ICE....

[MontanaMax]

Okay, now I'm really puzzled. You said you left Minnesota for Montana 35-years ago but you are back here to fish Leech for walleyes. With all those truly BIG walleyes right outside Helena and you come over here to fish these little doinkers?

Man, my buddies used to yard out 10-12 and larger walleyes all the time from the Canyon.

But as long as you are a happy and peaceful man it's all good.

Most of the family still lives in the Midwest and the family cabin is near Park Rapids. The brothers and cousins do a mantrip every year to open the cabin near walleye opener and try fooling dinner. Can't get consensus on selling in Mn and buying a cabin on the Musselshell, Dearborn or Little Prickly Pear.

[BTL]

I can't believe these ice reports! Still 2 feet plus?!?! Wow!

What is the latest ice-out you guys have ever seen?

[slammer]

I'm stayin home for the opener. Second weekend for me. If ice off is 2-3 weeks late, I'll gamble that the fishin will be too

[castagain]

BTL, you can look at the attached for historical data...latest ice out on record over last 25 years on OT is May 4, both 1996 and 1998...so, looks like this type of prolonged winter is not entirely rare but uncommon. I found the info quite interesting, especially related to other lakes across the state. I wont be up until second week of June, but agree with slammer and will gamble that things will be delayed. I guess when the shiners start to show up around the shallows and dock areas the bite will coincide, but that's just my 2 cents...

http://climate.umn.edu/doc/ice_out/ice_out_historical.htm

[JackPineGuy]

Itslike this every 5 years or so.

[jerkin'm]

I have serious doubts about opener being ice free...especially if there is no major rains...still cutting up to 30" of ice on Monday... Every 5 years it's like this? I have never cut that much ice this late in the year in the OT area.. No way do we see that every 5 years....I drove my wheeler off a North shore access and was still churning through snowpack at shore...

[hockeybc69]

Not even close to every 5 years is it like this....

I turkey hunt the area every year the first week in May, and I dont recall ever being shut out from spring panfishing in the boat during that vacation. Not once.

April 20th is average ice out on our lake.... some years a few days earlier, few days later.... once in a while is it more than a week off that average sure.....

[ottertailguy]

We came up this morning for the first time and Ottertail is covered with ice. Even where the river comes in is barely open.

But what shocked me was that the water level is still low. Maybe because of the ice is still on but if not we are in trouble.

[hockeybc69]

East Battle as of yesterday afternoon. With the temps coming Wednesday and on, this wont be clear for many more days.

[jerkin'm]

Wow...looks like my Sunday ice fishing plan is going to be a real likely possibility up there-not sure if I should be happy about it or not...

[PRFISHER]

I made it out last night, the ice is really weird, it is extremely slushy and wet on top. There are really big holes where the water has run down, but why did it stop running. The shorelines on the north sides are pretty much a no go, but one would be able to get out for at least the next couple of days on the south sides. I will be getting my boat out and getting things ready, my ice season is over. Maybe?

[ChuckN]

Did a little run around to retrieve ice house blocks before I went fishing last Friday evening. I drove onto the lake, but I couldn't drive the ATV off.

No more ATV on the ice anymore. Snow is still too deep and ice is too wet/dangerous..

[Gissert]

LMAO! It's funny, cuz its not me!

[Hoey]

That looks like some real man work.

[jerkin'm]

It does look like some real man work....hopefully you found one and he helped you...

[hockeybc69]

omg............... OOOFFF

[Chartreuse]

It's going to be close for opener. Ottertail records only go back 25 years. Osakis records go back 125 years. The ice out date for both of them are usually within a couple of days. The latest ice out on Osakis was May 14th or 15th in 1950. I'm to lazy to look it up again. It could go either way for opener. If you do a trip with the boys opener weekend, you will want to bring some additional poker money, or maybe the golf clubs.

We do an annual trip the week after opener. We should be fine ice wise, but if it is like the mid 90's, shiner minnows may be scarce. If the Lilac bush by the fish house at the Nifty Nook isn't blooming, fishing can be tough. This year it might not have leaf on it yet. It will probably also mean a lot more boat gas for the trip to where the river enters ottertail.

Whatever happens 10 guys escaping their wives, kids and responsibilities will have a great time once again. That's all that really matters.

I shed a tear when I heard Ken's bait shop burned down. Where will I buy the latests Hot Jig.

PS...If you keep a big female you should be horse whipped, if she is full of eggs, you should be shot.

[foo]

Just got back from OT. Looks like its getting beat up pretty good. Right on schedule for May 10th I think still. It going to be close.

[ChuckN]

It does look like some real man work....hopefully you found one and he helped you...

You know your phone won't be ringing... lol.

I know you'd appreciate that pic, Gissy.

[JackPineGuy]

Ah just life in Mn. Last year we had spring all winter. No snow. 32plus more often. Then not. Typical mn

[foo]

Gotta love that wind and sunshine!

[slammer]

Went to a favorite spot yesterday where we trap our bait every year. It is a place with a good current and shallow water. Looked around and where you can usually see shiners or other minnows...nothing. Water was very cold to the touch.

[foo]

West Battle Lake 4/30/13 and Ottertail Lake around 4 pm

[jerkin'm]

Nice pics foo...looks like I might need the canoe to get up on the ice this weekend. It makes a good auger sled anyway..

[hockeybc69]

Nice ice melting forecast.....

[Pleasant]

I don't know how your records read Gissert but it is looking to be the latest ice out since before I was born?

[JeffS]

I just took a drive around Otter Tail lake. The most open water was at the South end where the Ottertail river goes out and the West side where the Dead river enters. There was also a lot of open water where the creek from Balmoral enters the lake. Next week looks like nicer weather.

[Gissert]

Pleasant - never seen SOuth Turtle this late. My folks had records that I need to dig up. IIRC, APril 21 was the latest I ever saw.

[nroff]

This looks fun ... i think by monday maybe tuesday

[Gissert]

Yikes, that access looks like disaster.