Ice Status

[Waylon&Willy]

How is the Ice Holding up? I plan to get out Thursday and Friday and want to drive the Jeep. I would guess driving is just fine yet, but how is the ice near shore. With the warm up, the Jumbos should be going good!

Thanks for any info.

[swanbait]

Still driving out, have see a few spots where it has pulled back a foot or two. We had 54 degrees today and at 10 pm it is still 40, check in before you head out Thursday. I agree they fishing should be great.

[willowriver]

out today the ice was tight to shore with 1" of water on top... bring your cleats very slippery

[LakeDocktor]

John, can you send me an email. I have a couple questions I need to ask.

Thanks,

Rhino0018 at yahoo

[Jack Shriver]

Fished today, lots of water on the ice. Conditions are starting to change! Fishing was good today! 14-16 ft. Landing we used was good.

[mnvikings1]

I'll be up Thursday through Monday next week Jack with a couple pals from work. Gonna try and show them what the spring perch bite is all about. We'll be in Thursday morning to get some minnows. Dad said he's been in a couple times, fishing has been kinda slow the last 2 weeks. Should be picking up I would think. See you then, Tate

[THEDOGG]

Swanson bait shop in Hackensack said most lakes people are still driving trucks out so atv travel should not be a problem. just use caution. Also check out there website for the latest fishing reports.

[Gofishleech]

It was down in the single digits last night so it was makeing ice!!Should be no water on the ice.

[JakeJ_Mn]

I drilled thru on Leech this morning in Portage bay down to the auger head. No water on the ice since it was cold last night. Limited on 10 to 12 inch perch just off the Fed Dam flats in 9 to 12 feet with a green demon jig. Jake

[fishfurfun]

Where did you drive out from? I have a cabin in Isle harbor and am thinking of taking my son out on Saturday. Would an Envoy or Trailblazer make it out? What time of day seemed best.

[JakeJ_Mn]

I drove out from New Leech Lake Camp which is directly across from Isle harbor. There were also 5 or 6 trucks on the ice near where I was fishing. I only fished in the morning. I'm not sure what the shore looks like up close at Isle Harbor, but the others fishing near me drove on from Northstar. Jake

[B-Radical]

Went out yesterday from NorthStar and the ice was good, it had been cold overnight. Lots of solid ice still. It warmed to about 40 during the day and there were some puddles forming and making the high spots in the ice very slick so wear your cleats. Take it easy on the landing if it is warm because it is sandy and getting mucky after you get off the ice.

Two of us fished all day and caught lots of small perch 6-9 inches. We moved from north to south out from Northstar and ended up keeping 14 perch.

[willowriver]

does anyone know what the white stuff on the meat is? found it on 5 perch this weekend

[LakeDocktor]

worms!

[mnvikings1]

does anyone know what the white stuff on the meat is? found it on 5 perch this weekend

Willowriver,

What you are referring to is a parasite found in perch called Heterosporis. We always just called it "cancer". It makes white, blotchy spots on the muscle tissue of the fish. The bad part is that you can't really tell the fish has the parasite until you clean them. It seems the most prevalent under the rib cages of perch. I have even seen this parasite in walleyes a time or two. I found a link on the DNR site that talks about the parasite. http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish_diseases/heterosporis.html

Looks like the meat is still safe to eat, but I don't hink I would!

[Scott M]

How much snow cover is left? Was thinking about a weekend trip if work doesn't tie me down. I'll have to check ice reports or call Swanson's as the weekend gets closer.

[Jack Shriver]

Tate how you doing! Lots of rain,should know more on conditions of ice Tuesday. Still should be okay with wheelers! Stop or call me at the bait store! Fishing good thru sunday so hopefully will be able to get out Thursday. Jack

[mnvikings1]

Hey Jack. Coming up late Wednesday night for 5 days and dad and I are gonna be taking a couple guys from work out. We'll be in Thursday morning....and hopefully every morning for bait! We will only have 1 wheeler to use so we might be running back and forth a bit. Man, last year we were driving trucks around till darn near the 2nd week of April if I remember right. I think the ice will still be pleanty good for truck traffic, its just the getting on and off that is gonna be tough. My dad has been fishing pretty hard around Sand Point and in Agency Bay for a couple weeks and it has been very slow for him. Looks like they are deeper right now from what I have read on here. Last year we were catching perch under more ice than water depth! Oh well, see you end of the week, have em dialed in!!!!!

