Prediction time.

[slick2526]

Im going predict I will be on open water (smaller lakes) with my boat by the weekend of the 10th and bigger lakes will be opening up by following weekend.

Whats your thoughts?

[Chill62]

I hope you are right. I hate to say it but I think we will need some more heat or a lot of rain to make this ice break up quicker.

[Moses2531]

Might be a little soon, with snow flying today and forcast around 40 might be tough to eat through 3+ feet of ice!

[Chill62]

Was on a little lake Sunday afternoon. Edge had refrozen and was crystal clear ice, little freaky to walk out on but was solid. When we got out there we still had 2-2.5 feet of ice for the most part. Top had refrozen and was slick to walk on so I don't think it's going to happen too soon. Did the rain and snow today help ice out?

[slick2526]

Starting to feel my prediction was pretty far off lol. I just want to get back in the boat.

[Chill62]

If weather forecast holds true I'm thinking 20th

[paceman]

You are probably right Chill. Looking like an average ice out year. I am fine with that. My guess is the 17th.

[Lotharski]

I drove by Silver this morning and it was a little dark out, but it looked to be ice free. Small spring fed lake, so it might be one of the first to open up.

[slick2526]

Lotharski, My uncle mentioned that to me on Sunday but I never went and looked.

[Chill62]

Tamarac on St. Hwy 34 west of Dunvilla had a good portion of the bay open but main lake looked frozen over still. Shocked no one was out since the access was open.

[bnelson6357]

Hey Chill,

Do you know anything about Tamarac on #34? I drive by there every week and the last year have seen no one fishing there. I noticed one spearing house this winter. Did they get winter kill in the last couple of years?

About 3 years ago i was driving by the landing and some shore fisherman had about a 9 pound walleye by the gills as he walked to his truck. Now about 5 miles west there is a road side lake with a bunch of flooded timber that I see gets a lot of ice fishing action, many people park on the highway. Must be some pan fish action going on there. Do you know what that lake is named?

[dairyman]

I always thought that tamarac was back off the road and on the refuge??

[Fred_Bear]

You're thinking of a different Tamarac. I was told the Tamarac on 34 had a bad winterkill a couple years ago... There is an aeration system in place, but it wasn't used that year.

The lakes bnelson is asking about are Rankle, Businger, and Helgeson... They are flooded and all connected now. They're pretty shallow and hold bluegill, crappie, perch, lmb, walleye... Nothing special though and I've never done very well there. I know there was some winterkill there a couple years ago as well.

[Chill62]

I'm not familiar with Tamarac and as stated there are multiple ones and that is why I pointed out Hwy 34 one. My dad moved down to that area and I want to double check to make sure the boat is working right so I've been keeping an eye on ice conditions there. If everything goes good I may drop the lower unit into it this weekend but only if everything goes good. The lake was open on the west side of the lake for the most part. Hopefully more lakes keep opening up. Has anyone been down to Dunton Locks by chance? I want to show the girlfriend that when they start coming through.

[huntnfish]

I was told that the ice went off Franklin today. Not sure if that's true or not but with this temp and wind its very possible.

[bnelson6357]

The wind Saturday night wiped out the ice on Franklin. When it got dark, about 75% of the lake was still covered with ice, woke up Sunday morning and it was gone.

Visited Lida and it was gone too, saw two boats out on Mud lake northwest of Lida.

[Chill62]

Any recent updates?

[Fred_Bear]

Any recent updates?

Pictures and report from the lake place show Big C and DL ice free as of yesterday. I was on N & S Lida Tuesday and both were ice free. Main lake temps mid 40s, back bays upper 50s - almost 60 in one bay. Panfish not in the shallows in big numbers yet... Checked out Mud and it was loaded with rough fish.