Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

How long will ice last


Recommended Posts

Just couldn't resist....."how long will the ice last?"   Until it melts....kind of like my scotch on the rocks.  Stay safe, and Happy Easter to all.........you too Boar........

  • Thumbs Up 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Adding to this discussion is the amount and quality of the ice.  Seemed to be about 20 to 22 inches of ice.  The top 6 inches is made up of snow that soaked up water and froze.  The next 10 inches seemed like soft, honeycombed ice.  The last 6 inches was solid hard cutting ice.  

So what is there is not solid and will not last very long.  

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was out of Graceton Beach on Monday and Wednesday of this week.  Walked out.  I saw snowmobiles, 4 wheelers, Polaris Rangers, and an Argo type vehicle.  At no time did I feel like I was unsafe or putting anyone else in danger of rescuing me.  I was in Warroad at the Point on Tuesday.  Arctic Cat had several huge trailers with about 20 sleds out on the ice.  I could see other groups out towards Springsteel and Swift Ditch fishing for Pike.  

Everyone has their own comfort level.  Driving a full size vehicle out?  No way.  Ice near any current.  No.  Using common sense and checking things as you go.  Sure.  

I have no idea how long the ice will last.  Nor does anybody else.  Probably not long.  

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18" ice in warroad. Lots of pike this afternoon. All small fish 5 fow. Still a few inches of snow in the ice. Travel good for atv or sleds. Pretty quiet on the lake. Could see guys out by long point and south tip as well. Hopefully find the big ones tomorrow. 

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is still 20+ inches of hard ice around the islands.  We had Knight Island reefs and all of Big Traverse Bay to ourselves today.  Very cool feeling.

image.jpeg

  • Thumbs Up 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, the ice definitely firmed back up the past week. It was rock hard again all the way thru. Was a gorgeous day out there Saturday. Fishing was a little slow for us. 

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Magnum Mike - Would my son and I have seen you out on LOW around 3/3 - 3/5 about two miles north of Morris Point?  My son thought it was cool seeing a plane land and take off on the ice.  Now he wants me to get one for ice fishing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yup, that was us.  The Adrian's road has been the only landing option this winter until this last weekend.  Tundra tires or skis are pretty much necessary for winter lake landings.  The window for doing this is fairly small but it opens up MANY options.  We flew over at least a dozen cracks and ridges getting up to Knight Island this Saturday that I don't think you could cross with an ATV.  It also cuts the travel time WAY DOWN!  Be a good sport dad, get the boy a plane!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We pike fished Saturday and Sunday. Good amount of fish but most small. Got 3 that were 39 inches, but mostly males under 30". We were in 5-7 fow. Not sure where the big females are. Oh well. Some years you get into them and some years you don't. Weather was fantastic. 18" of ice and still a couple inches of snow left Sunday night. One crack opened up on us Sunday. If I went back today I would of brought boards just in case. Still a couple weeks left of sleds/atvs or walking on the west side. Saw a total of 10 people fishing all weekend. Was nice to not hear anyone else's auger all weekend. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Might need to learn to fly first but it sure would cut down on the travel time.  I bet the kid would look out the window more if we were flying rather than driving.

Two winters ago I saw one land on Mille Lacs and they flipped it over before they came to a stop.  They were right where I was planning to move in the afternoon.  No one got hurt but the plane was leaking some gas.

Always made me a bit nervous when an old guy neighbor would fly my mother from Maryland to the Outer Banks of NC.  Lots of time over water.  That guy just died in his sleep a couple of months ago right after he was cleared to fly again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mike,

Not trying to start an argument but I think you should be careful about flying low over crowds. Early in March a plane, I'm assuming was you based on what you said above, flew over me and my buddies out on the ice. The plane was about 30' off the ice and was very clearly not landing or taking off as it banked shortly after passing over me. FAA regulations prohibit flying that low, and for good reason. 

No harm no foul as far as I'm concerned but others may not feel the same and if something goes wrong you have no time to recover or avoid a crash. 

 

 

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Before landing on ice, you must look at your proposed landing area closely.  Many times we don't touch down because there is something wrong with the ice.

 

The FAA regulations are very clear and there are no restrictions about over-flight on a lake.  While I certainly do not want to frighten or offend anyone, no flight regulations were violated, there were no safety issues and from feedback we receive EVERY time we do this, the vast majority of the people we talk to including those that come to us, really enjoy seeing the aircraft.  Yours is the first negative comment I have ever received.

  • Thumbs Up 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Read my initial post, the plane I saw was not preparing to land or takeoff. It was flying over people, not roads for landing. Mike himself says the only place suitable for landing this winter was Adrians Road. We were by a bunch of fish houses nowhere near a suitable place to land. 

 

Anyway, as I said above no harm no foul as far as I'm concerned. But the FAA may not view it the same way so I wanted to give him a heads up. Settle down. 

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is my answer to the OPs original question. A lot longer then anyone would have thought. The way the ice is looking I think a person will be ice fishing until the end of walleye season. Who would have thunk it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah it's going to be a bit.  This week does not look good for rapid ice melt.  Hopefully the predicted rain holds and the wind whips, to weaken it up.  I say 3 more weeks before the main basin is free, 4/25?

Here is the satellite from Thursday.  Open water in the normal current areas from 4 mile bay to Kenora.

LOTW033116.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Was out Friday and Saturday.  Hard to tell if anyone else was out and about.  Only human life we encountered were the Arctic Cat test team.  The ice is solid 19 to 20 inches.  

On Friday we went out on 4-wheeler since there was no snow on shore and very little on the ice.  It snowed 2 inches or so over night so we went out on sleds Saturday.  The ice has not changed much in the past two weeks.  There was open water near all of the in-flowing ditches.  

