2020 Brainerd, Aitkin, McGregor Area ice fishing reports

[Wanderer]

South Long, I believe.  Not ready for truck travel yet... 

[eyeguy 54]

yikes. 

[PRO-V]

Hard to believe how stupid some people are!!

[eyeguy 54]

NO COMMENT

[leech~~]

Remember Ice is never safe!!

[smurfy]

1 hour ago, PRO-V said:

Hard to believe how stupid some people are!!

I agree. Sheez!

[smurfy]

1 hour ago, eyeguy 54 said:

NO COMMENT

I did, that's just plain stupid.

[mrpike1973]

WOW! Bet he's proud GEEZ

[eyeguy 54]

no comment from me

[smurfy]

5 minutes ago, eyeguy 54 said:

no comment from me

That was you??? maybe someone you do know!

[eyeguy 54]

comments got zapped. why make any more. lol 

[Fishing Frenzy]

On 11/25/2018 at 8:20 PM, Wanderer said:

South Long, I believe.  Not ready for truck travel yet... 

I know this isn’t funny but it still kinda is.... Don’t let the ice outsmart you!!!

[trumy]

Cant fix stupid 

[Wanderer]

Maybe they’re just new to ice fishing?  Looking for some advice... 

[AlwaysFishing23]

Well we all needed to know if lakes are ready to drive out yet. Well.... some guy learned the hard way 5”-6” isn’t enough to hold a half ton yet

[ZachD]

On 11/27/2018 at 12:57 AM, Wanderer said:

Maybe they’re just new to ice fishing?  Looking for some advice... 

That reminds me of the time I was fishing on Pelican and we hear the ice making tons of noise. I peep my head out the door because I could not believe there would be anyone driving out. The guy drive up to my portable and asks me " Is the ice safe to drive on?" I just told him " can you please get your truck away from my house" I think there was only 8 inches or so

[knoppers]

that's why they made wheelers, at least I thought.

[knoppers]

any current report on ice thickness around palisade?

[knoppers]

I just got a report from nextdoor that we have 8-10 inches.

 

[Wanderer]

Thanks @knoppers.

 

I’m about to head over to that general area.  Makes me wonder if I should load the wheeler.

[knoppers]

give this a bump, lets here about ice out. looking forward to some open water.

[ANYFISH2]

Lincoln Lakes area lakes are Ice free, as of 4-23-19.

[knoppers]

lakes are locked up in my area, I did not test it, but I would think next weekend should be a go on some lakes.

[fishingstar]

2" on Star about 20 feet out. wind has opened up spots out in the middle of the lake.

[Sculpin]

Most of the lakes south and east of Aitken are locked up. Dam, Clear, Hanging Kettle, Rabbit, Sisabagamah, and I would imagine many others.  Please be careful, use your ice pics, a good spud, and proceed cautiously. I saw on last nights news some poor guy took a quick swim in Skogman lake near Cambridge. Not good, could have had a very sad outcome. 

[Wanderer]

Couldn’t decide the best way to play today so I hit the woods this morning with the muzzle loader for deer and then headed to the lake for some crappies.  
 

Well, the lake conditions sucked.  Dragging out through 10 inches of snow with slush pockets over about 5 inches of ice.  Drill hole and fish in slush.  My buddies claimed they had 3 inches of ice in a few of their holes and the ice did crack a few times between us.  Making or breaking, I don’t know but 5 degrees with a 5-10 mph NW wind kinda warranted a shelter, which I didn’t bring out.

 

Frozen sled iced up instantly on the bottom when I pulled it through the slush.  Stopped 5 times to turn it over and smack it all off so it didn’t feel like a tractor pull.

 

Caught a pike and few of each of crappies and sunnies.

 

I drove home wondering how long it will be before, and even if we’ll get our wheel house out on anything other then the big lakes with resort roads.  Bummer.  I told my wife when I got home some people will go through this weekend.  Sure enough, she shows me a pic from Hole in the Day on Gull.

I wouldn’t even take a wheeler or sled out this weekend.  A friend in the Emily area said the same thing.

 

Be careful, walk with waterproof boots and check regularly.  If you see uneven snow in untouched areas, steer clear of it.  That’s where thinner ice is and more slush.

 

Im going back to the deer woods while my 10 lb Ice fishing bibs melt and dry.

[Rick]

35 minutes ago, Wanderer said:

Couldn’t decide the best way to play today so I hit the woods this morning with the muzzle loader for deer and then headed to the lake for some crappies.  
 

Well, the lake conditions sucked.  Dragging out through 10 inches of snow with slush pockets over about 5 inches of ice.  Drill hole and fish in slush.  My buddies claimed they had 3 inches of ice in a few of their holes and the ice did crack a few times between us.  Making or breaking, I don’t know but 5 degrees with a 5-10 mph NW wind kinda warranted a shelter, which I didn’t bring out.

 

Frozen sled iced up instantly on the bottom when I pulled it through the slush.  Stopped 5 times to turn it over and smack it all off so it didn’t feel like a tractor pull.

 

Caught a pike and few of each of crappies and sunnies.

 

I drove home wondering how long it will be before, and even if we’ll get our wheel house out on anything other then the big lakes with resort roads.  Bummer.  I told my wife when I got home some people will go through this weekend.  Sure enough, she shows me a pic from Hole in the Day on Gull.

I wouldn’t even take a wheeler or sled out this weekend.  A friend in the Emily area said the same thing.

 

Be careful, walk with waterproof boots and check regularly.  If you see uneven snow in untouched areas, steer clear of it.  That’s where thinner ice is and more slush.

 

Im going back to the deer woods while my 10 lb Ice fishing bibs melt and dry.

Thank you for the most excellent adventure!

[AlwaysFishing23]

Got out this afternoon for a few hours and found the landing parking lot to be a drifted rutted up mess. Was able to throttle my way in and barely not getting stuck. Found 6-7” of good hard clear ice. Fish were not lacking today that’s for sure.  I caught between 100-200 gills and crappies and a few perch mixed in. Gills ranged from tiny to 8” and crappies were all 8-9”. 4-6” of snow and no flooding going on. Fish were stacked and I was able to sit and catch one after other while staying nice and toasty in the otter. Fun afternoon and got to put the clam drill plate to use and all I can say is wow! That thing is the best auger I’ve used and definitely will change the way I fish. Should be able to use it all season besides drilling spear holes which I’ll leave to the solo. Fun trip! Tentatively planning on skipping next Friday and heading up north to do some spearing. Lake I’m gonna try has for sure 4” so good for walking but was hoping to take the new snowmobile up with me and use that for transportation so we will have to see if I’ll be able to or not. Back down to -20 tonight and barely above 0 tomorrow. 

[Rick]

Nice!

[knoppers]

was planning on heading up to the cabin this weekend to do some snowmobiling, but since I had to ride across my lake I decided to wait. they had some good ice early, but then the warm weather, then 18 inches of snow, I would guess the lake is a mess. last report I had from a week ago, was no snowmobile or wheelers have been out on the ice.