Ice out

[Casey Sunsdahl]

Will someone remove that disgusting picture!

[fwp]

Come on now Casey that picture is not nearly as disgusting as that fish your holding!!!

[Cliff Wagenbach]

 Originally Posted By: slick814

Most likely the ice will be gone. No doubt about that... the big question is whether or not Pike Bay is closed. I'm already hearing rumblings that it's going to be closed, and Casey has a thrread that he heard the same thing... anyone hear a for sure yes or no yet?

Pike Bay will be closed for the opener!

Cliff

[IslandHopper]

Cliff, what is your latest prodiction on the ice out? I know you have been around the area for many a years.

[25hpJohnson]

Thanks for the welcome & the info. If the lake is rising 1-2" a day, when does it usually stop and head the other way? That looks like a block of ice for the beer cooler!

[Cliff Wagenbach]

I have been fairly optimistic all along that the lake will be ice free by the opener, but that chunk of ice really depresses me!

The ice melt on Pike Bay has almost halted the past couple of days!

I now think that ice out by Opener will be a real close call on Big Bay!

Cliff

[vermilionwally]

How much of Pike Bay is ice free at this point? I would imagine some of it would have melted today but it looks to be too cold the rest of the week. Is there any chance that Big bay will be ice free for opener? Or at least ice free enough so we can fish?

[Cliff Wagenbach]

About 1/3 of Pike Bay was ice free as of this afternoon.

We can only hope that we get a few ice free bays that we can get to. Never know though, Big Bay may open faster then we expect it to!

Cliff

[Mike Stark]

did you all see the news for pike bay?

"DNR announces a delayed fishing opener on Pipestone Bay of Basswood Lake, Pike Bay of Lake Vermilion (April 29, 2008)"

check out the DNR site.

[Casey Sunsdahl]

There you go Phil i got rid of the bassarino and traded it for some night fishin!

[vermilionwally]

Well ill be happy as long as the narrows are open and enough of big bay for us to get around a little bit. Maybe we will have to get the augers out

[IslandHopper]

Has pike bay ice changed? How much would you say is out of the bay after a warm day yesterday.

[Silver Scale]

I drove over to Hoo Doo about noon yesterday, 4/30. From Hoo Doo I could not see open water anywhere and I could see pretty far west. There were spots where it had pulled away from shore 5-10 feet but that had refroze with about 1/2 inch of ice on it. We've had some cold nights, 16 degrees two nights ago here in Embarrass. McKinley looked tight. The ice was also white and not black and looked pretty solid to me. It did get up to almost 60 degrees in the afternoon but suppose to cool off and rain / snow Friday Sat. It's not looking too good from what I could see. We need lots of sun, warmth, warm rain and wind.

[shamrock7]

Finally said "to heck with work" and took the airplane up to see if I could still remember how to fly it.

Went all around the lake and there is not much water to look at. Pike bay is open from the river to Aronson's and the south edge of Duffy's island. Then the narrows out of Pike Bay are open with a seam of water stretching towards Hoodoo. On the North side of the narrows, the water extends out to about in front of McKinley Park. Very little water in Big Bay. Since there were no pressure ridges this winter (To speak of anyway) there are no open leads to get the ice moving back and forth. Oak Narrows is all open. Norwegian and Black Bays are still solid. Didn't fly directly over them but close enough to tell that they were not open.

Over all, the lake looks to be pretty tight yet. I can still walk right out onto the ice in front of my place so its not going anywhere anytime soon.

Wish I had better news for everyone, but if I had to bet money, I would be betting on there still being some major ice come Opening Day. Just remember that things can change in a hurry. If you use my Daisy bay beaver pond method to determine ice out, it should be gone about this Sunday. But, as has been said many times, "This is not your typical ice out".

If everybody crosses their fingers and chants "ice be gone" maybe it will go faster. Or maybe if that doesn't work, we will have to try clicking our heels 3 times.

