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Horse shoe is frozen over


Horseshoe_Don

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Horseshoe is frozen over but is only 1" thick.   I did see a gut up near Brainerd walking out on a small lake to fish.   Hopefully is will cool down to get out there.   Long range forcast does not look good.

 

Don

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  • 3 weeks later...

Based on the forecast, Horseshoe should be fishable in certain areas by the weekend, next week for sure.

 

Don

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Ice is not as good as i expected this morning.   Went out 30 feet and only found 1 inch.   Was 1 inch a week ago in the same spot.   The wind is also keeping open areas that are main transportation areas.    

  Shoe is looking like it is setting up to be very dangerous ice if you do not know the lake or you are not familiar with how the ice is forming now.    I am warning everyone now you are going to have areas where you have 6 inches then a foot away it may only have 1 or 2.   The 3 pictures I have posted are:

one is open water by my shoreline which is always frozen. Next one is facing northwest looking to the meth hole which is open water.   And the last is to the south which is completely ice covered.

The ice access off 22 has open water.

 

Just wanted to warn everyone to keep them safe.

 

Don

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ice update.    2" on areas that were frozen.    Less than 1:" on ice that has recently formed.   Entire lake covered.

 

Don

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Thanks for the update. I was out there yesterday and saw a lot of whitecaps. Quite a few other lakes in the area were no different.

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Went out this morning to check the ice on both sides of my peninsula.    Found ice anywhere from 1-4".   The area  found 1" i did not expect it.   There are also small ice heave air pockets with only 1 or 2" of ice on them and open water underneath.   Now with the fresh snow is is very hard to distinguish these little heaves or thin ice.   I am going to wait a few more days here yet and I know the ice here well.   I heard a report of a 4 wheeler on shoe, this is more than stupid.

 

No fish is worth your life.  Be safe

 

Don

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Good share. I'm really itching to get out on some of those local lakes. I was thinking of trying today but I'm going to hold off now.

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43 minutes ago, Horseshoe_Don said:

Went out this morning to check the ice on both sides of my peninsula.    Found ice anywhere from 1-4".   The area  found 1" i did not expect it.   There are also small ice heave air pockets with only 1 or 2" of ice on them and open water underneath.   Now with the fresh snow is is very hard to distinguish these little heaves or thin ice.   I am going to wait a few more days here yet and I know the ice here well.   I heard a report of a 4 wheeler on shoe, this is more than stupid.

 

No fish is worth your life.  Be safe

 

Don

With the snow that fell last night, that literally is glued to the ice from the warm temps and light rain; and now seeing more in the forecast, it's sure setting up to be a very dangerous early ice season out there. Even Mud didn't freeze well. Only about an 1.5" a hundred yds from the road on Saturday. YIKES!

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Great current updates.  

 

Don-when the wife and I make a trip up for cats I'd be more than willing to drop off some bear sausage from Von Hanson's for your updates:grin:

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I went out on Horseshoe on Sunday and where the ice remained from the first freeze it is a solid 6 in.  Where it recently froze over last week its was 3 inches at best.  Now that we have snow cover it will be hard to find that line.  I was out with the wheeler on sunday but stayed on the "old" ice that I knew was "safe".  I wouldn't use a wheeler from the access or go exploring quite yet. 

Plan on heading back out Thursday and will try and give an update

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6 hours ago, Reel_Magic said:

I went out on Horseshoe on Sunday and where the ice remained from the first freeze it is a solid 6 in.  Where it recently froze over last week its was 3 inches at best.  Now that we have snow cover it will be hard to find that line.  I was out with the wheeler on sunday but stayed on the "old" ice that I knew was "safe".  I wouldn't use a wheeler from the access or go exploring quite yet. 

Plan on heading back out Thursday and will try and give an update

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I found exactly the same thing today. It was a steady 5" walking to the fishing spot. 3" of ice on the spot, if that. Cracks everywhere. Water pushing out of holes I had drilled. Not good.

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Drove out the wheeler on the thickest ice.  Fishing for the first time. Had a solid 7" here.  But 50 yards away only 3".

 

Don

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was able to drive a wheeler across cedar island tonight.   Found 5" on the south side.   That was the thinnest on that side of the lake.

 

Don

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10 hours ago, Horseshoe_Don said:

was able to drive a wheeler across cedar island tonight.   Found 5" on the south side.   That was the thinnest on that side of the lake.

 

Don

This cold snap we are having should help things out:)

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Anybody know what ice is like getting up to the meth hole?  I'm hoping to get out Saturday... anybody else going to be out?

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I have not been that way but all of the last areas to freeze have 5" of ice so I would assume there is that much.   I saw people in that basin several days ago that walked out there.

 

Thats all I know.

 

Don

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Walleye action has been very active this week.  Caught 8 the last 2 times out.  The largest about 4 pounds.  The crappie was 12"

 

Don

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  • Official Fishing Report Team - MN

Nice Job Don!  What technique and depths have  been working for you? Been finding quite a few myself on the other end from you and number 4 slab raps have been the ticket in 10-14 ft.  

Edited by IceHawk
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16-20 fow.   Crappie minnows with small glow jigs such as mini sweedish pimple or ones like that.   tease them and they get pissed and bite.   Kinda like playing keep away.

 

Don

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3 hours ago, Horseshoe_Don said:

Walleye action has been very active this week.  Caught 8 the last 2 times out.  The largest about 4 pounds.  The crappie was 12"

 

Don

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Great looking fish Don! Targeted crappies today on an area lake, great time when you have a Christmas Tree on the Vexilar that continually wants to attack. This upcoming cold snap will probably throw a wrench at things for a while, from your report it has drove those eyes a bit deeper, but the trade off will be a much safer ice pack.

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My take from last evening. Found mine shallow, 6-8ft and this goofy gill that thought it was a walleye...took the ripin rap

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • Brianf.
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