Ice Sighting

[vanwalleye]

Was just snooping around some of the local webcams, starting to see a little ice floating around...Hopefully this breeze dies down so it can lock up the next few days

[Stick in Mud]

I was thinking the same thing.  Given the forecast, it should get locked up sooner rather than later. 

 

Of course, it *was* nice to get out fishing last week in the boat.  First time I can honestly say I've fished the lake in a boat in December.  And if the quality of the fishing last week has anything to say for it, it's going to be another amazing year on the lake. There'll be plenty of fish caught, that's for sure.  

[vanwalleye]

I sure hope so, fishing was pretty good last year and over the summer, seems to be a couple of pretty strong years classes to be caught..Might be tough to squeeze a keeper in out of there, but hey a picture lasts a lifetime and a meal is only temporary...

And Stick, which end of the lake did you get the boat out on...

[Stick in Mud]

I think the fishing will be outstanding this winter.   They were certainly going crazy in early December.  I honestly don't care about keeping any fish, though it is nice to have the option of bringing one home.  I don't understand why guys drive four or five hours to catch dozens of dinks on Red Lake--especially last year when you could only keep two or three--when Mille Lacs was *insane* last year with both numbers and size.  Oh well.  It obviously sucks for the businesses, but I won't complain about having the best flats all to myself. 

 

We were up on the northwest side out of Myr Mar.  The harbor didn't even freeze up. We did nothing special...trolled slowly using big baits, on shoreline breaks, over remaining weeds, and over rocks. It was just like the old days, only back then we thought we were tough when we fished in early November.

[vanwalleye]

Nice thats what I like to hear, was doing an annual trip to LOW with my buddies, but to be quite honest biggest fish I ever saw in 10 plus trips was 27 inches, I caught 3 bigger than that on the pond last year, and hey I can stay in Wright county where I live and catch 10 inch walleyes.. I don't make it up to that end of the lake ever, usually fish the south end..Bought a wheel house this year, would loke to set it up as base camp and hopefully be able to head up toward that end and do some exploring..And thanks for the input, thinking there is a lot of readers and not many writers on this site nowadays...

[Sculpin]

Mille Lacs is locked up. And there have been a couple brave souls walking out in the big bays since Thurs.

Waukon, Cove, and Isle Bay have all had a bit of foot traffic.

Be very careful.

 

Game on !!

[Stick in Mud]

Quote

 

Thanks for the ice report, Sculpin.  With the weather forecasted for the upcoming week, I'm sure I'll be up there next weekend, hopefully walking out from the northwest side.

 

van, yeah, I hear you.  I've been up to LOW a few times, and it is very fun to know there's the chance of catching a monster....but driving all that way for a bucket full of 12'' fish?  Not my cup of tea. I'll save the money and buy three dozen T-bones to make it through the winter. I'm sure people who know the lake better than I do have done better on the weekends I'm up there, but the reports at the resort we used were pretty similar. 

 

I like the northwest side on ML because it's where we've been for almost 20 years, but it also has close access to sand, rocks, whatever weeds remain, mud flats, transitions, etc. The only thing we don't have up there is extensive gravel.

[bassinboy3]

Any new ice thickness reports on Mille Lacs?

[Sculpin]

I have been on the lake both Sunday evening, and yesterday. I have been out on the East side, main lake, drilled about 15 holes yesterday, and never saw less than 5" in any one place. I was out about half a mile yesterday. Check with area resort sites, Chapman's, Portside, MyrMar, Hunters, McQuoids, Red Door, etc. and I would imagine they will all have pretty accurate updated reports for the upcoming weekend.

Given the bitter cold temps, I'd venture to say there will be ATV's all over the lake by the weekend.  

Fishing is very good, but the elusive 19/21" fish are just that, elusive.

Be safe, take your time, and stay well away from any cracked or wet areas. The wind is blowing, and the ice will be moving.

 

Good luck