Post Current Ice Conditions

[IceHawk]

Well Today was my maiden voyage on the ice and boy was I stoked to hit the Hardwater again! Felt great to get back on the Hard pack for another season. Plus side was I even managed to put some nice fish topside.    I fished the NW corner of the state and found a good 4-5 inches on the lakes and areas I fished. This wasn't the norm though most of the lakes either just capped over or were 1-3 inches. Need some serious cold stable weather to firm things up. Cant stress ice safety and common sense in these early ice periods. Ill continue to post the current ice conditions I come across in my adventures throughout the season and hope others will also. 

[Borch]

Thanks for the update!

[Wanderer]

Starting to see some small lakes capping in the Little Falls area.  Everyone is getting restless for sure.  I expect to at least see spud checks by this weekend (won’t be me) but I don’t THINK we’ll be ready for walking out by the weekend.

[IceHawk]

1-2 inches top on Lake Osakis one chop with chisel straight through. 

[Wanderer]

Ok, couldn’t resist.  Just did a spud check and only had 2 inches of ice this morning.  Off to work I go...

[IceHawk]

Checked some of my first ice spots on the Horseshoe chain this morning varies from 1-3 inches tops still going to be a little bit here. 

[Wanderer]

Looking at the forecast for the next week we won’t be making anything.  Probably losing and hopefully not all of it.

[smurfy]

26 minutes ago, Wanderer said:

Looking at the forecast for the next week we won’t be making anything.  Probably losing and hopefully not all of it.

Don't say like that!! headed north on the 14th hopefully with enough ice for wheeler 

[Wanderer]

2 hours ago, smurfy said:

Don't say like that!! headed north on the 14th hopefully with enough ice for wheeler 

Bah!  I’m just talking about my neck of the woods.  I haven’t paid much attention to what’s happening north of the Brainerd line.

 

I checked a couple other small lakes tonight over toward Mille Lacs after work and they were worse off but they have some deeper water to ‘em.  Walkable near shore but either open or just skimmed over in the fishing areas.  Those will probably open back up to the first ice line over the next few days.  I’m writing those off till after Christmas unless temps take a severe nosedive.

[smurfy]

11 minutes ago, Wanderer said:

Bah!  I’m just talking about my neck of the woods.  I haven’t paid much attention to what’s happening north of the Brainerd line.

 

I checked a couple other small lakes tonight over toward Mille Lacs after work and they were worse off but they have some deeper water to ‘em.  Walkable near shore but either open or just skimmed over in the fishing areas.  Those will probably open back up to the first ice line over the next few days.  I’m writing those off till after Christmas unless temps take a severe nosedive.

didnt you say your in laws lived up by jessie??????? have you talked to them recently how the ice is coming by chance.

[Skill-lessWanderer]

I live in Bemidji and check in here a few times a day and figured it was time I posted about our conditions in my neck of the woods. Smaller lakes up here have been locked up for weeks. Lake Bemidji finally locked up on Monday. I ventured out on the big lake today and found 4” of ice on the Northwest side of the lake. Southwest had maybe 3” at most with some cracks and pressure ridges forming and it looked like the current from the Mississippi and the warmer day was making those cracks worsen quite a bit. Lake Irving which is the lake just before Lake Bemidji had about 6” with quite a few portables and other anglers on foot giving it a go. Both lakes can change fast with the river and weather. Not a fan of the longer wait this year but happy to see the ice. Most of the anglers I know are on Red Lake chasing the early bite there but is getting very packed. Hoping we don’t have another repeat of the ice sheets separating with anglers stranded again but everyone seems eager to get out.

[Wanderer]

4 hours ago, smurfy said:

didnt you say your in laws lived up by jessie??????? have you talked to them recently how the ice is coming by chance.

Nope.  Must’ve been someone else.  I had a dog named Jesse once.  Best relative ever. 
 

@Skill-lessWandererwelcome and thanks for posting.  Interesting choice for a handle. 

Edited December 4, 2020 by Wanderer

[smurfy]

8 hours ago, Wanderer said:

Nope.  Must’ve been someone else.  I had a dog named Jesse once.  Best relative ever. 
 

@Skill-lessWandererwelcome and thanks for posting.  Interesting choice for a handle. 

Hmmm

[IceHawk]

Welcome Skill less wanderer thanks for the report!

