up sunday morning, So the ice isn't good yet with the snow. As soon as the wind went down it froze literally within the hour. I was by it sunday morning at about 8am and it was open and it was covered by 11am.

I was on Cedar yesterday. I drilled some holes from the fishing dock and it was about 2-3" in that back bay. I'm going to wait a while before going back out. I'm really not comfortable unless it's 4-5".

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I agree that the ice is very unstable. I will try and test it this week to see if anything walkable exists. I too will not fish on less than 4" so it may be another week.

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To the post requesting info on species anmd size of fish, there are some fish in here but I would not spend a ton of time chasing them if I were you. I fish the lake simply because it is near home and I can be set up within 10 minutes of walking out my front door. I basically use it as my winter cigar smoking excuse...you know, a portable, a heater, and a cigar of choice. If I catch a fish, all the better. As for the remark about Walleyes and Crappies...there's a few but nothing to brag about wink.gif

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how about isles. i heard she locks up quick i have'nt been able to go around it yet.as for eyes in nokomis according to the last survey(2005)for a lake of its size it does have a decent population,i've also heard things grin.gif i agree i would'nt chase em around.not with harriet and calhoun sitting just west.

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Hey fdr01...I would be happy to discuss spots, techniques, and past success off the site. If you would like to shoot me an email I would be happy to have this discussion. With the City lakes being suceptable to over fishing I am hesitant to openly share, but if you want to trade ideas send an email to [email protected].

I have never ice fished isles,except on open water opener. I used to hit Isles/Calhoun years ago in college, prior to having a boat, and foun d the eyes consistently. Also lots of big bass if you can find them. I have never had luck with the eyes any other time on Isles. I have spent some time on Calhoun, Harriet & Nokomis and have some stories.

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No I agree. These lakes can so easily be over fished. I am interested in fishing the lake because it is so close to home too.

Feel free to shoot me an email. Chode2235 at Gmail. Thanks.

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hey guys i too have done alot more open water fishing on said lakes than ice what with the winters being so bad the last few years so i am far from an expert but would like to get a few guys toghether and hit em. i have a few spots.but the crown jewel is calhoun there is so much structure in this lake and have heard it is hard to navigate,but i love a challenge.so i will keep your e mail adress's and mabey we can get a trip going.by the way has anyone been down to check that ice? grin.gif[email protected]

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That sounds like a good idea. Get togethers are always good, I like to be able to put a face with the names.

I can even bring a few cigars smile.gif

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Ha! No doubt about the smoking ban issues. I was in a park this summer smoking a cigar and some lady said that all Minneapolis Parks were smoke free zones.

I'd like to see someone come out onto the lake to make me extinguish my cigar...not gonna happen. By the way, in the park...I did not put it out, that is rediculous.

Anyway, this site is not about smoking bans, anyone check ice at Nokomis yet. I saw someone getting ready to parasail yesterday and he was walking around on the shallow end of the lake willy nilly. He was a good 20 yards out and had all his gear so I assume the ice right there had to be more than 2 or 3 inches. I have not seen anyone access my "honey hole" area yet and I am a little scared to be the first. Anyone have ice info to share?

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I don't think any of us want 'to be the first', but someone has to do it.

I will try to drive by tonight and see if I see anyone out there.

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I had to stay home yesterday with a sick child, so I had time to do the Lake drive around. There was absolutely no sign of anyone trying to get out on Harriet, Calhoun or the South part of Isles. I did not make it to Nokomis, and I didn't get out of the car to snoop - was kinda surprised.

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I plan to head out there sometime this weekend to check the ice. I'll be using my old rope-tied-to-a-tree safety precaution and will drill a few holes to check for thickness. I'm hoping to fish the lake next Friday morning, ice willing. With the recent weather and the continued cold ahead, it's got to be getting close to safe.

Reminder for all, the DNR's recommended minimum ice thickness:

4" of new clear ice - Ice Fishing

5" of new clear ice - snowmobiles and ATVs

8" of new clear ice - cars

12" of new clear ice - trucks

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I waited for someone else to check the lakes till I couldnt wait no more. went out on the east side of Nokomis today. No signs of anyone else trying so far. I went out a good 100 feet to 50 yds. an had pretty good ice under a lot of snow. popped three or four holes an had 4 plus inches of ice. started getting a little slushy farther out though. two an ahalf hours an not a nibble. So went over to see what Harriet was looking like decided to take the hand auger an check thickness.someone else had drilled two holes right at shore an gave up after that>. I punched holes out till I heard cracking drilled there an had about two an a half inches. backed up about twenty feet an decide to wet a line for a bit caught one little perch an a couple nibbles. For the most part I will say give Harriet more time thin snow an thin ice. Nokomis was good to go where I was. you can see my tracks an holes. TONIGHT ITS GOING DOWN TO -6 DEGREES smirk.gif oN THE WAY HOME FROM hARRIET WENT by calhoun and ISLE NO one or no signs of anyone out. Just be safe.scoot snow an drill a lot on your way out. grin.gif

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got some o.t this weekend so no go but next sun i'll be on one of forementioned lakes there should be at least 4 by then,just ordered a new led lantern and some underarmour socks both should be here by then laugh.gifgod i cant wait,by the way dragon which side did you try i heard the south side is better quicker

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FDR...I drove around the lask this afternoon and saw about 4 different sets of tracks on the north side. On e set was also accompanied by a sled track and there were definately holes drilled about 50 yrds out...maybe dragon's. Anyway, the north side tends to be shallower if memory serves correctly and may actually freeze quicker. I hope your right about the south side. I am going to try Sunday night if all goes well so if anyone gets out before then, please post as to ice thickness.

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5 houses on Calhoun this evening. 1 single fish trap on Harriet and he was in very shallow.

I yelled down to one of the guys on Calhoun and he was on about about 4 inches of ice (close in to shore) but it got thinner fast as you went out. All 5 bunched up on the same break 50 yards off shore.

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Dragon Fish, I think I saw you as I drove by Friday afternoon. I saw someone with a sled and got excited. Thanks for the post.

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Quote:

were they just out from the bridge?if not what side?and what side of harriet


West side on both lakes. In pretty close though. I'm going out on Cedar today. It should be pretty good, It's been locked up a week longer than Harriet and Calhoun.

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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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