minnewaska ice mystery

[goose89]

not trying to start any stories or create unwarranted concern, but it was recently brought to my attention that there's an area on minnewaska "around priest's point" that stays open all year 'round. i was out on the lake last week when people were just starting to drive, an predicted that most of the lake would be safe after the weekend for pickups. but after this "story" i'm abit concerned. i've fished the lake for 2 years now and never heard of this before. anyone out there have any info to back this up or is this a myth?? thanks in advance.

goose

[IceHawk]

I have fished Waska for years and have heard this about the priest point area also. I have avoided this area of the lake for that reason. I guess with any luck at all we will find out if this rumor is true or not, hopefully a local or someone who know's the lake better will have the answer.

[angler903]

I was out there 2 years ago 12inches of ice trucks parked on both sides of point atv went between and went through. There are alot of rocks and shallow and current from wind or barometric presure makes it unstable there. You can get around the point just go farther on the lake, if there isn't an ice heave.

[MLaker2]

I have lived around Waska for 20+ years. It is a pretty safe lake if you 1. Do not drive a vehicle w/ in 1/2 mile of Priest's Pt. 2. Give the shallow water around the high school pt a wide berth. 3. The last couple of years there have been heaving/ridges around the DNR landing area (just follow the traffic flow). Most everywhere else just use common sense. Good luck fishin.

[EYEHUNTER10]

There is a spring in the lake that can and will keep the lake open in a area of the lake that most people dont know about becquse it doesnt affect the lake every season if you were to draw a straight line from swensons point to priests point it is about 6/10th of that distance across nearest priest point. That area has in some winters stayed open well into the winter it happened again just a few years back but the old timers will speak of it quite often it has claimed the lives of several victims through the years I think one guy drove right into one year lost in the fog. My grampappy worked for the dnr fishery in glenwood for several years. Also watch out for the area along the dnr access over to the ballroom since there are many springs in that area mostly deep holes which are surrounded by shallow water. Even though the lake has 12inches in spots right now I guarantee you there are spots that are more like 8inches. This is a high water year and these are the years to watch out for springs. I was out on the lake tonight and there were many vehicles on the lake. Does anyone know if they have been driving from the glenwood beach out to halvorsons point yet? Or any reports from that area? Starbuck has produced some smaller eyes hardly worth fishing for though mostly 13inchers ans lots of shiner sized perch. Oh and eagles point is heaved like crazy right where crappie town normally develops! Hope this is helpful watch out for them heaves Ive partialy dropped my vehicle through them many times on that lake. Hope this helps. GOOD LUCK and BE SAFE

[goose89]

eyehunter, thanks for the info and warning. just curious, though. what makes this a high water year??? i thought the lake was pretty low this fall. just curious why you'd say this was a high water year. later,

goose

[EYEHUNTER10]

Im not sure just what level the lake is at but we had a really wet season here and the torges culvert is still running pretty good and it is still running out the starbuck end and into emily enough to keep the ice open, the torges culvert ran good all fall and still is, you dont see that every season anytime waska has water running through it all fall and into the winter I consider it to be high water as for the rest of the lakes I dont know but if it runs out on the starbuck end its as high as it gets. Starbuck was a storm magnet this year. Luckily we havent got dumped on with snow yet. I was out all night last night and caught 1 perch I hope the barometer drops today we have been in a high pressure for a few days and the fish have a bad case of lock jaw!

[EYEHUNTER10]

Oh by the way I finally grew some nuts last night and ventured out by vehicle and am happy to report that we have 14 inches of ice now and I was able to drive across some heaves with out going for a swim even though its still a bit scary I think the Ice is safe for vehicles now. I seen a few die hards venturing around with some big trucks and suburbans last night. If anyone has a report from the glenwood side beach area for eyes, or maybe a crappie report it would be greatly appreciated. Halvorsons Point skunked me last night. Starbuck end is just entirely over crowded but the bites alright just before dark and then at dark the lake seems to just go dead, probaly the high pressure! Mother Nature protects her young anyway she can. Good luck and happy fishing.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

yup...14 inches avg. everywhere i drilled a hole. anybody see a guy walking ahead of a jeep and a 8x12 coming off lakeshore dr. and hwy 28 and drilling holes every 50 yards that was me on sunday. sorry if i wrecked anybodys perch bite but i didnt want to find out that there wasnt drivable ice the hard way!