[IceHawk]

Some guys on Foot yesterday in kandioyi county Green in Spicer opened back up. Heading west Bird hunting if I get close Ill swing by Arties Bait and see what ice thicknesses he's seeing on Big stone traverse Artichoke. 

[ozzie]

wednesday I drove up to backus from Elk River along 10 and saw one portable out on Crow Wing Lake and other than that most lakes appeared to have for the most part just skimmed over.  the loop home from backus i went through crosslake and then over to 169 along mille lacs and there were some small lakes frozen over but did not see a sole out on them.

[Skill-lessWanderer]

12 hours ago, Wanderer said:

Nope.  Must’ve been someone else.  I had a dog named Jesse once.  Best relative ever. 
 

@Skill-lessWandererwelcome and thanks for posting.  Interesting choice for a handle. 

After I made the handle, I then saw yours...then I was like darn. 364 days until I can change it again so it’s not weird

[opsirc]

Try a lake in the canyon area the other day. Solid 4-5" most of the way out,  but got close to middle of the lake, chisel went thru on second hit. Looked like maybe 2",  decided to turn around and head back to shore. 

[Rick]

1 hour ago, Skill-lessWanderer said:

After I made the handle, I then saw yours...then I was like darn. 364 days until I can change it again so it’s not weird

Welcome and what would you like your handle to be?

[papadarv]

Just got back home, checked Coon Lake, Anoka. 3" at East access off Lexington. Only 20 ft off shore lots of ice cracking. 1" at the easement access West shore 3 ft. off shore. Couple 100 ducks on open water adjacent shore. 4 guys fishing the channel one with a double Eskimo hub. They said the channel had 4". May be a challenge to get my required 6" before Christmas with December warmer NOAA forecast. New K-drill rocks.

 

[IceHawk]

Been useing K drill for couple years love it now that i got enough battery power to light up a ufo !  You will be impressed with it great for opening old holes. 

[Bucketcastle]

@papadarv, thank you for the report

[smurfy]

On 12/3/2020 at 11:15 PM, Wanderer said:

Nope.  Must’ve been someone else.  I had a dog named Jesse once.  Best relative ever. 
 

@Skill-lessWandererwelcome and thanks for posting.  Interesting choice for a handle. 

i done figured it out..........it was duffman!!!!!!

[Brad B]

A few of the wright county lakes I checked on Sunday were between 2.5 to 3 inches. one lake was told that is was 3.5 inches. might try to sneak there tomorrow afternoon and check it for my self and spud out to the one 24 foot hole. there was like 6 people out there when I checked it. Pelican at the old access off 117 had three people out northern fishing that small bay when I stopped by there. 

[monstermoose78]

Went ice fishing yesterday and found 6-6.5 inches of ice near Brainerd. 

[popriveter]

By this date most years, I'm out on the ice somewhere with a few outings under my belt. I normally fish frequently until about mid-January when all the guys with big trucks and wheelhouses take over and I start to dream of spring. The ice fishing season that I love starts and ends early. 

This year has just been so weird that I haven't rallied any enthusiasm and I've felt no temptation to go risk my life for an early fish.

Your reports are helping a little. Seeing that drill cut a hole brought back some spark.

Maybe I'll pick an early ice spot to check sometime next week. Everybody be careful, but keep reports coming!

[IceHawk]

Well been bouncing around in a few different areas last two weeks fishing talking to buds fishing and checking ice conditions. We are getting there slowly but surely!  Locally Mayhew 2-3 inchess, Briggs 3 inches, LIttle Rock open -5 inches, Horseshoe chain 3-4 inches with current areas still open. Some smaller lakes in the Sauk Centre area 3-5 inches. RIce lake 3-4 inches,.There is still alot of sketchy ice out there so use extrem caution yet this week should help stiffen things up !

[Bucketcastle]

Was up on myrtle lake east of Orr, six inches of ice, guys already on utv's and pulling out a maybe 6x12 wheel house with a utv. The ice was going crazy as they drove by me.  Not even a nibble for fish with only three lookers on the vexilar.

[papadarv]

Son & 3 others on Red Fri./Sat. 8 1/2" ice mile out. Crazy busy, line of wheelers as far as one could see. 8 eyes, 1 under 17" + a Pout. Spent Fri. night in 2 hubs on cots. Those youngins are adventurous.

[DuluthGuy]

Hit Red Sat. Dec 12. 8+ inches far as you could go. Son & I caught a limit, biggest 16.5 inches most in the 14-16 range.

White & Pink, 75% on deadstick.