Fishing Opener

[SalmonSlayer]

Any update on ice conditions?

[Cliff Wagenbach]

The ice conditions on the East end of Vermilion are deteriorating fast now!

I believe that Pike Bay will be open within a week and Big Bay will follow about one week after that. Sure hope that I am right!

Cliff

[shamrock7]

Would have to agree with ya Cliff.

[delcecchi]

My neighbor is going to fall lake/Basswood opening week. I/he would appreciate any info about how the ice is looking. Gone is the preferable look of course.

[Great Outdoors]

Right now it is not looking good!!!

[Great Outdoors]

Burntside Lake today from the deck of my house at 5 pm.

Hmmm, guess the picture won't come up???

Now it did, see below!!

[Great Outdoors]

[Pherris]

Any reports for ice conditions on the west end?

[delcecchi]

Thanks for the news, even if it is bad.

[Mike Stark]

My neighbor is going to fall lake/Basswood opening week. I/he would appreciate any info about how the ice is looking. Gone is the preferable look of course.

This is a webcam for Fall Lake from Packsack Resort. They are down on the west end of the lake. I wouldn't be surprised if they close the Pipestone Falls area of Basswood for the first week of the season.

Fall Lake Webcam

[shamrock7]

There has been at least one time when Pike Bay and Big Bay cleared on the same day. I have a funny feeling that this may be similar to that year. We are not seeing a lot of activity on top of the ice but it is really working under the ice. Guess we will just have to wait and see. The weather this week isn't going to do any real harm to the top of the ice considering that they are talking snow for the first couple of days. No real accumulation but not sunshine and 70 either.

[shamrock7]

If the sun ever comes out, you can see what lakes have cleared and what has not. 4 Mile bay on Lake of the Woods is almost all open at this time.

http://ge.ssec.wisc.edu/modis-today/inde...resolution=250m

[Great Outdoors]

This is a webcam for Fall Lake from Packsack Resort. They are down on the west end of the lake. I wouldn't be surprised if they close the Pipestone Falls area of Basswood for the first week of the season.

Fall Lake Webcam

I think Mother Nature will be the one closing the Pipestone Falls area, unless someone has an air boat to skim across the ice on Fall and Newton Lakes

[Wanderer]

Last weekend I was ice fishing the Ely area on about 2 feet of ice. Most of the first foot was frozen snow and slush though. Shorelines were in tact. It felt more like a March laker trip than anything. I don't drive my truck on the lakes much even in the dead of winter but I can say I would've felt safe out there last weekend.

I hope, but don't expect to be able to boat freely on Opener around Ely and points north.

By the way, Mike, you sure update your avatar a lot - and with nice fish. IL white crappies?

[guidemane]

In over 40 years I have never seen Big bay and Pike bay open the same day.

Pike bay is open from the river to almost Duffy island as I type this and it is very windy.

"Ace"

[shamrock7]

I will try to get some time to research it Ace. Maybe someone can save me some time and pipe up.

[Mike Stark]

By the way, Mike, you sure update your avatar a lot - and with nice fish. IL white crappies?

Kentucky Lake whites.

[VermilionGold]

He is the latest image of Daisy Bay, definitely starting to pull away from shore.

[MarkB]

I'm going to continue, if possible, to post positive things for a May 10 opener . I drove around to Moccasin Point yesterday and didn't really see anything to give much hope. The west end of Daisey Bay is still locked up tight with some of the western shoreline beginning to open up in places. Yesterday, Pike Bay was open further east than in previous reports but ice is still clearly visible from 77 and it might be questionable if it can be open by the end of the week. Areas of Daisey Bay out in front of my place towards Banana Island have the "dark" appearance that gives hope to ice out. Hopefully, a miracle will happen and things will happen fast. If wind helps, today should be dynamite!

[redlabguy]

If you could just get the sun shining for a few days up there, the lake bed and water would warm up and that mushy ice would be gone in no time. Have Skunked point his hair dyers to the sky and blow out the clouds! I'm hoping my opener is about May 15, but that's because I can't get to the island without a dock.

Keep the positive vibes going, it'll work.

RLG

[Fish Head]

Thanks for the reports. I'm keeping hope for the opener.

[Casey Sunsdahl]

I don't think we need a miracle. Pike bay is 1/3 open (same as it was FISHING OPENER last year) and things will just progress regularly from here. The lake level is up about a foot from what I can tell and I'm sure that cant be good for the ice? Plenty of run off and whether it be snow sinking the ice, rain pelting it, wind, sun, it all helps now. I have told the gloom and doomers this for some time now.. one week late... so normal/average is April 30? or there about ... do the math.

I'm excited

There I said it.

Capt.

PS... who the heck is HUFF and why does his two cents matter in the Outdoor News? numbers in Wake Em Up and big fish in Pike Bay? WOW........

For my money I'll stick to ACE in the Tower News and Cliff in the TJay

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Casey,

I was thinking the same thing about HUFF when I read his article in the Outdoor News! I have never heard of him before!??????

Cliff

[chaffmj]

I didn't see the article but when you Huff something doesn't hot air come out?

I'm thinking there will be open water for the opener. I'll be out towards the end of the week checking things out around Ely and will report back.

[Wanderer]

I was just about to toss the 4/25 issue out till I read Casey's post. Had to hold on to it to read that piece.

Mike, yes! Please keep us posted!

Thanks!

[delcecchi]

I didn't see the article but when you Huff something doesn't hot air come out?

I'm thinking there will be open water for the opener. I'll be out towards the end of the week checking things out around Ely and will report back.

Huffing typically involves a spray can and a paper bag.

[delcecchi]

So Casey, what did it say?

[Sota2Florida]

Del,

Casey wrote,

PS... who the heck is HUFF and why does his two cents matter in the Outdoor News? numbers in Wake Em Up and big fish in Pike Bay? WOW........

I don't read the Outdoor News much and it may be less now. Basically the guy said he would fish walleye on the opener from Taylors Island to Black Bay for good numbers and the Pike Bay area for large ones.

[Mike Stark]

Got this picture of the Fall lake landing from the Spirit of the Wilderness facebook page. Looking pretty open.

[RoosterMan]

vermilion gold... is that your own cam or a website?