ice depth updates?

[laker1]

Anybody playing on the ice lately. Are we losing any depth at all yet?

[Mike Stark]

I have not been on the ice but I doubt we have lost any ice. We got around 5in of wet snow in Ely today. It looks like it's going to be a late ice out this year.

[BrianF]

I was on the lake and drilled some holes this a.m. I didn't measure the ice thickness with any instrument other than my auger...went right to the engine collar before breaking through. That's gotta be around 30" give or take. It was snowing hard when we left with more on the way. Looking at the long term forecast, I'm wondering if the prognostications of an ice free opener are more wishful thinking than fact driven...cause the facts seem to be that the ice isn't going anywhere fast. And I wish it would. *sigh*

Brian

[laker1]

Checked a lake in north central Minnesota and the lake has lost about 3 inches of ice.

[Barack]

Still driving my truck out on the lake. can u use 2 lines on the opener cause its gonna just be breaking up along the shore. Gonna be a pre apawn slaughter this year hehehe:)

[Improvedarock]

The lake I was on yesterday had 2-3 feet of solid ice. Still driving on lakes. Four wheeler, and snowmobile travel for sure on the opener. I wouldn't be surprised to see truck travel on the opener. It's gonna be a zoo on some lakes lol

[SkunkedAgain]

How much snow was added in the past few days?

[CigarGuy]

Hey Barack, why are you improved? Were you a bad boy and now your back? Skunked,,, I'm heading up in the morning and will let you know if nobody get back to ya!

[Improvedarock]

Yea was a bad boy had to go to behavior camp lol. Switched phone carriers and forgot all passwords so had to make a new handle.

[Improvedarock]

Got 5 inches last night and sounds like 6-12 Wednesday-Friday. Might make ice saw a low of 9 one night. Looks like average temps return next week. Regardless if you wanna fish the opener it's gonna be threw a hole which should be interesting.

[titelines]

Fished around Ely this past weekend. Made 4-5 inches of ice in the past week, we had almost three feet where we were. Got about 5 inches of new snow over the weekend, and more storms were predicted for this week.

[MarkB]

We got snow, probably 10"-12", over the past week. I've used my blower 3 times in the past 5 days and, where I've blown snow, it's clear and dry, in other areas it melts down a bit during midday. Still, there is more snow now than 3 weeks ago. Duluth news this morning said this is the 3rd snowiest April on record and, if the Wednesday/Thursday forecast is correct and we get 3"-6" more, it will become the 2nd snowiest April on record. I drove around this morning and checked the boat ramp on Birch point(unplowed with too much snow down the hill for me to attempt), the west end of Daisy Bay(it looks no different than January except more snow), and Mocassin Point(snow appears to be almost 2 feet where the road ends and ice starts). At my home, areas that were open 3 weeks ago are covered back up. It's going to take some seriously warm weather just to get rid of the snow and that's before it can even begin working on 30" of ice! I can't even imagine the problems this will cause our local businesses and people who have planned vacations around the opener.

Good Fishing,

MarkB

[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks for the updates. Unreal. I hope to make it up there in a week or so.

I know that there are lots of folks like me that are really excited to ice fish an opener. Maybe the resort association can throw some quick dollars at an advertising campaign to entice anglers to sign up for a chance-of-a-lifetime fishing adventure on opener this year. Turn lemons into lemonade anyway that you can!

[jkrash]

I was out this weekend and drilled a couple holes, 24-26 inches of ice where I was, the top 4" are white ice (melted snow) as far as snow cover their was about 6" of hard pack snow in the middle of the bigger basins and quite a bit more closer to shore. I drove my plow truck down my boat landing and on to the lake and one wheel broke through a couple spots a few feet away from shore, needless to say that will be the last time I do that this year. I also took a short video while driving back from the fishing hole.

[video:youtube]http://youtu.be/NwvoyWaVVN0

I'm still optimistic that we will have open water for the 2013 fishing opener.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

The thing people are forgetting is that there is an extended period where the ice is too punky and soft to safely walk on yet there is not enough open water to boat on. This is where we will more than likely be come opening weekend. I've heard grumblings of 50's next week so there is hope. Cause, unless we get a serious warm up and/or lots of rain, we will continue to just gradually thaw and I believe those sketchy ice conditions will greet us on opener.

IMO, the actual act of "ice fishing" is a pretty far fetched fantasy, UNLESS we really stay cold well past next week. However, the power of the sun this time of year will do a number to the ice and snow even on cold days.

We shall see! Glad my fishing plans are farther to the south so open water is a better possibility.

For those fishing up nort for the opener, ya'll better find your nearest reservoir or river for opener, cause that's gonna be the only boatable waters in the north country.

[Improvedarock]

I got 32 inches of solid ice with 4 inches of hard crust on top of that with 7 inches of snow on top of that as I speak. There will be no open water except the big lake and everything south of hwy2

[Casey Sunsdahl]

I was out this weekend and drilled a couple holes, 24-26 inches of ice where I was, the top 4" are white ice (melted snow) as far as snow cover their was about 6" of hard pack snow in the middle of the bigger basins and quite a bit more closer to shore. I drove my plow truck down my boat landing and on to the lake and one wheel broke through a couple spots a few feet away from shore, needless to say that will be the last time I do that this year. I also took a short video while driving back from the fishing hole.

[video:youtube]http://youtu.be/NwvoyWaVVN0

I'm still optimistic that we will have open water for the 2013 fishing opener.

Love the porn music!

Maybe Matt will let me launch over there and fish the narrows.. how many boats you think we can fit in there in three weeks? LOL X 46.9 Million

[laker1]

With this slow melt it seems like the ice may be holding its depth,but yes the ice seems to be getting punky or worm holed.

[Improvedarock]

You need a week of temps in the 70s followed by high winds to finish of punky ice ice baby. Temps in the 50's with 20-40 inches of ice on arrowhead with more snow on the way isn't gonna make the ice disappear by the opener. If the extended temps hold true 4 wheeler travel and white knuckle truck travel will be fine on da opener.

[Cherokee Ref]

We come up in Sept. to bass fish V. What do you guys think about us hitting the spawn this year?

[Cliff Wagenbach]

We come up in Sept. to bass fish V. What do you guys think about us hitting the spawn this year?

You may be just a tad late!

Cliff

[Cherokee Ref]

You do realize my tongue was firmly planted, right Cliff?

[Cliff Wagenbach]

You do realize my tongue was firmly planted, right Cliff?

ME TOO!

Cliff

[vermilionfox]

CherokeeRef, I'll be up the week before you at the same place. I can let you know!

[Fish Head]

In making light of our weather, I have a questions for you...

If there is still ice on the lake at opener, can I use 2 lines?

[magnum mike]

The reg is written as ice fishing not as January or May. Yes, you can use 2 lines.

[Improvedarock]

I don't know about the 2 line deal myself. I'd say you can't but hopefully I'm wrong. Didn't make it on the lake today as I was busy with snow removed. 2 feet of snow fell overnight. Yesterday I had 34 inches of ice and it has stayed the same in that hole since last Saturday.

[JerkinLips]

I've often wondered whether it would be legal to fish with two lines through ice during the summer season. Page 12 of the 2013 regulations book states "Anglers may use only one line during the open water season and two through the ice...unless otherwise noted". Although you would be fishing "through the ice", I think that May would normally be considered the "open water season". Therefore, I don't think that I would take the chance.

[Improvedarock]

I'll ask the dnr Monday or if they pay me visit on the lake tomorrow about the 2 line gray area.

[crix]

if there is ice on the lake it clearly isnt "open water" so 2 lines is fine