Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

whats the ice like with these cold temps?


Recommended Posts

just curious what the ice is doing around the area with these cold temps weve been having, i am going to be fishing goodner a good chunk of the day friday and would like to drive out if the ice is willing i was out on friday and saturday last week and there was around thirteen. any info on area lake ice conditions apreciated grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators

I'm sure it's making ice big time this week. When I left the lake Saturday and Sunday nights the ice was booming that making ice boom. \:D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

where I was west of st. cloud on sunday the ice was THICK...like auger extension thick if we get some long snaps of prolonged cold weather. I've never seen auger extensions needed in this part of the state but wow there is a lot of ice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

bearbait. I fished Goodner this past weekend. I was out from the public access and to the east a little bit. Was about 13" in 17' of water on Sat where I was at and Sunday, the ice was 16 1/2" in about 13' of water. Didn't catch much. A dogfish and a small bass. About it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i was out on friday and saturday too, kept 8 crappies and 6 bluegills between both days. caught a bunch more little fish on top of it and had a good sized northern eye up my jig. by the sounds of it i may get enough ice by friday to drive out to my spot across the lake, i hope so at least, i don't want to walk all that way in the fridgid temps. if anybody is out there on friday i drive a white and tan f350 and fish in a fish trap yukon, stop and say hi \:\)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

anyone got any reasons on why I can't get a nothern to hit anything i am presenting. i have yet to have a tip-up go off. Yet to even hook a northern!! I have a cam and i see TONS of northerns, but they won't hit. Any suggestions??

I am on Goodners a lot, this weekend i am going to South Dakota fishing, so i won't be on Goodners, but when i get back I am going right back out there. I drive a goldish Grand Prix and am in a Clam 5600. Please someone stop by and give me some pointers!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the northern i saw on saturday came in a lot higher than i thought it would, like 5 or 6 feet off the bottom, but it did surprise me that it didn't take my waxie or my crappie minnow. But i have learned that pike have a harder time comiting to a bait that isn't in the right depth zone unless they are really hungry, they don't like to move down for baits but they will move up if they are hungry. if you have been puting your minnow a foot off the bottom move it up to 3, if at 3 move it up to 5 etc.. or if your really high move it down. down size minnows, if using shiners try suckers, if suckers try shiners. if you try all this and still nothing you sure got me? eek.gif

anybody been out to goodner during this cold spell yet, i'm sure there is plenty of ice now with all of this below zero weather but just want to hear what the ice is like.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Quote:
anybody been out to goodner during this cold spell yet, i'm sure there is plenty of ice now with all of this below zero weather but just want to hear what the ice is like.

I was out there last weekend, there was 17 inches of ice.

Trucks driving all over.

Pretty slow out there , lots of small fish, pretty typical for Goodners. \:D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cableguy, What have you been using on you tipups? I've been have MUCH better luck for tipup pike using shinners this year compared to suckers. The difference for me has been substantial. Just a idea, might want to some different types of minnows if you aren't already.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

bearbait I have had better luck upsizing baits in the winter for pike, something like a 10-12 inch sucker, 12+ inch ciscoes. even a small 5 pound pike will take these baits down.

just something else to try

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Folks, just because we have bitter cold air temps. and windchills does not mean you should throw caution out the window. I was on the chain a few days back driving my atv in an area where the river current was running through.I hugged the far shoreline between both shores because there was open water with snow on top in that particular spot.I had enough ice underneath to drive the atv, but a regular sized truck would have been screwed in that spot.If you don't know where you are going on the chain, and don't know the ice conditions, use extreme caution when driving a vehicle out there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Driving near a river is always dangerous because of current no matter what time of year and no matter what your driving, walking near some of those spots can be dangerous also.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will agree with the assessment that shiners outperform sucker minnows...that goes for pike, walleye, etc. A lot more flash on those babies for the pike to see from a long way off. Keep the minnow 5 feet off the bottom and experiment with depths and you should get flags. If your tip up has been sitting idle for a substantial length of time you might as well move it!

