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So how's it looking?


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We've all made guesses in the Ice Out thread, BUT...

Now that we've got some actual warm weather for a few days, is it having some noticeable effect on the ice? I will be opening on Fish Trap (at least that's the plan) at my Family's place up there. I have a few buddies planning on coming and they're wondering if they need to make a Plan B. Does anyone have any revised opinions on ice out or a progress update on some of the area lakes besides the bigger, popular ones? Is there a consensus on open water for opener in the area?

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May 14th. ATVs still running around on Round Saturday. Gull locked up tight to shore except where an inlet is.

The end of this week a huge cool down, with highs upper thirties and lows below freezing.

Extended range forecast highest temp 60 still with overnight temps cooling to low 30's.

I think May 14 could be agressive UNLESS we get some rain.

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I'm with the Capt'n guys were still cruising on North Long on Saturday with ATV's and we really aren't going to get any great heatspells for a while with lows in the 30's at night. I honestly don't think we will have much open water by May 11th. But hey I've been wrong numerous times before, just ask my wife.

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I live on Gull and said May 15 two weeks ago....I am still sticking to this date unless something drastically changes...like heavy rain and then 80 degree temps... The cool down starting tomorrow is not going to help.

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And those 80 degree temps aren't happening this week..... They are saying 70's and High 50's next week though and I see a chance of a thunderstorm here and there......it will be close. I think we will be lucky to have it off by May 15th though when all is said and done.

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Fish Trap was pretty soft on the shorelines on Saturday and some spots ice was up to 3 feet away from shore, however there was still some snow on the ice. I am sure Sunday and Monday did some damage to it, but rain would be great.

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Hey Thunder. My folks have a place on Fish Trap and I would love to share info on what has worked, what hasn't, etc on 'Trap. PM me if you are interested.

Thanks

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i think the small lakes will be good, but N Long and Gull will be iffy!

full-4733-32686-weather.jpg

from wunderground in brainerd, the other weather sites are more realistic with mid 60's

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Apparently the glass is always half full at Weather Underground. In this case, the milk is flowing over the rim of the glass

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Seriously they have those temps on there? Wow, I can about imagine what those weather nazis would have forecasted for some of those snowstorms!

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Ha, I just looked and now it says upper 70's for weather underground Tuesday and Wednesday. Apparently their forecasts are rapidly evolving.

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We'll be opening the place up on Fish Trap this weekend short of rolling the dock in. So I'll get a good look at it first hand. If it is open, fishing will be interesting, that's for sure! Never fished it this close to an ice out. The water will be gin clear; last year was an early ice out and i could still see my jig 20 ft. down on opener. I'm thinking shallow at night is going to be a good strategy. Probably see what we can pick up for shallow pike during the day. Might be able to sight fish them, even.

Coach, I'll try to PM you in the next day or two, would love to discuss strategy.

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I think the milk has been replaced with mysterious Koolaid if you are gonna believe those temps smile

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I talked to a delivery guy yesterday who's territory/route is Little Falls to Brainerd between 10 and 371...

I asked him what he thought the chances were of getting a boat out on any of the lakes by next Saturday. He laughed and said "Between Zero and 1% chance."

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Just talked a friend who lives on the small lake where my cabin is, and he said that in front of me (usually one of the earlier spots to go) that it looks like there was about 3' of open water, but it froze back over last night... Prolly just skim, but it isn't open now. He also said that most of the ice still has good amount of snow on it... and that he was sure a guy could still be ice fishing it, as he walked onto it from another location.

Hoping we can get pontoon and dock in by next Friday, or we will have bummed kids, and adults... Next week looks warmer up there than down here in Twin Cities, so hope it goes out then!

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ya the ice on 371 bay of north long was hardly pulled away from shore

although it looks like its pretty rotten maybe a good hard rain and some wind there is a slim chance on maybe some of the small lakes and channells up there where you are box

spose to be 70's in the cities so if its high 60 sun and wind who knows

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I'll be heading up after work to open the place up and check the ice. Crossing my fingers that the warmer temps next week will kickstart things. But I'm telling my buddies to make alternate plans. It's weird what a difference 125 mile makes. Ice went out on pretty much all metro lakes last weekend with the exception of a couple of bigger ones that went out a few days ago. Go one hour north and people are still driving 4-wheelers on the ice.

Coach 1310, I tried to PM yo back but you're over your limit. Let me know if you clean things out and I'll send you a message.

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sylvan reservoir on the crow wing river is open, going to get the boat going on it tomorrow!

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Inbox cleaned.... Lund-- I am hopeful Trap will go out before next weekend just to get the docks and such situated.....

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The lakes typically go out 7 days later for every 100 miles heading north. Been this way for years. If the metro lakes went off expect brainered area about 10 days later.

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and White Sand in Baxter. Driving by some of the lakes, I notified today the ice seemed darker than yesterday. Without going on the ice, it appears to be rotting quickly.

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We had a lodge booked on Gull. They reached out to their customers yesterday and offered to cancel reservations and refund deposits for opener. They said there's no hope that the lake will be clear by the opener, and even though it's inside their cancelation policy window, they made the decision not to force everyone to pay for lodging they couldn't use for their intended purpose.

Good decision for good customer relations, but man, that sucks bad for them. A lodge losing out on opener is like a retailer losing out on Christmas. They really count on that weekend.

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Its confirmed, record late ice outs: Looks like North Long will set a new record Saturday: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ice_out/index.html

On another note, I thought this made for interesting reading to show just how rare this late ice out is: http://climate.umn.edu/climateChange/LakeIO8.pdf

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I think we would be lucky to see the small lakes open by this weekend. Even some of the small ponds have yet to pull away from the shorelines. The first to go are usually Margaret, Nisswa, North Long 371 bay, and other smaller waters. A little more rain would help. I would guess another 10 days before we see any real progress. Drove by Mille Lacs too. Looking similar.

Jason Erlandson

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well just went to the store

still guys out on round.....how they got out there is beyond me

i do predict if the weather does what they say its going to

round will be open by sat

that being said...there will be 500 boats on it to .....lol

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I've decided to cancel my opener plans on Fish Trap. Was up on Saturday and while the ice is pulling away and getting darker, there's still a lot if it. I swung into Hilltop in Cushing and talked to Mike. He says there's about 6" of slush and still 10-12" of solid ice beneath the slush in a lot of spots. Even if the ice does go out, their bait tanks are empty. Not that live bait is a requirement, but I'm a live bait guy in the spring. I guess I'm waiting until Memorial day..

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Was at Lake Alexander this weekend, the ice was pulled away about ten feet. And there was somebody out on the west end of main lake with a four wheeler.

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I've decided to cancel my opener plans on Fish Trap. Was up on Saturday and while the ice is pulling away and getting darker, there's still a lot if it. I swung into Hilltop in Cushing and talked to Mike. He says there's about 6" of slush and still 10-12" of solid ice beneath the slush in a lot of spots. Even if the ice does go out, their bait tanks are empty. Not that live bait is a requirement, but I'm a live bait guy in the spring. I guess I'm waiting until Memorial day..

70's early this week and maybe some rain by Thursday I'm not counting it out just yet. I like to buy my bait up there but thanks for the heads up. I know my local shop will have some. BTW how does their new place look?

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

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