White Bear Lake -- driveable tomorrow?

[Herky2002]

Thinking of heading out to WBL tomorrow. Anyone have any idea of ice thickness? Is it still safe for driving? If so, is the Ramsey County access on the north side still passable? Thanks in advance.

[Charley]

Walk out.

[mattkimk]

just got off WB. 2 feet of ice plus. Access will be a mess though

[skee0025]

It midnight and 42 out, sunny and mid 50's later today. Kind of sounds foolish to drive out. Then again its your vehicle and your money if it goes thru.

[JBMasterAngler]

Someone has to be the last to drive out. Definitely won't be me, and I hope it won't be you. I seen a truck out on battle creek lake today, and alot of cars parked on tanners watching the motorcycle racing...NO F'N WAY!!!

[polarsusd81]

One guy went through on Rush yesterday and I was out on South Center watching the ice crack around my car. I wont be driving out anymore this season. Besides, the panfish are getting into the shallow late ice patterns so you shouldn't have far to walk anyway. Just keep safe and leave the cars and trucks on shore. You don't need a house in temps like this anyway.

Late ice arsenal - small sled, vex, rod bag, auger, aqua-vu.

You shouldn't need anything more than that. I saw guys out there yesterday with heaters, big shacks, and tons of gear sitting in one spot. I was hole hopping in 5 feet of water and having a blast. From the looks of things, they weren't doing very well sitting on one spot.

[blackdog1101]

Yep, I drove out yesterday, but not any more. The accesses will go fast in this warm weather, and like Polar says, the best fishing is in shallow water. I had a blast yesterday hole hopping for sunnies and crappies. Really caught some nice ones too.

[Herky2002]

Thanks, guys. We took your good advice and pulled our sled out at 6:30 this morning.

Got into a nice crappie bite before 8:00, all in 5-8 FOW over weeds. Most were small, but a half-dozen were 10" keepers.

Once the sun came up, the little perch and sunnies kept my 5 year old well entertained. His excitement of the morning was when a 20" northern took off with his crappie minnow and darn near pulled his pole in the water before he grabbed it. But he fought it all the way in and landed his first northern.

Good times!

[FasterThanYou23]

polarsusd81,the guy that went in on rush would have went through in that spot in the beggining of feb. you can never drive through that area.

[mattkimk]

drove by white bear today. Some cars out. wont be me. Walking out from now on. Some good fishing out there but not worth dropping the car in. Besides I can use the excercise.

[JBMasterAngler]

Drove by owasso today and there was about 4 inches of water ontop of the ice. Lot's of water running in at the access opening things up. My ice season in the metro area is officially done!