ICE OUT

[jkrash]

Their was a lot of melting going on yesterday.

[PortageBay]

I call April 24th.

[PSU]

Let's hope this keeps up-nice pics JKrash!

[SkunkedAgain]

I'll go May 11th

[Bob Schultz]

Very nice pic JK....keep them coming as we get close to the open water...

My prediction is the ice will be off earlier than last season!

Seriously ---the 10 day forecast is all above freezing---mostly 40s during the day---Im guessing early April-or with a typical record warm couple days by the end of the month--perhaps the end of March.....

I can't imagine anything past early April.....

[JerkinLips]

Based on ice fishing this winter on Vermilion, I guess April 16.

[Fish Head]

Open water just can't come soon enough!!! I think JerkinLips is going to be close, but I can't figure out the correlation between how the ice fishing was and the ice out date.

[Casey Sunsdahl]

^^^ May 11 .. Let's hope not. I say 4-5 weeks? April 24 sounds pretty good, earlier is a bonus!

[SkunkedAgain]

I know...it was a selfish post by me. I was thinking about how relaxing it was last year when most people didn't venture out on opener. There were huge girls everywhere on barely a boat in sight. Realistically I think it will be the last week of April but I'll still be selfish and hope for Monday after opener!

[PSU]

Hello Friends,

Looking forward to open water season!

With the weather over the last week and the projected warmer weather this week, I assume all of the experts would still be predicting an earlier ice out than the last few years, correct? I know it all depends on the upcoming weather though.

Ice updates would be welcomed

[Cliff Wagenbach]

PSU,

It really looks like there will be at least a normal ice out this spring!

Ice conditions have been deteriorating pretty fast the past week.

There will be open water from the Pike River Dam to Pike Bay by the end of next week for sure, as it is open half way already.

My son fished Birch Lake Sat. and said that there was one foot less ice in his spot then there was last Sat.!

Looking good!

Cliff

[jkrash]

We took a couple week break from the "ice melting", the weather this week should put us ahead of the normal ice out schedule, if the forcast is correct. One thing to note is all of the snow is almost gone so the lake level may be lower at ice out.

[Casey Sunsdahl]

The lake is definitely going to be low

[laker1]

There is no runoff hardly anywhere in the state. It could be one interesting spring-summer.

[portageguy]

I am going with Casey's ice out date of April 24. When we can get back

to our home on Pine Island that's good for us. Less then 24 inches of ice now with air bubbles all the way. It's time for trucks to stay off the ice.

(Water skippers at Trout).

Open water two weeks before opener,

Bring it on!!!!!

[NilesBayHusker]

the ice is out in many of the smaller lakes in the metro area now. It's running about a week to 10 days before average.

[Feathers Rainin]

Are the shores holding up enough to walk on the lake this weekend? I will be going on an access that is on a south shore.

[JerkinLips]

Ice along the shorelines looks pretty solid on the lake cameras. I'll be repairing my boathouse in Stuntz Bay tomorrow, so I'll know more then. Hope to snowmobile out to the water skips by Trout Lake portage also.

[shamrock7]

Eric from Eagle Docks is still working on the ice. He drilled a hole today and had a good solid 24" yet. Shorelines in our area are holding up nicely.

Forecast has it freezing at might for the next week or so, so we probably won't see a lot of change in conditions

[TomWehler]

Watching ice melt must be like suck'n eggs?

We plan on putting boats n island docks in on 24th I be guess'n.

Easter this weekend so that works out fine.

Father in law Big Jack Nielsen turns 94 years next weekend so that also works out fine.

Yup, 24th look'n fine like beautiful spring time.

Mmmm I smell something on the grill...

Bonnie, The Marauders an myself really Look'n forward to a rock'n great 2015 open water season.

In mean time, you all should read a good book!

[BrianF]

That's a pretty good guess, Tom. I've noticed that the lakes in Southern MN have been going out consistently 21 days earlier than ice out last spring. That would put Vermilion ice out at 21 days prior to May 13th...or April 23rd.

BrianF.

[JerkinLips]

Had 18" of fairly soft ice in Stuntz Bay this weekend. The water running down the hill was melting the ice along the shore and was actually bubbling up through holes by my boathouse. My original guess was April 16, but I think April 23-24 is more likely. Weather will definitely affect the date, and the end of this week looks quite warm. I may have to go back up to finish boathouse repairs, and try to make it out to the snowmobile water skips.

[NilesBayHusker]

I drove back to the Twin Cities yesterday afternoon. All of the lakes visible from I 35 were open- even Moose Lake.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Pike River is now wide open from the dam to Pike Bay!

The DNR is setting the Hatchery trap netting platforms up and will soon have the trap nets out!

I have seen fish surfacing in the river in the evenings all week. Probably suckers though.

Cliff

[NilesBayHusker]

Cliff,

From your experience, once the river is open, how long does it typically take for the entire lake to open?

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Cliff,

From your experience, once the river is open, how long does it typically take for the entire lake to open?

Once the East Two and West Two Rivers in Tower open fully it is usually one week until Pike Bay opens, after Pike Bay opens,it is usually one week before the rest of the lake opens.

East Two and West Two are just starting to open up in a few spots along the shorelines. With no run off coming in it may take a little longer!

Cliff

[portageguy]

I just angered 2 holes,both had 15 inches of decent ice. We will be moving off Pine Island by Saturday. With some normal Temps we get home in 10-12 days. Lake level continues to drop. I am still going with APRIL 24 as official ice out.

[Darrell Larson]

Ice is starting to disappear by our shoreline on the northside of Pike Bay, open water 4' out in couple of spots. There is a large crack open water from Duffy Point(northside)to Duffy Island(southside) under overhead power lines to the island. Melting is going on even with the cloudy skies we have had lately. I won't walk out to check ice depth,because there are surface cracks everywhere and they open and close overnight. Not much run off at the dam, but some good sun a little wind who knows it may happen sooner than some think. Until that time I have some never ending home projects to complete. You all take care and adios old man winter. I beat you another year.

[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks for the update. We all appreciate them

[Esox62]

Had 12-14 in of no so good looking ice this morning. Fish were biting but that was my last attempt. Seems a little sketchy. 25th is my guess