Ely - Babbitt Fishing Reports - Lake Conditions Too.

[Steve Foss]

Yeah Mike, the ice on Burntside is about 11-13 inches in most areas. Don't think I'd take a full size vehicle out this weekend just to be safe, with the warm 30 degree+ weather coming the next 3-4 days.

The 2nd weekend should be safe for full size vehicles with the -15 to

-30 below predictions coming about Tuesday/Wednesday thru Friday.

What he said.

[LunkerCity]

Wow! Thats a beaute!!! Nice fish Mike

[chaffmj]

Nice looking fish Mike! Not sure when I will be able to hit the ice this year so keep the pictures and stories coming.

[Xplorer]

I gotta ask where your finding those kinda temps for next weekend. I'm seeing mid teens above to low 20's above for late next week and weekend. NOAA has this sunday as being there coldest day/night in the next 10?? I'm thinking of making another trip up next sunday with my 10 year old but those temps make things break too easily.

PS: GO, did you put "the sherriff" back out where he was last year? I met him twice out there, nice guy and very personable...if he is I may run into him sometime on saturday.

PSS: Beautiful fish Mike, a true tanker!!

[Great Outdoors]

Those low temps were on Weather for You, and they have changed again for the 3rd time to much warmer predictions than the -24 to -40 for January 20th.

It's still cold, but nowhere near as the super low predicted.

The Deputy's house is back to the same spot you talked to him last year, and there are only 4 permies out as of last Monday that I saw in my travels.

[Xplorer]

GO,

Not liking these rain/ice predictions.....169 is bad enough in decent conditions but no fun slick and pulling a sled trailer

If i do make it up I'll stop by his place to say Hi and maybe drop a line for a bit. Want to make it up to the Arm too for a couple stops.

[Great Outdoors]

My son will be coming up from Duluth, so I may try to get out on Saturday afternoon after shutting the shop down at noon or 1.

Look for the Red Ranger with tracks cruising around!

[Wanderer]

Good luck guys. I plan to be out and about there too if we can survive the 4 hour, er 5 hour, er 6 hour, er... drive in the predicted conditions.

Won't be the first time doing it but I sure could take a pass on the challenge.

Be safe.

[Mike Stark]

39 degrees and raining here in Ely.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

Hoping the weather will remain warm enough to keep all this rain from freezing! This weather sucks!

[Mike Stark]

Still raining here in Ely. Never got below freezing last night. Watch out for areas with current and neck-downs on the lakes. With all this warm weather and rain some of the ice might get a little funky.

[Wanderer]

Any idea if theres snow left on the ice? Still haven't committed to wheeler or sled yet. Tough call with the potential of 6 plus inches coming.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Any snow that is left on Vermilion is now soup!

Should be very good going again once it refreezes!

Cliff

[Mike Stark]

Any snow that is left on Vermilion is now soup!

Should be very good going again once it refreezes!

Cliff

Same for the Ely area.

[Wanderer]

Slush = sled or wheeler

Snow + slush = sled.

See what simple math can do!

[Xplorer]

GO,

Im waiting until sunday to come up. I need the 3-4" of snow their saying for saturday night for the sled, and I've come too close before to losing it around the curves near Armstrong lake on 169 with the sled in tow to chance it tomorrow. I'll be outta Van Vac sunday am. Green AC oneup with otter tied behind.

[Great Outdoors]

I'll probably be cruising or fishing on Sunday after 12PM. Have to see what the weather looks like, knew this nice temp/low winds couldn't last forever!!

I'll look for you when I'm out there.

[Wanderer]

Just got tucked into bed for a good 4 hours of sleep. The drive up was fine, we just got a late start. Rained all the way with hints of snow. 36 degrees. Pavement was on good shape but the gravel road is really slick. 100% chance of snow at 6 am on the weather page.

[LunkerCity]

Ready to rock some trout!!!!! Yeah Buddy

[Wanderer]

Rain just turned to snow. Right on time.

[Solon]

Based on the forecast texts and that image it looks like the further west on the lake the more accumulated snow you'll have. The WWA text mentions 3-7 inches but it looks like that will all be well west of the lake, with more like 1-4" probable.

As of a few minutes ago Ely was still 10+ degrees warmer than Cook, so the front just got here. How long it stays and keeps dropping snow seems to be the point of uncertainty.

Any indications of the rainfall causing oddities with the ice itself?

How is the slush on top fairing with the colder air arriving? Are we getting a crust/slush/ice layering or is it just becoming harder slush?

My point of interest is black duck bay to the north shore, but it seems these notes/questions will be widely applicable today.

P.S. initial snowfall as of 7:45 am:

[Cliff Wagenbach]

The temp. in Tower dropped 10 degrees since 6:00am this morning. 15 degrees at this time.

There is about 3" to5" of water on top of the ice . About the top 1-1/2" of that was frozen when I came off the ice at 9:00am this morning.

My truck weighs about 500 pounds more with all of the ice hanging under it!

Cliff

[chucker1101]

Out this a.m. on sleds. Its really sloppy - about 4 inches of water/ice on top of the ice. Its slow go on sleds, lots of sliding and no turning traction. Snow is all melted. We are calling it a day, we will go out tomorrow - hopefully it will freeze over completely by then.

[Wanderer]

Very little snow today. B side didn't have more than a couple inches of soup but that's been locking up all day long. Wish we would have gotten at least a couple inches. 2 trout for me today; one 24 and one 31. I know of one guy who had a 6 fish day (including a 'pout) . Other reports have been mixed.

[HNTNBUX]

Hey when you talk to that guy that catches all the fish could you try and write down the coordinates for me? As bad as that sounds I know Wanderer will know what I mean. Good luck in the morning.

[Steve Foss]

The morning slop was really firmed up by late afternoon, and will almost certainly be completely locked up by tomorrow morning. That makes it dream travel on Burntside for vehicles and ATVs, not so much for sleds.

Yeah, it was a good opener. Five lakers from 3-6 pounds and a 7 pound pout in six hours of fishing. A spot that isn't even close to being accurately rendered on any of the paper or electronic maps, and one I explored this summer. Nice to suss out a dozen new spots each summer and have them pan out in winter. Definitely will be adding this spot to the list I take clients to.

Well, until the location gets out. But that's why I keep finding a dozen new spots each summer.

[deadeye]

Not gonna lie, I am a little jealous. I thought my 2lb rainbow I caught this am was nice LOL.

[Wanderer]

I have no idea where I was yesterday. It can be a very confusing lake.

[Great Outdoors]

Bet I can figure it out, 'cause the lake isn't that confusing to me!!

[chaffmj]

Steve nice day. That is what I call starting the season off with a bang. Tracy congrats to you too. Thanks for posting.