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I have had the open water fever for the last month. Whats your prediction on when the ice will start leaving the lakes this year?

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Dang you guys are serious about open water this year lol! I guess I need to hurry up and get my boat prepped. I sure hope you are both right.

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I'd Say May 10Th. The ice is ridiculously deep this year. And this nice little 5 degree night aint helping. My buddy was on Devils Lake yesterday and they found 49" in one spot. Had to put a second extension on the auger I guess, as one didn't quite make it. That was only on one, spot, in a wind swept area were no snow had been, but as cold as it has been I think ice is going to be late again this year, unless we have some drastic warm ups and some rain. WHo knows we maybe ice fishing again on Opener this year.

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I'd Say May 10Th. The ice is ridiculously deep this year. And this nice little 5 degree night aint helping. My buddy was on Devils Lake yesterday and they found 49" in one spot. Had to put a second extension on the auger I guess, as one didn't quite make it. That was only on one, spot, in a wind swept area were no snow had been, but as cold as it has been I think ice is going to be late again this year, unless we have some drastic warm ups and some rain. WHo knows we maybe ice fishing again on Opener this year.

lol you just did a pretty good job of killing my hopes and dreams man :0

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Started working on the brackets to mount the skis on my Alumacraft boat for fishing opener, I like to fish in comfort!!!!!

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The long range forcast has changed again and is now forcasting cooler weatherr the next month. I am now going to backtrack and say May 1st... frown

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I just wanted everyone else's opinions. I am trying not jinx it but I feel like its going to be another late ice season.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Ice on lakes I drive by commuting is looking tough - Big C, Ida, Middle C, Lake 13. Cool down this Sunday-Tuesday will lock it up again but warmup next Wednesday and beyond will finish off the medium to small lakes IMO. I'll say 4/22 generally and closer to Hitman's predict for Big C.

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Yesterday I drove from St. Paul through Glenwood to Morris and back to DL. Lots of lakes looking dark, some small lakes have open water on the shorelines, some small wetlands are completely open with lots of ducks/geese. Very good to see.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I didn't see much difference on lee lake this past friday compared to the weekend before. I did take a closer look sunday and the ice did seem to have different color to it and it looked like some other ice was starting to separate closer to the middle of the lake.

I dont know what to think. I would hope some of the smaller lakes would open up this coming weekend but it looks like its going to cool off coming into the weekend also so I am pretty skeptical about it.

I hope the weather man is wrong.

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Don't shoot the messenger but i heard that a small lake north of hawley is all the way open!

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Swede Grove just south of Hitterdal has been open for almost a week, fish darting out of the shallows when you drive by on the road.

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Open - Mansfield, Lake Thirteen, Lake Fourteen & Tub

Black Ice & Close - Little Cormorant, Middle Cormorant, Nelson, Lake Ida & Eilertson

(Big Cormorant and other larger lakes I'm close to still have another week or so.)

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Any idea on the fish in sweede? Froze out two winters ago with huge dead walleye on shore. Interested in what's left

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With the big warm up and rain coming I'm guessing lake Melissa could be open for boating err fishing by this coming weekend.

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I'm waiting on a 10 dollar oil reservoir hose that's molded to shape for my 00 honda 50hp. Tried around fargo no one has one. Thinking about giving olsons a call. Going to kill me with open water and not being able to run my boat right away lol. Trolling motor might get a work out

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Open - Mansfield, Lake Thirteen, Lake Fourteen & Tub

Black Ice & Close - Little Cormorant, Middle Cormorant, Nelson, Lake Ida & Eilertson

(Big Cormorant and other larger lakes I'm close to still have another week or so.)

Should post this info here http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ice_out/index.html?year=2014

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Im guessing northern, I speared it this winter, a lot under 5 pounds that were very aggressive, half the fish that came to the decoy hit the decoy, also a lot of decent sized perch were pulled out of there, I had some small ones swim through the hole.

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Im guessing northern, I speared it this winter, a lot under 5 pounds that were very aggressive, half the fish that came to the decoy hit the decoy, also a lot of decent sized perch were pulled out of there, I had some small ones swim through the hole.

Roger that

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Thanks Shutterbug...I'll try and post there. Great website...didn't even know it existed.

Eilertson opened last night; Ida and Middle Cormorant will give up today.

Big C beginning to turn dark in certain parts of the lake.

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • SkunkedAgain
      I might have missed a guess, but here are the ones that I noted:   JerkinLips – March 27th, then April 7th Brianf. – March 28th Bobberwatcher – April…. MikeG3Boat – April 10th SkunkedAgain – early April, then April 21st   Definitely a tough year for guesses, as it seemed to be a no-brainer early ice out. Then it got cold and snowed again.
    • mbeyer
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    • CigarGuy
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    • Brianf.
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    • LakeofthewoodsMN
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    • Brianf.
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    • smurfy
      got mine done........for the cabin.....ready for summer festivities!!!!!!   there was still frost in the ground...........but good gawd are the lakes low!!!!!
    • CigarGuy
      Just 1, 50" muskie🫣
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