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Will keep original guess but wondering I been sober of a mix of EVERYTHING 31 year last month. 

Can I have couple extra guesses for being a good little boy?

Well not so good, maybe nice but still not buzzzzzzzzed!

Still love the Opening morning dock dip nice breakfast n watching the opener frenzy from our lil island docks n fishen too.

An safer oh ya much safer!

24th year on island n dig each one.

Ahhhh simple is best am I am King of Simple..

Here fishy fishy...

????

love these posts as very special people around here... thanks.

Big Smiles!

Go Leafs!

 

T

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So how is the west end ice doing? We are planning to walk across the lake and assume that we'll have good traction.

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20 minutes ago, SkunkedAgain said:

So how is the west end ice doing? We are planning to walk across the lake and assume that we'll have good traction.

I haven't been out since last Friday. The weather hasn't been that warm, getting below freezing most nights. Your neighbor John was up over the weekend and took his sled from the land he bought next to my neighbor over to his place, told my neighbor it was a little sloppy, but just had to keep on the throttle. Talking about a chance of rain/freezing rain all weekend. Snowing off and on all day today. Looking out at the lake the ice looks pretty solid on top.

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8 hours ago, Fish Head said:

You only win 1/2 a beer for revised estimates. 

As long as I get the first 1/2 of the beer!

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Skunked,

I was out and drilled lots of holes- Friday - Saturday on each side of the mouth of the Partridge River the bays near the diving board. The back of the Bay to the east had some skinnier ice like 6" and the other bay had 4 to 6" of slush crappy ice with varied thickness below that( 6"-16").  the closer to shore or the back of the bays the thinner it was. It was thickest in the middle of the bay. It was much thinner than I was thinking it would be. Be safe- use the buddy system- drill and check out as you walk out. I believe your place is in Black Bay and you walk from the channel into the bay.

 

Steve

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Thanks all for the heads up. It sounds like I'll keep my walking throttle pinched.

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Pike River is moving a lot of water over the dam. I looked out at the mouth of the river into Pike Bay and it is open, not very far but the ice is being moved out there. Have NOT seen the deer crossing to Duffy Island any more lately,  there was a group of 8 all winter making the journey from the mainland,  think they might know something we don't about ice safety?  In case anyone is wondering about Cliff I talk to him regular,  he is alive and well.

 

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Hello Friends, wondered if anyone had any updates on the ice? Son is coming home from college May 6th and wanted to take his girlfriend to the island cabin for a few days, but not sure if we can drop the dock and get plumbing out there before than.

 

I know lots can happen in the next 4-5 weeks, but Any updates would be welcomed.....

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I'm keeping my eyes on this thread as well. We are heading up to the Wife's family cabin on Big Bay at the end of April (26th-28th) to open up the cabin and get everything ready for the season. I would love to get out and try fishing for Crappies on the west side one of these years but the ice out has never lined up while I was up there.

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Eagle dock posted a picture Monday of an ice check. 23" of pretty solid ice. Check it out on Facebook.

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If anyone picked April 10th for the ice out date, they did not win. 

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On Wednesday I drilled through the ice in Black Bay, which is usually on pace with Pike Bay in terms of melting. I was down on my knees to get through the last section of ice, so it's close to 30 inches. However it was soft ice almost the entire way.

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I visited a buddy who lives on pike bay yesterday. A very small open spot near the houseboats and the rest is still tight to shore. 

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I would have thought it'd be a lot farther along since the dam has been open for couple of weeks.

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I live on the north shore of Pike Bay as of 2:30pm today I am finally seeing some water on the shoreline, we have a lot of large rocks and they are collecting heat and melting ice at the shore. Talked to Cliff he thinks the DNR trap nets should be set by next week, the river dumping into Pike Bay is removing ice out, drove by today and it's a couple hundred yards out, according to amateur record keeping, once Pike Bay opens Big Bay usually follows in a weeks time. Ice out from our home is still white and a few puddles in areas from melting snow. More next week.

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1 hour ago, Darrell Larson said:

I live on the north shore of Pike Bay as of 2:30pm today I am finally seeing some water on the shoreline, we have a lot of large rocks and they are collecting heat and melting ice at the shore. Talked to Cliff he thinks the DNR trap nets should be set by next week, the river dumping into Pike Bay is removing ice out, drove by today and it's a couple hundred yards out, according to amateur record keeping, once Pike Bay opens Big Bay usually follows in a weeks time. Ice out from our home is still white and a few puddles in areas from melting snow. More next week.