[IslandHopper]

I'm just going to keep telling myself it will be out. I can't even focus during the workday anymore. I suppose it dosen't help the 8 other guys that plan on comming up have a bad additude. THE ICE WILL GO, it just has to!

[SledNeck]

60s and wind next week, it'll be gone

[lakerunner]

Out cruising around for work today and drove past Norwegian, Head of Lakes, and Spring Bay.

Norwegian is looking promising--ice melting away from the shore and maybe a couple of inches out 30 yards--a larger (4" diameter or so rock broke through).

Head of Lakes and Spring Bays will definately be open by the beginning of next week. Possibly even by Sunday if we get the rain that they are calling for.

The wind is supposed to pick, rain on Fri/Sat, and warmer temps!!

I'm now getting optimistic again!!!

[petersen08]

Is there open water in Wake'em up narrows yet?

[vermilionwally]

Any new reports on the ice in the pike bay area of the lake?

[shamrock7]

Ice was up past Duffy island today, at least on the west side of the island. We had a canoe capsize by Duffy this evening. everyone was OK. Ice looks a lot weaker after the rain all day. We'll see??!!<<>>

[shamrock7]

And has anyone said anything about lake levels?????

Holy cr&p, no worries about not getting the boat up on the lift.

People will be hitting those little rock pile islands that normally stick up a couple feet. They are a foot under water now.

"Did you bring the waders" just to walk to the dock, will be a common question.

This is the highest I have even seen the lake. And it is still coming up at least an inch a day.

[lkvrmln-NilesBay]

have talked to a few guys over by the dam and they are talking about levels within 6 inches of the highest they have ever seen...guys with 30 plus years on the lake...wow

The last high spring water that I remember was 2001, the year we bought our place in Niles...a few concrete blocks were on the dock keeping the wood from floating away...but this sounds like that might beat those levels.

any pictures?

[shamrock7]

will get some later today, I have been here 27 years and have never had water on over any of my docks but will have some over later today. This will be an interesting year for the dock service guys. Most of the lift out docks are going to have water 1/2 way between the top and bottom chords of the frame so the decking will be floating shortly. They are going to have a lot of work to get done in a very short time.

(Glad I am not in that business, can you imagine the number of phone calls from irate customers. now I'm sure that all FM'ers are calm and understanding when their docks aren't in the water the day after the ice goes out)

[huntmup]

shamrock7

Can you tell me if the channel from Timbuktu Marina along the north side of Hinsdale Island is open?

Thanks

Dan

[lkvrmln-NilesBay]

Michelle at Mannick sent an email out letting everyone know about the water levels, ice, deck straping vs leaving the decking on the shore for a few weeks, etc... you are right, not the business I would want to be in...hopefully folks are understanding, patient, and figure it out. Of course, we are talking about walleye fishermen and we can be fairly nutty if we don't get our "'eye fix" right on time. I am still not sure if I come up this next weekend or not...thinking a week or two delay might be the answer, though I can't remember when I missed an opener...at least 15 years...

[sinkerswim]

I was on fraser bay on Wed. My dock is under water fro the first time, and my boat house will be under if the water rises another 3 inches.

[shamrock7]

 Originally Posted By: huntmup

shamrock7

Can you tell me if the channel from Timbuktu Marina along the north side of Hinsdale Island is open?

Thanks

Dan

Yes, most of Oak Narrows is open.

[shamrock7]

Here are a few pictures from a couple of days ago.

Notice the boat ramp is a little low, or is the water high?? Last year, most of the planks were out of the water.

The boss and the 2 of the boys. Jake and Chester

This dock is set at the same level as most on the lake so you can see where the water level is at. (And this again was 3 days ago.

And no, I was not working in the lake bed.

[PortageBay]

Shamrock: Looks like about 2 more inches of water and we can drive the boats right into the new building without the forklift!

The webcam is looking good today!

[SledNeck]

crane is open