[willowriver]

mnvikings1

thanks for the info

[Azrael]

Lakedoctor:

Have you been on Pleasant in the past few days?

I was thinking about heading up Wednesday or Thursday this week. I was just wondering if the ice is still good to get out on.

[Scott M]

The ice is disappearing fast in South Central and the metro...any hope for the Hack and Walker area?

[dockothebay]

We were on Birch last weekend - on Sunday there was still 28 - 30 inches of ice. We go on by our cabin, so I don't know what the accesses look like. At that point there was ice right up to the shore by our place. We saw trucks, 4 wheelers and snowmobiles out there as well. Not sure what this rain will do.

[LakeDocktor]

I was there on Sunday morning. Fishing wasn't that great. Picked up a couple 10-12 inch crappies but nothing to brag about. I talked to another guy on Sunday morning and he heard that some guys came off with 90 crappies on Saturday that were 14 inches. I doubt that, but you never know. The access was starting to break up pretty good by Sunday morning. I'm not sure what the recent rain and wind did to the lake, but I drove my F150 crew cab with my 4 wheeler in the back on the North end. I wouldn't do that now after the rain, but I drove on every lake I went on last weekend. The accesses were starting to take their tolls, but there was still plenty of ice. Just be careful, a lot of holes were drilled this past weekend. The 8 inch holes are now pretty big if they got the rain like we got in St Cloud. Maybe swanbait can chime in on the current ice conditions.

[CourtlandKid]

coming up to our land on friday in hackensack hopefully go fishing! hows the ice??

[swanbait]

Like lakedoctor said, the rain took its toll. 4-wheelers are a must now. There will be guys telling you that they are still driving trucks out but I would not say it is safe for trucks anymore. Fishing has been slow. Been out a couple of nights in the rain and did not do well. My "usual" spots did not produce. There is not much for water on the ice. Have seen some pretty wide cracks and large holes from the running water. Be careful when you are heading out.

[LakeDocktor]

As swanbait said, the cracks will open up. On one lake I fished this past weekend, the ice was pretty soft on top and I was hesitant about driving on but I was watching everyone else drive so I did. I was stopped by the CO and even he said that the lakes have really changed with the warmer weather and wind. That was before the rain! On this same lake, I crossed a pressure ridge on the way out and when I left the lake a couple hours later, this spot was starting to spread out and open up. I would image all of the water from the rain ran into this opening causing it to further open. Every lake I was on this weekend had quite a bit of traffic on it. There were quite a few holes been drilled. I fished some holes on Friday that were still open Sunday morning. The rain water has to go somewhere and it will go into these holes causing them to open up bigger than they were first drilled. The ice around these spots is also weakened as the water will pool. Anyway, I think 4-wheelers will still be alright, but watch some of the accesses and avoid heavily drilled areas when driving.

[caughtacase73]

Is there still some time left to the ice season? Thinking of coming up this Tuesday for the last outing of the season. I would be coming from St Cloud.

What are the ice conditions? What is the best option for ice travel (wheeler / sled)? Is it worth making a trip up?

Thanks for any information.

[MNsuzuki]

I was on Leech Thursday - Saturday, and it got pretty cold most nights (3 to 8 degrees), so everything was really froze solid again. Lots of truck and wheeler traffic on the main lake. I think you are good to go for at least another week with a truck, and depending on the weather next week perhaps a couple of weeks. The lake was awesome the past few days.

[swanbait]

I was on the ice in a few spots this weekend...broke through on to get on in a few different spots and in some spots got a four-wheeler out. I talked to a guy that broke the front of his truck through the ice trying to get it out on the ice this morning. Once on the ice there is two feet plus but the shore lines are pretty soft. I did not see a truck on leech this afternoon.