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Although the Whitefish chain is wide open for the most part, many of the bays are iced over. I checked one out today and found 3.5" to 4" ice out for a ways. I also checked out a 400 acre lake that I like to hit early on and it had 4" too. No one was out there but I saw sled tracks where someone had been out a long ways. Might try it tomorrow......

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How come the Brainerd forum is so dead? Did anyone get out this weekend? I drove over to my 400 acre lake but my intestinal fortitude took a nosedive when I saw the water on top of the ice and could no longer see sled tracks from a previous fisherman's outing. I don't know how much ice melts when daytime temps reach into the high 30s but I wasn't going to chance it. I'm being tortured by not being able to get out and try it.

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How come the Brainerd forum is so dead? Did anyone get out this weekend? I drove over to my 400 acre lake but my intestinal fortitude took a nosedive when I saw the water on top of the ice and could no longer see sled tracks from a previous fisherman's outing. I don't know how much ice melts when daytime temps reach into the high 30s but I wasn't going to chance it. I'm being tortured by not being able to get out and try it.

HMMMM Sounds like you may have answered your own question, what little ice there is has alot of standing water on it. Last I checked temp. needs to be below freezing for ice to form. The last couple of days and nights temps have been above freezing, so no new ice since last week. Counted 15 trucks tonight check the landing on the main lake, 4 of them I recognised from friday night. Not sure what they were expecting to see different from friday. Main lake has about 10 feet of ice and waves...

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I'm hoping to get out next weekend. Hopefully the cooler weather from Tuesday on will help the cause.

Anyone have a good recommendation for a smaller lake in the area that freezes over early? Typically fish on Gull (Wilson Bay) but doubt the ice will be walkable by next weekend unless something really changes with the weather.

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I talked to a bait shop today in Brainerd and they said the south end of North Long Lake had 5 inches and that people were out fishing. Optimistic about going this weekend.

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Yeah I just assumed she was talking about the 371 bay. My plan now is to go out there Saturday morning. Hope the cold weather tomorrow helps. Anyone who has been out fishing there, how far out is there good ice? How shallow is it in the spots that there are good ice? Is it really 5" thick or is that an exaggeration?

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No kidding. If I wanted someone to tell not to go on the ice, I would have asked my wife. She even tells me not to in February. Give it a break.

Very true

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4-5 inches everywhere I have been on 371 bay. ATV travel by early next week. It amazes me how many people are viewing this site, yet nobody is posting. Nobody fishing? I have been getting a pretty good pike bite on a smaller lake. Can't wait for the bigger water to freeze up so I can chase the eyes.

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I have only seen a few people out fishing. I went one day out on 371 bay & the fishing sucked...how has it been for you Otis? I am also waiting to get out to my favorite spots.

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greg, where are you seeing that? I know they are calling for snow down in southern MN, but I ca't find anything that we are going to get anything other than a dusting here.

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its on my weather bug on here the weeather alert was flashing

it was on the news last to 4 inches they said

so i'm just presuming it got updated this morning

it said 6 or more in our area on sunday i believe it was

my weatherbug is channell 5 but the warnings come out of duluth

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I didn't do any fishing today but I did drive around and look at a number of lakes. Virtually everything I looked at had 3 1/2 to 4 inches of ice (didn't check out big water, most of those have open water in places). I'm just praying the 6 to 8 inches of snow that is 'a chance' doesn't hit us or the ice is going to be really nerfed up for a while. Nothing I hate more than 4 inches of ice under 6 inches of slush under 2 inches of ice.......

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My 2 apps are both saying 6-8 inches by the time it's over. We have to hope the ice is too thin now. Some lakes with 3-4 in of ice could hold this up and screw up the whole year. How thick is the middle lake of No. Long? Gull is still all open isn't it? Round?

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theres a portable on round

out from the ojibway access

gull is still pretty much wide open...some in front of the 371 scess

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Pelican is froze over but I wouldn't think it's very thick in a lot of places. There was a 4 wheeler out on Jones bay. I don't think I would have chanced it.

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

On Friday when I went by there were two portys out on North long, and Gull was wide open still along 371. frown

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So just how much snow did the Brainerd lakes get ?

I'm closer to Crosslake, I'm guessing 5 inches and still coming down. Plus the wind has picked up so with the drifting it's a bit harder to estimate. I haven't driven around at all so my estimate is an 'armchair' estimate.

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I was kiteskiing on the access on the south end of pelican yesterday (south jones bay access). I wasn't too far out but it was about 2.5 inches minimum in the area I checked.

Hopefully it doesn't tempt the 4-wheelers and snowmobiles with the snow on top. Can't handle those yet!

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