Sandee's best guess at the weekend

[Scoot]

Sandee, please give me your best educated guess on the weekend at Birchdale. I've got a 17.5' Alumacraft that I will not put in over ice- odds are looking very slim to me for putting that boat in on Sat, would you agree? I think the odds of making a small boat over some shore ice work look good for Sat, agree?
I'm not asking for you to dig out your crystal ball or give me a definite anything, just your best guess when factoring in the forecast.
Thanks a bunch!

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Scoot

So I got dat goin’ for me… which is nice.

[Sandee]

Scoot - I agree, it doesn't look good for bigger boats at Birchdale this weekend. Small boats over shore ice first will help take out ice and get the ramps open. Weather (ha-ha) shows 30's for the week which is melting temperatures with overnight lows in double digits.

We will check Wed afternoon and hope for some movement.

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Clementson Resort
Fishing on the Rainy River
in Lake of the Woods Area

[fiskyknut]

Sandee, girl you're gonna wear that crystal ball of yours right down to the size of a marble the way the weather has been toying with us as of late! Folks are just chewing at the bit to get in on the openwater bite eh!

Spoke to a friend this morning on the phone and he told me an aquaintence of his has skidded his boat in twice. He said at Birchdale but I saw your pics this morning and told him no way, must of been elsewhere. Maybe he's skidding from Franz Jevne out to that little spot, or perhaps up near Manitou?

I was hoping to get to chat with you a bit on Saturday at the FM gathering Sandee but I spose you were busy getting things ready for the big kickoff.

Hope you get to do a bit more fishing this early season. All work no play ya know!

Have a good one....Frisky

[Sandee]

Frisky ... I mean Fisky ~

Think I am going to retire my crystal ball or maybe I need to trade it in for a new model?? Or maybe the weather channel needs to update?? Melting temps today, snowing now.

Haven't noticed any trails at Jevne so I'm thinking Manitou??

We just opened for this last weekend, had 5 cabins in so we were busy. One of these days our paths will cross.

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Clementson Resort
Fishing on the Rainy River
in Lake of the Woods Area

[elkhunter]

SANDEE,
You sure don't need a crystal ball. Your updates are great the way they are. I would sure like to know where I can get a job where I'm wrong 70%of the time and still get a paycheck (kind of like a meteroligist?).
Hope to see you all soon, although I have to wait for the ramps to be open as I only have a big boat. Thanks again for all of the time you spend on giving all of us updates.
Dale

[Wiskers]

Well Sandee.... If the river is the same as it was when I was up there, then the 14 footer is in order. I know I can get that in at Jevne. Unless a miricle happens over night then the RP is heading north.

Got an eye glued to your crystal ball...

[guntar]

Sandee- you said you had 5 cabins full over the weekend, were they able to slide boats out, and if so did were they able to get into some fish?? Once again thank you for all the reports. I'm hoping to slide a boat in on friday morning.

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fish hard or go home

[Sandee]

3 were ice fishing Red Lake and also the LOW fishing tournament. 2 came to open water fish, they put in the river by International Falls and didn't do well. That is a seperate fishery, it is East of the Little Fork.

We will be heading out shortly to look at Birchdale. Hoping for over shore ice by this weekend!

[fiskyknut]

Hopefully she's gonna bust out soon for everybody's sanity. Pretty nice weather today anyways. If she don't open at Birchdale by the weekend it'll be darn crowded most likely in that 2-3 acres or so at FJ. Hmmmm, I wonder who'll get out there early enough to anchor on that sweet 'eddy in the eddy' I like to fish there!

Saw your crystal ball link Sandee, you are too cool!

Friskynut

[Sandee]

The river is opening a little more since Monday. If all goes well, Friday/Saturday over shore ice? There isn't alot of ice, you would think it would go fast. More current would help.

I zoomed this picture to get a better view. It's getting closer, closer, closer . . .

Frisky [snickers] I knew you'd like my crystal ball! LOL

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Clementson Resort
Fishing on the Rainy River
in Lake of the Woods Area

[This message has been edited by Sandee (edited 03-17-2004).]

[joshb]

with the forecast as it is for next week - and that birchdale is now open, how far - fast do you think the river will open up?. i'm coming up next weekend and am really starting to get the shakes. how much heat/sun does the river need to melt?, i've heard the ice is thinner this year?. i would appriciate any info......to make the shaking stop. optimistic guessing is acceptable!

[Sandee]

joshb - well, what size boat? If weather holds, and it depends on which channel, station, dial (etc) you are on, once Birchdale opens it is within 3-5 days before it opens at Frontier. In this time, with small boats going over shore ice, it helps open the ramp. If there is alot of "ramp" ice, the county would have to come in and clean it out. Last year they delayed by almost a week.

The river will melt with double digits, the higher the better of course. There is less ice this year and the level is as low as it was last year.

With a slower current, this slows down the opening too.

So, to answer your question; small boats now thru next week.

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Clementson Resort
Fishing on the Rainy River
in Lake of the Woods Area