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Ice thickness report.


iiccee63

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Hello all....I tend to do the ice reports every year and am glad to do it since I live so close to Stillwater ect. I will be adding accurate info asap. We won't be fishing for a couple weeks as I see it. Thanks everyone!:)

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I hope there's something to report in the not too distant future.  Temps don't look god for ice making.

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Lol! That's a good report... Yeah, there is ice out from shore a bit by the new bridge but, we won't be out I am sure till' Xmas. Soooo pissed.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Will be touch-n-go for a while with temps moderating in the low 30's through the end of the year.

After it get's thick enough, we'll get our walking exercise for sure!

 

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With high temps projected in the low 20s and teens for the next week, we should have some walkable ice by next weekend for bayport! Can't wait!

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15 hours ago, Weathertite said:

Pray that we don't get the snow they are predicting , Just Sayin !!!!

Yeah, that's all we need now is a bunch of snow with not much ice.  Sounds familiar...

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I will be driving to bayport early saturday morning to check on the ice and drill some holes...I will post the findings asap Saturday morning!

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Earlier this winter I heard on the tv news that the river wouldn't be kept open under the new bridge construction, now the last couple days the news has said the river is being kept open for construction. Be careful anyone who ventures that way.

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Went to WI side today just to look around no one out on that side but 4 houses out on MN side one in the middle in front of boat launch. IDK what ice thickness is but seemed OK where I walked.

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Has anyone gone out yet this year? I'm itching to get some of those St. Croix crappie and walleye.

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Ventured out Saturday from the WI access.  There were about 10 houses out including a few in the middle of the river.  I drilled out to 40 fow and found 3-3.5" of ice.  

IMO, water is a bit higher and current is definitely stronger than I've seen in the last 5 years.  Guessing the Dec rains have something to do with it.  Couple fellows were walking way out when I made my way back to the landing.

For me, I'll be waiting till the cold snap makes a little more ice before I make a day of it.  Nice to get out for a walk and drill some holes but a bit thin yet for this guy to make a day of it.  Just my :2c:.

Stay safe and alive!  The crappies will be around in another week ;)

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We drilled a few holes this weekend as well. Ended up fishing on no more than 3 inches which is not enough for me, didn't stay long. With the temps this week I don't see Bayport making much more ice by the weekend. Be safe.

Edited by BrdHunter01
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  • 2 weeks later...

iiccee63, what will you be fishing for? I may go out this weekend for crappie and sturgeon.

Edited by GeluNumber1
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Saw 4 groups out there today on the Wisconsin side 3 across from the Bayport Marina , 1 down a little further by the open water inlet and 1 brave group in the middle of the river straight east out from the marina . Moving water scares the crap out of me !!!! If you venture out there please be careful as I don't want too see you on the News.

Stay safe and fish well my friends!!

Mike

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19 hours ago, GeluNumber1 said:

iiccee63, what will you be fishing for? I may go out this weekend for crappie and sturgeon.

We go for Crappie and Walleyes. Not even putting my permanent out this season. Been so dead down there for several years we need change. But, will fish in the portable....

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FYI – The ice the Bayport area in the middle of the river south of the ice road is about 6 – 8″ thick AT THE MOST.

 

 
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1 hour ago, Turk said:

FYI – The ice the Bayport area in the middle of the river south of the ice road is about 6 – 8″ thick AT THE MOST.

 

 

You watch, come Monday those crazy Andersen Window guys will be driving across.

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I'll probably head down tomorrow for the afternoon.  Haven't heard anything about any action so not too optimistic with the cold front too but whatev, will let u know 

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On 1/5/2016 at 10:20 PM, RiverChuckNorris said:

 

IMO, water is a bit higher and current is definitely stronger than I've seen in the last 5 years.  Guessing the Dec rains have something to do with it.  

i recall reading something about a draw down on the river above the Taylors falls dam, this might be a contributing factor as well.

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On 1/14/2016 at 0:31 PM, iiccee63 said:

We go for Crappie and Walleyes. Not even putting my permanent out this season. Been so dead down there for several years we need change. But, will fish in the portable....

I went down there Friday and found 6, 7" and up to about 9" pretty much all over the Shanty town area. That area averaged 8". Plenty of ice.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Beware!!!  Was out last weekend on MN side out from Bayport Park with my ATV.  had 11-12" of good ice.  last night I ventured over to the north end of "crappie town" on the Sconnie side and found just barely 8" of ice.  A friend pulled up next to me with his 1/2 ton truck and within a minute I had an inch of water around my feet in my portable.  With the forecasted warm weather, it would not be advisable to be out there with trucks yet.  Many will disagree because they have already been all over out there, but 8" of ice is dangerously thin for a full size truck.  And the fishing was lousy anyway! 

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I heard a rumor that Xcel power plant discharged a bunch of warm water that caused this ice to get thin.  Unsure if it's fact or fiction.

 

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I cannot believe how many people are willing to drive a half ton out on 10 inches of ice! I was sitting on 10 1/4 inches of ice on a tape, and could not believe the amount of full size truck traffic out there, even a couple guys whipping across at 50+ mph and doing doughnuts out in the middle.

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

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