Ice Out Predictions

[TK Tack]

anybody have ideas on how fast and when ice will go out on the big lake? With the light snow this year I don't know if it will make a difference or not.

[Hoey]

The past two years, ice out occurred after the opener. The year before that, ice out was early April. I have no predictions.

[CANOPY SAM]

I predict that the ice will be gone sometime in the next 3 months!!! At least I really hope it will!!!

[jigginjim]

I'm thinking early April. Could be drive around in boat for Easter.

[satchamo]

No chance of that. Fished last weekend and still 45" of ice out from long point. Surface is crappy but the ice below was solid. May 5th would be a better guess.

Big saugers were quite active Sat and Sun in the mud, just off the rock piles. Tullies too.

Mm mm good...

[Hoey]

Nice history here on ice out dates. I am predicting the first full week on May.

LOTW Tourism - Ice Out Dates

[Ballyhoo]

April 26th

[jerkbait]

May 6th.

[vman11]

I'm with Jerkbait, it's going to take longer than most think. I'm going with 4/30.

[gunner55]

We are about 2 hrs south of LOTW,Winnie area,& the people that actually live on the lake are predicting 4/22-4/25 here.

[curt quesnell]

The is thick and solid, not much run off coming out of the river I think it is going to take a while. We fished next to ice last year on the opener and I bet it will take that long again. I am going to pick Friday, May 8th as the ice free day.

There should be a prize for this...

BTW...JigginJim from Buffalo is out

[jerkbait]

When I was out fishing this past Saturday the top foot was solid then soft after that. The ice measured 26-1/2" out in font of our place. So in the last 3 weeks we had lost about 11". That should give ya an idea where the ice is at. Curt I agree there should be a prize for this.

[DRAGFOOT]

I was going to say May 6th, but that date has been picked. So has the 5th, so I guess I'll go with May 7th.

[fisherjmb]

I will say May 1st.

[tacklejunkie]

I predict the weekend before the opener will be 100% ice free. Temps are supposed to warm up nicely starting Friday

[TK Tack]

I'm going with May 8. My vote for the prize - losers give up their secret opening day jig to the winner.

[NW angle]

My guess is April 29th

[Hoey]

It sure looks to be softening up!!!!

[vman11]

Nice update Hoey.

It's making progress, but there is still a good block of ice out there. With next week's cool forecast, it still might be the end of the month?

For anyone who fishes in Ontario take note of the current areas. No better way to find out where bad ice based on what the false colored image shows here.

[walleye 4 me]

I hear the lake is really low right now, like record low???? How does it go from almost record high last spring to so low this spring? I know there was hardly anything for runoff this spring but that is a huge lake. Didnt think it could go down that fast.

[jerkbait]

The yare letting water out all winter long. It is usually low in the spring. I have seen it lower since I have lived hear. Looking at the control boards website it shows the level in its normal range, just on the lower end of it though.

[walleye 4 me]

Maybe it will be low enough on the opener for the third rock at twin rocks to be above water. I should attach a buoy to that SOB!!!

[NAMASafetyDirector]

Quite a few different reasons, one there wasnt any significant snowfall in this area this year includeing the area around I-falls/Rainy Lake which played a major factor last year. Secondly they increased the outlet flow up on the north end of the lake which ultimately controls the lake level. Low flow coming in...higher flow going out = low lake. Additionally we havent recieved any real marked rainfall to date yet this spring. I don't hear very many complaints at this point based on what everyone went through for basically the entire summer last year with eroded shorelines,destroyed docks, poor accessabilty, and a bunch of other issues due to the extremely high water. I might be missing a few things but these are the basics.

[vman11]

Getting close. Maybe by the weekend? Not the greatest shot, looks like there are some thin clouds today.

[vman11]

Here is some information on LOTW control board water level and flow levels.

http://www.lwcb.ca/pdf/Bulletin2015.04.13.pdf

http://www.lwcb.ca/pdf/LakeoftheWoodsGraph2015.04.22.pdf

It is definately low. Somewhere below the 20th percentile. However, it was pretty low last spring as well. Then it rained...a lot...

[TK Tack]

Here's a summary of all predictions:

Ballyhoo_________April 26

NW Angle_________April 29

Vman11___________April 30

Fisherjmb________May 1

Satchamo_________May 5

Jerkbait_________May 6

Dragfoot_________May 7

Curt Quesnell____May 8

TK Tack__________May 8

What's the prize boys? Tune in to channel 69 at 10:00 AM on opener morning and we'll announce the winner with prize?

[vman11]

Getting closer....

[curt quesnell]

I might want to revise by prediction? It is probably going to be this week, a south wind should push every that is left north and it probably wont come back. You never know until it is done but I doubt it is going to last until the 8th of May.....

[jerkbait]

I am with you Curt. Going to be this week sometime. supposed to be a light west wind today. I wonder if it will push it to the east some. All is it will take is a windy day and it will be gone. Seems like the wind always blows up here except when you want the ice to go away.

[DRAGFOOT]

Looks like NW Angle or Vman for the win, I cant see what ice is left lasting into May. Now as long as the weather cooperates we should have a good opener! I'm pretty pumped as I'll be spending every fishing weekend and the last week in May up there this year.