I agree with VMAN, the ice will hang in there past the closer.    

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Has the fishing been any good or picked up?  I heard very good on reefs but that is too far from shore for me this time of the year. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We fished the reefs last weekend.  There are HUGE ice heaves all over the Knight Island reefs and we could only fish the edges and fishing was NOT good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Satellite from today.  Guys still ice fishing out of Long Point and Springsteel based on first hand knowledge I received.  I don't know that fishing is great, a few weeks ago it sounded pretty good.  Looks like it warms up but Flag Island NWS forecasted temps are 10-15 degrees cooler than mainland.  Hoping the lake is clear 4/23, but weekend of 4/30 seems more realistic.

lotw041116.jpg

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On Friday the ice was white and light gray.  After a bunch of rain on Saturday night it was light gray to black.  Around Rocky Point, the ice has not moved much, even with all the wind.  I am thinking another week and a half.  

URL had visible ice from shore on Friday, but no visible ice on Sunday. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's wind out of the north is moving the ice around quite a bit.  It won't be long.  I am thinking completely off by the 27th.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep, it was really moving yesterday. The ice is piled up on the sand bar out front 10-12 feet high when we got home from work yesterday. I am guessing right about the end of the month for sure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Strong NE winds today have the ice moving a good clip.  So it must be piling up on the SW shores or just crumbling away.  Hurraaayyyy!!!  Let the spawn begin and over with by the opener.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

NE wind did a number on the ice.  Still hanging on in Little Traverse, Whitefish Bay and north.  Now we need a strong SW wind to mix it up.  Should be gone on the MN side by end of week/early next week regardless?

042616_2.jpg

042616.jpg

  • Thumbs Up 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 11 months later...

It looks like we are a week ahead of last 2016 ice out.  This is from April 11, 2016.

lotw041116.jpg

Yesterday's sat shot looks like this. 

Picture1.thumb.jpg.2af187d2e6ba73d06bb25a680d40a6e0.jpg

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • smurfy
      kettle, anyone?????are you guys getting any rain worth while up  there?????
    • smurfy
      i cant help you with the weed thing, but i just came back form out that way......Regal, New London Hawick area. i dont no how big the swat of rain was but there is water standing everywhere. my buddy told me they had over 3 inches of rain yesterday/last night 
    • mulefarm
      With the early ice out, how is the curlyleaf pondweed doing?
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   The big basin, otherwise known as Big Traverse Bay, is ice free.  Zippel Bay and Four Mile Bay are ice free as well.  Everything is shaping up nicely for the MN Fishing Opener on May 11th. With the walleye / sauger season currently closed, most anglers are targeting sturgeon and pike.  Some sturgeon anglers are fishing at the mouth of the Rainy River, but most sturgeon are targeted in Four Mile Bay or the Rainy River.  Hence, pike are the targeted species on the south shore and various bays currently.   Pike fishing this time of year is a unique opportunity, as LOW is border water with Canada, the pike season is open year round. The limit is 3 pike per day with one being able to be more than 40 inches. All fish 30 - 40 inches must be released. Back bays hold pike as they go through the various stages of the spawn.  Deadbait under a bobber, spinners, spoons and shallow diving crankbaits are all viable options.   Four Mile Bay, Bostic Bay and Zippel Bay are all small water and boats of various sizes work well. On the Rainy River...  Great news this week as we learned sturgeon will not be placed on the endangered species list by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.     The organization had to make a decision by June 30 and listing sturgeon could have ended sturgeon fishing.  Thankfully, after looking at the many success stories across the nation, including LOW and the Rainy River, sturgeon fishing and successful sturgeon management continues.   A good week sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River.  Speaking to some sturgeon aficionados, fishing will actually get even better as water temps rise.     Four Mile Bay at the mouth of the Rainy River near the Wheeler's Point Boat Ramp is still producing good numbers of fish, as are various holes along the 42 miles of navigable Rainy River from the mouth to Birchdale.   The sturgeon season continues through May 15th and resumes again July 1st.   Oct 1 - April 23, Catch and Release April 24 - May 7, Harvest Season May 8 - May 15, Catch and Release May 16 - June 30, Sturgeon Fishing Closed July 1 - Sep 30, Harvest Season If you fish during the sturgeon harvest season and you want to keep a sturgeon, you must purchase a sturgeon tag for $5 prior to fishing.    One sturgeon per calendar year (45 - 50" inclusive, or over 75"). Most sturgeon anglers are either a glob of crawlers or a combo of crawlers and frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig, which is an 18" leader with a 4/0 circle hook combined with a no roll sinker.  Local bait shops have all of the gear and bait. Up at the NW Angle...  A few spots with rotten ice, but as a rule, most of the Angle is showing off open water.  In these parts, most are looking ahead to the MN Fishing Opener.  Based on late ice fishing success, it should be a good one.  
    • leech~~
      Nice fish. I moved to the Sartell area last summer and just thought it was windy like this everyday up here? 🤭
    • Rick G
      Crazy windy again today.... This is has been the norm this spring. Between the wind and the cold fronts, fishing has been more challenging for me than most years.  Panfish have been moving in and out of the shallows quite a bit. One day they are up in the slop, the next they are out relating to cabbage or the newly sprouting lilly pads.  Today eye guy and I found them in 4-5 ft of water, hanging close to any tree branches that happened to be laying in the water.  Bigger fish were liking a 1/32 head and a Bobby Garland baby shad.   Highlight of the day way this healthy 15incher
    • monstermoose78
    • monstermoose78
      As I typed that here came a hen.  IMG_7032.mov   IMG_7032.mov
    • monstermoose78
      So far this morning nothing but non turkeys. 
    • monstermoose78
      Well yesterday I got a little excited and let a turkey get to close and I hit the blind!!
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.