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Ice out predictions for Leech


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Wow, I knew it was a cold winter/spring, but I didn't expect the ice to be going out this late. Hope that May 9th is a good prediction for everyone heading up for the big wknd, I won't be coming up until the 16th however....

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  • 311Hemi

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I am now a little more optomistic that the ice has a chance to be off by this weekend. I had the canoe out in uram bay this weekend(I did not catch any fish). The main lake out from the bay was still ice covered but I watched it go from mostly white Sunday morning to dark colored in the afternoon. The reamianing ice in the bay started breaking up pretty good when the wind came up from the sw sunday afternoon.

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Thanks for the update CB34, If the lake opens up could you please post? I am planning on coming up to fish Leech for the opener, but only if ice free. The weather the next couple days should help a lot.

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yes a huge thanks to CB34 and the others that have posted first hand knowledge of the ice situation. there are a lot of us that are 3 or more hours away that really apprecate such detailed reports.

Please keep them coming, and good luck to everyone this weekend!

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The same friend I mentioned in my previous post was up at his cabin this weekend and drove by the casino on Saturday and saw ice fisherman on the bay my the marina heading into town.

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PeteA34, I will not be back at the lake until Friday afternoon which might be too late for your plans. It will be very close as to if the ice will be off. Most of the small lakes in the area were open. If you had plans to go up for the opener and there is still ice on leech saturday morning you might look into another lake for a day and hope the ice frees up by sunday. I did not go into walker so I cant offer any insite on how the ice is progressing on walker bay. With reports of people ice fishing in walker bay this past weekend I would say the main lake is far ahead of walker bay in the ice out race.

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Here is a current peek at what pipe island looks like today from Trappers Landing:

IMG00051.jpg

I tossed a few small rocks out a ways and they went right thru the white looking ice. It is all pretty much slush on this end.

I will throw another pic up tomorrow for you all.

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Good pick Cheffrey, looks like alot of ice out there, but if its soft and the wind blows I guess it could go. Walker bay does not look close.

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I talked to a friend on the north end, of Portage Bay, around 9:oo PM Monday night. He said the ice on that end turned black yesterday. The ice was out about 100 yards from shore.

We need to get wind now and get the ice moving. It will be a close call.

tweed

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And here is one of Roger's point from this AM:

IMG00054.jpg

With 70 degrees forcasted today and rain, with windy conditions the next couple days this should all but disapear I would think.

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One resort I just spoke with said the main lake still has ice, but that Steamboat, Agency, and Traders bay are open from what they have heard.

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A couple posts from this morning that I read on another forum:

 Quote:
I live on Pine Point and the ice was out 25' yesterday, but today it is gone out to about 1/2 mile. Look like I'll be able to fish Leech opening day.

 Quote:
We had some big time thunderstorms last evening, rained cats and dogs. The rain should really smack the ice and assist in melting. Sun this morning so mother nature is doing her part.

Looks like they are calling for sunny skies and wind today (10-15mph, gusts to 20mph)...and sun through tomorrow.

Anyone else with some updates after yesterdays weather?

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 Originally Posted By: 311Hemi
A couple posts from this morning that I read on another forum:

 Quote:
I live on Pine Point and the ice was out 25' yesterday, but today it is gone out to about 1/2 mile. Look like I'll be able to fish Leech opening day.

Hey can you email me the other forum you were on. My family has a place on pine point, wondering if that is one of our neighbors!

[email protected]

that is great news, and finally the weather had started to help out, just in time!

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Email sent.

Also just called a resort in Traders Bay and the ice has blown into the bay. It will be interesting to see of this ice melts by this weekend. It was currently calm on the lake.

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well I don't mean to be the negitive guy but it does not look good. Ice every where and its not black ice. I looked from stoney point landing and it was maybe a mile but from that it was ice as far as I could see. From pine point same thing but not as far out from shore as stoney. The pic tells the story and when you look towards ottertail from pine point its white ice as far sa you see. I just do not think it will make it. (walker bay is not even close and will sruggle to make it the weekend after opener.

Grandvu.JPG

This pic was taken this morning and the wind did blow a bit today so things could change but it will have to be swift!!

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Toom

Thats more open water then I have at my place. CRAZY!

Chris

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Well, I certainly appreciate the posts and updates. Unfortunately, I am on my way up tonight for opener. Our place is on Walker Bay, so I guess our dock won't be going in. At worst, I thought I would be fishing the main lake and using my trailer. Does not even look possible. What do you guys suggest for an alternative plan? Kabekona, Woman, Ten Mile, etc? Bummed. -AJ

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I have not seen but heard all of Steamboat bay is open so an option for some and myself will be to put-in at one of the resorts in Steamboat and fish there. The mounds and the whole east side of the bay should have some fish, especialy with the late ice walleyes will be looking for warm water and steamboat should be the warmest available to them.

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I think there is a rule that unless you are staying in that bay, you can't fish in there ;\) Just kidding of course!! We are staying in the bay and we know it will be packed. Good luck to all, be safe, be patient.

BHS

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It will all work out. Good luck to all........Has anyone heard about the shinner shortage?

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Most places where HOPEING to have shiners by the weekend but most werent promising anything.

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We came up from western Illinois and Just arrived on Leech at 5:00 PM today. As we drove in along 200, the view from Whipolt north was ice and icy slush.

We have a house on Horseshoe Bay at the south end. The view from the deck is much the same as what we saw at Whipolt. When I viewed the lake with binoculars, it looked like a fair amount of open water northeast of us, but it was hard to see clearly so I am not too sure.

My guess is that there is quite a bit of ice being moved around with the wind. Fishing the Walleye opener on Leech seems iffy. I will post what I see from my corner of Leech over the next several days.

The good news is that the Loons are back, The Mergansers are on the open brakes in the ice and Canadian Geese are overhead. Sure sounds like spring. All we need is to open up the water.

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Ice out status is now listed as partial cover.

From another forum:

 Quote:
A pilot flew over the lake last night and stated the ice was off most of the big lake. There is a large portion right now in Traders Bay and on the east shoreline. It is hard to say if all will be gone by Saturday. We need some wind to move the ice around thus breaking it up.
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