Good update.  Thanks

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Ice out declared on Minnetonka on 4/18. Just saw my first facebook post of crappies being caught there. V has been about 2 weeks behind Tonka the last few years, putting it at ice out around May 2.

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The temperature outlook looks promising, with nighttime lows staying above freezing. What I don't see is a lot of rain or wind to really break things up. I still think that we are going to be down to the wire on opener. Hopefully we don't get the same crazy warm up as last year that affected the spawn.

 

image.png.957ada36d3bd3a4a9afac176b229543e.png

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I think we'll be safe for open water on the opener.  I'm hoping for open water the weekend before.  That will be a close call. Forecast looks good. 

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Hopefully it gets moving.  I need docks and lifts in before opening weekend.  Any updates?

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Show some optimism!?  The forecast has dropped some but I don't see the ice lasting much past the 1st.  I went out in front of my parents on Frazer...some of the latter ice to go...was sketchy enough I turned around and went back.  Opener is certainly a non-issue.  My boat goes in next wknd...but my back bay allows me to do that!

Edited by Nix769
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The webcams look like Pike Bay is starting to open up.  The forecast looks good the next 3 days.  I think the ice will be off sometime next week. 

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7-10 days the lake will be ice free. Which will be almost right on average ice out (April 30). Pike bay is open up to Duffy island working up the bay. Paddled from the Pike river up the bay to the ice line tonight. 

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It took me a few days to figure out that the Norwegian Bay shot was "stuck in time"!  Had me a little nervous!

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • SkunkedAgain
      I might have missed a guess, but here are the ones that I noted:   JerkinLips – March 27th, then April 7th Brianf. – March 28th Bobberwatcher – April…. MikeG3Boat – April 10th SkunkedAgain – early April, then April 21st   Definitely a tough year for guesses, as it seemed to be a no-brainer early ice out. Then it got cold and snowed again.
    • mbeyer
      MN DNR posted April 13 as Ice out date for Vermilion
    • Brianf.
      ^^^45 in the morning and 47 in the evening
    • CigarGuy
      👍. What was the water temp in Black Bay? Thanks....
    • Brianf.
      No, that wasn't me.  I drive a 621 Ranger. 
    • CigarGuy
      So, that was you in the camo lund? I'm bummed, I have to head back to the cities tomorrow for a few days, then back up for at least a few weeks. Got the dock in and fired up to get out chasing some crappies till opener!
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   Lots of ice on the main basin, but it is definitely deteriorating.  Some anglers have been fishing the open water at the mouth of the Rainy River in front of the Lighthouse Gap.  The rest of the basin is still iced over. Pike enthusiasts caught some big pike earlier last week tip up fishing in pre-spawn areas adjacent to traditional spawning areas.  8 - 14' of water using tip ups with live suckers or dead bait such as smelt and herring has been the ticket.  Ice fishing for all practical purposes is done for the year. The focus for the basin moving forward will be pike transitioning into back bays to spawn,  This is open water fishing and an opportunity available as the pike season is open year round on Lake of the Woods. 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. With both the ice fishing and spring fishing on the Rainy River being so good, many are looking forward to the MN Fishing Opener on Saturday, May 11th.  It should be epic. On the Rainy River...  An absolutely incredible week of walleye and sturgeon fishing on the Rain Rainy River.     Walleye anglers, as a rule, caught good numbers of fish and lots of big fish.  This spring was one for the books.   To follow that up, the sturgeon season is currently underway and although every day can be different, many boats have caught 30 - 40 sturgeon in a day!  We have heard of fish measuring into the low 70 inch range.  Lots in the 60 - 70 inch range as well.   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...  Open water is continuing to expand in areas with current.  The sight of open water simply is wetting the pallet of those eager for the MN Fishing Opener on May 11th.   A few locals were on the ice this week, targeting pike.  Some big slimers were iced along with some muskies as well.  If you like fishing for predators, LOW is healthy!  
    • Brianf.
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    • smurfy
      got mine done........for the cabin.....ready for summer festivities!!!!!!   there was still frost in the ground...........but good gawd are the lakes low!!!!!
    • CigarGuy
      Just 1, 50" muskie🫣
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