ice conditions

[ray]

What are the ice conditons like on the lakes around Fergus Falls. Can a 4x4 truck still make it out there, does a guy need waders to stand on the ice, is this upcoming rain going to end the season? Hoped to make it out Sunday afternoon for one last chance. Thinking about Norway, Pleasant, Wall, Pebble, Anderson, Anna any info on these would be appreciated!

[Gissert]

I saw trucks out on most lakes yesterday. I was hanging wood duck houses out on South Turtle with my 4 wheeler before the shore ice got bad. It was still ok to drive on for now. Lots of water on top of the ice. The little whirlpool holes are starting to form. Watch out for those, sometimes they can be big enough to swallow a car tire.

[mtrue68]

I was out on Clitheral lake the ice is still good for driving. There was a few inches of water on the ice so WATERPROOF boots were needed.

[Guest]

West Battle was water covered yesterday, but I think it was honey combed this morning. There was one spot that had 9" of water on top of the ice! I know, it went over my boots! Still 3'+ thick ice and swirlies all over.
Clitherall, last night, was completely honey combed. Easy walking and still really thick ice. I saw several trucks driving all over last night.

I wouldn't recommend driving on any ice with this weather. I was nervous yesterday on an ATV just because I felt like I was driving on open water. You never know, it's been a strange ice season this year all over the state.

[Guest]

bah. theres still 3 feet of ice almost all over. the top is honeycombed, but the ice on the bottom is fine. you should still be driving on the lakes until we get some rain. (that is if it ever rains- the weather man pushes it back a couple days every time i watch) i'd check on it after it rains though, that might put the kabosh on the ice pretty quick. i think we got about 4 or 5 days of driving, and still a month or more of walkin on the ice, unless we really get alotta rain.

just a guess, but its what happens every year, so i think i should be pretty close!

[Gissert]

We drove on Clitherall and Ottertail today, but it is quad time for me now. Main ice is still pretty solid, but the shore ice is starting to draw back a bit.

[Guest]

I saw open water today on a couple small potholes! Geez, wasn't it just about a week ago it was like -10 and -30 wind chills???

The ice is still thick, it's the shorelines that are melting fast, primarily the north shorelines of lakes.

It's raining today. Spring is rolling in at top speed....

[Guest]

Ice is still great was out on sunday and drove on numerous lakes all day over 38 inches so far. Top 2 inches was huneycomb due to the water on top of the ice soaking in but other than that there is 3 more feet of solid ice. i look to having another month of fishible ice. the way the extended forecast looks is that we are going to hold in the 30 for quite a while lows in the teens. that will sturdy things up. all is good.

[Guest]

Was out in Pelican Rapids area on Sunday morning. Still 3 feet of ice and ice was still in pretty good condition. Shore ice is getting a little weak so watch out getting on.

HOWEVER, 70 degrees and wind all day on Sunday and now today could have changed things.

Let's keep the reports posting daily so we can all can help others know ice conditions. Please someone give a report who goes out this week. I would like to go back out on Wed. but don't want to come out if I can't get on the ice.

[Guest]

We will have walk-able ice for a while. The shorelines have melted away on a lot of the northern shores of lakes, and some require boards to walk on (or get wet) to get to the thick ice.

I think I saw a vehicle on the ice on W. Battle on Saturday. It was a good mile or two away from where I was, but I could swear it was a truck. I saw a vehicle on Clitherall over the weekend. I wouldn't drive a car/truck on any ice anymore.

As long as it doesn't rain a lot the ice should be fishable for some time. It's cooling down a bit this week, so that helps for us extend the season for us ice fisherman.

[Guest]

Death wish!!

[Gissert]

There was a truck out on Rush yesterday. I couldn't believe it. The game warden was watching from the access by the bridge.

The ice was probably ok where he sat, but I would be really nervous around shore with a vehicle now.