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ICE!


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Right on Bassfishn24, was standing right next to that family Friday the 15th, I certainly hope he makes it also, now if anyone falls through a fully frozen lake I have 0 issues with that, but to head out on a small lake that still had that much open water and you could chisel your hole out with a toothpick, idk, it's all just bad all the way around. Dad survived his 9 hour surgery. Was pretty scary walking out to deer hunt together and turn around and he's hanging onto a tree, thank god we didn't get too far into that swamp. As far as ice goes I ice fish, love 1st ice also as the walleyes just bite great, but I am not going to put my family or paramedics or anyone through any agony or even the worrying till you're off the ice, play it safe, no you can not be tougher than these water temperatures if you get wet or go in. How coincidence is it that a HSO guys dad and this poor guy come together like that during my dads surgery, kinda crazy.

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Just put the boat away today.I catched a couple more lakes to end it for the fall.Im on my last interior paint job until some of my advertising kicks in.This is good because things may be fine in a couple of weeks to hit some of these smaller lakes and I can drill holes all day and not have to pick up a brush and roller.What a good way for me to cover more area on first ice. cool

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We need the wind to die down for a day or two with these cold temps. Osakis is starting to ice up again but even with it being as cold as it was today when the wind came back up this morning it still ate away some of the ice that was out there. Once it locks up the whole lake then the wind won't be a problem.

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Any news from Richmond?

I bet quite a few of the area lakes locked up last night. There is ice forming on the Mississippi already, so you know it was cold last night. If I didn't have so much going on right now I would be sneaking out somewhere this coming week.

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Hows "your" bay looking?

Coming along real nice. Walked out about 15 feet this morning and no cracking or sagging. Couldn't tell for sure how thick it was because I just threw on a jacket and some shoes to walk down and look at it. Didn't have a spud bar or anything with. That cold wind sure whipped through the sweat pants I had on. Drove up to the 145th Ave. access on the west end of Manthey's Bay around noon. It was open there yesterday but had a layer of skim ice on it now. There was a little area of open water yet right at the shore in about the middle of the access. Almost looked like somebody had stepped on it to check it out and broke through. Do you have a place on the lake or do you just fish it a lot? I have seen a lot of your posts.

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Fish it a few times a year wink Know the Wards pretty well. Going to be moving a skid up there this year and will be hanging out in "your" bay a lot....will send Jr. your way when he gets bored smile

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Just a update on smaller water.A sartell pond had 1.5" of ice this morning.To early for walking but next weekend should make it walkable,permitting there's more than 3" by then. full-45395-39354-imag0551.jpg

full-45395-39355-imag0555.jpg

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Horseshoe is partially covered. The wind is keeping it open. The spots that are covered have about 2" of very UNSAFE ICE. Some of the smaller lakes like becker and mud appear covered. Supposed to be -1 tonight so I will give an update in the A.M.

Don

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I sure hope nobody does that but as we have read here anything is possible.

Don

Please don't be stupid, stay off for several days yet, even next weekend after you eat turkey.

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Fish it a few times a year wink Know the Wards pretty well. Going to be moving a skid up there this year and will be hanging out in "your" bay a lot....will send Jr. your way when he gets bored smile

Don't know the Wards. Sure you got me in the right bay.

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Lower spunk and ochotto are froze over. I expect people to be on lower by next weekend if it does not open up again. ochotto, I wouldn't be to fast to get on that lake it is usually one of the last lakes to freeze up.

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I went out on the ice to check thickness. There are 2 tiers of ice. The first froze a few days ago is about 2-2.5" thick. The second tier is 1" thick and froze last night. I walked out 30-40ft and was only in 4ft of water(I am not crazy).

My prediction is to fish for wallys on friday since that spot is on the 1st tier of ice.

The cat spots or anywhere there is current, which are on the second tier will probably not be safe until sunday in my opinion.

Don

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Well I'm thinking I still have to get my things together and make afew last minute mods. Thanks for the reports and hope everyone stays safe out there

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Just doing some checking and Chisseled my way to 100' out on a small lake in st johns area.Found the ice to be mostly 4" thick with some large sections that were only 2" thick.NOT SAFE..Also checked Watab/Rossier lake and it was only an inch thick.Did some jigging for the heck of it around 10'fow for a little while.The ice is still early.We still need a while to be on better fishing turf.Not safe yet!!! full-45395-39392-imag0558_1.jpg

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I also was out checking around today, found Pleasant to be just about totally frozen over full-26589-39394-029.jpg

This is from the access, only about 1.5 in of ice here.

Also made it out to the Chain full-26589-39395-030.jpg Found this to be completely frozen, no open water to be seen anywhere.

We found one small bay that had 3in of clear, hard ice full-26589-39396-031.jpg So we decided since we had a couple hrs to kill, why not try our luck grinfull-26589-39397-032.jpg

full-26589-39398-033.jpg

We could only make it out to 15ft before the ice got much thinner eek. Still, we did end up catching a few small fish full-26589-39399-036.jpg

full-26589-39400-038.jpg

Even know we didn't quite get on the fish like I would have liked to, it was fun being back on the ICE again grinfull-26589-39401-034.jpg

full-26589-39402-035.jpg

full-26589-39403-037.jpg

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That's great news the lake is sufficiently capped for the winds to not effect it. After turkey dinner at Don's it should be game on!

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I am deep frying a turkey. How many extra places do I need to set?

The member count is close to 60,000, we don't want to leave anyone out grin

Seriously though, the lake is locked up, but for the most part the ice is not even close to ready for people yet. I only went here because I know this spot had frozen up Thu night, while 95% of the rest of the lake was still wide open. Most of the lake has between1.5-2 in right now, a few more cold nights are needed before I try deeper water.

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I killed some time today out by Avon and SJU. Middle Spunk is wide open. Lower is locked up, and someone's ventured quite a ways off shore with an auger already. I didn't head out there to see how much ice there was, though.

Achmann (the one right off I-94) is locked up...but just barely. It appears to have broken up and only very recently refroze. Near shore there's plenty of ice, but I heaved a rock out to some thin looking stuff and it broke through.

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I heaved a rock out to some thin looking stuff and it broke through.

So your the one who throws all the rocks onto the ice grin I always wondered who would do that...

Thanks for the update on the Avon area lakes wink I would guess a few cold days we should start seeing people venture out onto some of the smaller lakes.

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • mulefarm
      With the early ice out, how is the curlyleaf pondweed doing?
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
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    • leech~~
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    • Rick G
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      As I typed that here came a hen.  IMG_7032.mov   IMG_7032.mov
    • monstermoose78
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    • monstermoose78
      Well yesterday I got a little excited and let a turkey get to close and I hit the blind!!
    • smurfy
      good......you?? living the dream..in my basement playing internet thug right now!!!!!! 🤣 working on getting the boat ready.......bought a new cheatmaster locator for the boat so working on that.   waiting for warmer weather to start my garden!!!
    • monstermoose78
      How is everyone doing? Holy moly it’s chilly this morning I stayed in bed and will hunt later today when it warms up.
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