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A few of us are thinking of hitting Winnie March 19-21st. Just wondering where you would recommend for a cheap/decent cabin to stay--$40/person/night or so--(that allows a dog). Also, looking back it seems the ice is usually still decent at this time. Those of you who fish Winnie late, what are your thoughts on the travel and fishing this time of year. Thanks in advance for any info.

Ringneck

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Ringneck, all I can say is check with Highbanks for the room.

well gosh dam place might be able to put you up too I guess.

by that time of year, I'd be watching the reports closely.

my guts tell me of an early ice out.

if you got some fishing to do, I'd try to go sooner than later.

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Gut instinct huh. Remember last year. I hope your right though as you know what last opener was like.

G.C.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Gut instinct huh. Remember last year. I hope your right though as you know what last opener was like.

G.C.

I don't know... Last year my gut instinct told me that it would be a late ice out... And sure enough it was.

So far A LOT of signs are pointing to Early Ice out.

Now most of those signs are subjective and weather patterning well wishes...

But one thing that matters in a lot of ways to ice out conditions is the cold of late winter... Which builds a thick ice sheet, and drops the heat sink of the ice.

Last year February was BRUTAL cold...

This year... It's been mild and raining in Feb and the ice sheets aren't as thick as usual, and the heat sink factor of them is lighter.

*****

So even if we had EXACTLY the same cool spring we had last year... you'd still be looking at an ice out earlier than last year.

So if we have a warm spring which is looking possible...

Watch out.

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Our group has been going up for the last 15 years between March 15th and March 23rd. Every year but one we have been able to drive vehicles out to our spots. The one year we couldn't access the lake with trucks, we were able to take four-wheelers out.(that was a year when we were fishing in t-shirts)

With that said, be sure to call ahead to the resort where you are staying to get the latest info. on ice travel. When in doubt, bring the four-wheelers. It isn't fun having a great day of fishing on the ice and then being white-knuckled the last 300 yds to shore.

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so when is the average date vehicle travel is safe...as long as we are talking averages?

when you talk averages, remember averages are derived from highs and lows.

my guts tell me this year is going to be a low. it's only an educated guess. what mother nature will do to us only time will tell.

we could have -40 degrees for two weeks straight and that would change things.

I dont see that happening but you never know.

watch the weather and lake condition reports. that's all I'm saying.

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earliest iceout recorded I believe was right around the first of April, the latest was last year.

as far as mother nature, she don't like me, so she will do what ever she can to make my life miserable.

five years ago I was fishing April 16th in 69 degree weather, in a t-shirt. that is about the latest I have seen for fishable ice.

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Well whatever happens I am praying that the ice is good enough to drive on come March 19th!!! I am bring a couple of my brothers who are Winnie virgins so I am hoping for nice cold weather till the 19th then maybe a nice heat wave for a little t-shirt perch jerkin!!!!! Nothing better!!!

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Ringneck we are open until march 23, after that some of the local boys and jigglestick will watch the landing for us until it's unsafe for travel. Hope the perch jerkin goes well for you and maybe we can convince jigglestick the importance of the perch in the food chain. grin

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • Brianf.
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