Sometime the pike just aren't aggressive and it is real hard getting them to bite...have seen this on the aqua cam and there isn't much to do about it other than wait a few days / weeks and try er again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, you are correct.An atv can get a guy into trouble on thin ice in current areas as fast as a guy who is driving a vehicle, and goes in.A guy walking in the thin ice area I drove by would have been in deep you know what. I did know the risks as I went to this fishing spot.I am not advocating that anyone do what I had done previously, but I was given good,solid information as to where I could go to be safer traveling through this area.I did check ice thickness with a chisel as I went slowly along,and the lake area I crossed to get to this spot had 12 inches plus of ice.I am not going to divulge the area because the adjacent fishing area is a spot I am choosing not to divulge either.Just know it is hazardous near current areas, on the ice.Know what you are doing, or stay out of those spots/areas.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

well back from goodner, ice was thick, the spot we fished was about 17 feet of water and had about 17 to 18 inches of ice, ended up with about 10 o.k. sized bluegills and 5 to 6 o.k. crappies, missed a nice pike and had a tiny one on a tip up, we had fish under us all the time but we just couldn't get them to bite anything. o-well it was [PoorWordUsage] cold out there and i am double thinking going out tomarrow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.


  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • mulefarm
      With the early ice out, how is the curlyleaf pondweed doing?
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   The big basin, otherwise known as Big Traverse Bay, is ice free.  Zippel Bay and Four Mile Bay are ice free as well.  Everything is shaping up nicely for the MN Fishing Opener on May 11th. With the walleye / sauger season currently closed, most anglers are targeting sturgeon and pike.  Some sturgeon anglers are fishing at the mouth of the Rainy River, but most sturgeon are targeted in Four Mile Bay or the Rainy River.  Hence, pike are the targeted species on the south shore and various bays currently.   Pike fishing this time of year is a unique opportunity, as LOW is border water with Canada, the pike season is open year round. The limit is 3 pike per day with one being able to be more than 40 inches. All fish 30 - 40 inches must be released. Back bays hold pike as they go through the various stages of the spawn.  Deadbait under a bobber, spinners, spoons and shallow diving crankbaits are all viable options.   Four Mile Bay, Bostic Bay and Zippel Bay are all small water and boats of various sizes work well. On the Rainy River...  Great news this week as we learned sturgeon will not be placed on the endangered species list by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.     The organization had to make a decision by June 30 and listing sturgeon could have ended sturgeon fishing.  Thankfully, after looking at the many success stories across the nation, including LOW and the Rainy River, sturgeon fishing and successful sturgeon management continues.   A good week sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River.  Speaking to some sturgeon aficionados, fishing will actually get even better as water temps rise.     Four Mile Bay at the mouth of the Rainy River near the Wheeler's Point Boat Ramp is still producing good numbers of fish, as are various holes along the 42 miles of navigable Rainy River from the mouth to Birchdale.   The sturgeon season continues through May 15th and resumes again July 1st.   Oct 1 - April 23, Catch and Release April 24 - May 7, Harvest Season May 8 - May 15, Catch and Release May 16 - June 30, Sturgeon Fishing Closed July 1 - Sep 30, Harvest Season If you fish during the sturgeon harvest season and you want to keep a sturgeon, you must purchase a sturgeon tag for $5 prior to fishing.    One sturgeon per calendar year (45 - 50" inclusive, or over 75"). Most sturgeon anglers are either a glob of crawlers or a combo of crawlers and frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig, which is an 18" leader with a 4/0 circle hook combined with a no roll sinker.  Local bait shops have all of the gear and bait. Up at the NW Angle...  A few spots with rotten ice, but as a rule, most of the Angle is showing off open water.  In these parts, most are looking ahead to the MN Fishing Opener.  Based on late ice fishing success, it should be a good one.  
    • leech~~
      Nice fish. I moved to the Sartell area last summer and just thought it was windy like this everyday up here? 🤭
    • Rick G
      Crazy windy again today.... This is has been the norm this spring. Between the wind and the cold fronts, fishing has been more challenging for me than most years.  Panfish have been moving in and out of the shallows quite a bit. One day they are up in the slop, the next they are out relating to cabbage or the newly sprouting lilly pads.  Today eye guy and I found them in 4-5 ft of water, hanging close to any tree branches that happened to be laying in the water.  Bigger fish were liking a 1/32 head and a Bobby Garland baby shad.   Highlight of the day way this healthy 15incher
    • monstermoose78
    • monstermoose78
      As I typed that here came a hen.  IMG_7032.mov   IMG_7032.mov
    • monstermoose78
      So far this morning nothing but non turkeys. 
    • monstermoose78
      Well yesterday I got a little excited and let a turkey get to close and I hit the blind!!
    • smurfy
      good......you?? living the dream..in my basement playing internet thug right now!!!!!! 🤣 working on getting the boat ready.......bought a new cheatmaster locator for the boat so working on that.   waiting for warmer weather to start my garden!!!
    • monstermoose78
      How is everyone doing? Holy moly it’s chilly this morning I stayed in bed and will hunt later today when it warms up.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.