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No ice should be considered safe ice! This information is not guaranteed to be accurate.

When you have an update on ice conditions for SE MN, please post here. Please include the date, body of water, location, and current ice conditions. Also include any additional details pertaining to the condition and safeness of the ice.

Ice updates only. No fishing reports or small talk in this thread please.

This thread will be stickied to the top of this forum once we have walkable ice and removed when all ice has been melted for the season.

Thanks to everybody for your ice condition update.

No ice should be considered safe ice! This information is not guaranteed to be accurate.

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  • Tyler Holm

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12/1/06 – Willow Creek is completely skimmed over with ice. The South CC Manor pit is wide open. I’ve heard the backwaters are skimmed over as well. I personally don’t think the ice will be safe yet this weekend. I might go drill a hole at Willow Sat and/or Sunday.

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just drove by foster arends, the southwest corner was skimmed over by the fishing pier but the rest was wide open, about 200+ geese out there swimming and keeping it open, shoot um all!

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I went down to Foster today and it was about 3/4 iced over. Both ends had about 1/2 to 1" of ice, but the middle was still open.

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The ice is really shaping up nice and hopefully we go the next week with low temps and no snow. Had about 1.5" in the Wabasha Marina this morning and about 2.5 inches of clear blue ice on KR-7.Don't forget the spud,a rope, and a buddy if you head out anywhere tomorrow.Doesn't look like anything too nasty in the ten day. 16 now, 10 tonight, 19 tomorrow and 8 tomorrow night. grin.gif

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I was in Winona Sunday and there were 4 guys on the ice near Deer Park poking around with a spud. They were out about 50' from the shore. Lake Winona is almost completely open. The Tubes are just about froze over. If the WIND would just lay down for a couple of days. Maybe this weekend!

Rollineyes

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The Lewiston sewer pond was frozen over on saturday. You can guess what you'd catch in there. Just Tigger's friend.

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I was able to go out on the ice on saturday on a small pond 45 minutes north of rochester. The ice was anywhere from 3-4" thick so it wasn't too bad. I didn't fish at all I was just scouting around to see thickness. The ice is great clear and hard. I will be out wednesday for sure catching some perch and crappies and a few gills!

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How fast does Chester Woods freeze in relation to the other lakes in Rochester(faster/slower than Fosters)?

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Was out at Boyscout Res. today and there was about 1.5-2 inches of ice. Still geese out there keeping a big hole open. Did fish about 15 feet off of shore in about 12 feet of water. Only found tiny perch, probably could do more exploring out there in a week or so. Didn't want to walk around too much without more ice. Was fun to see fish on the vex. again.

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Personally, I think everyone should be a tad more patient. A few fish aren't worth your life and property. Suppose to return to daytime highs above freezing..not good. If you HAVE to fish, go with someone and take all of the precautions.

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I totally agree with waiting longer. I wont be back there without a few more inches of ice. Probably shouldn't of fished today. Thats why I didn't explore at all and stayed so close to shore.

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Went out to Kalmar this morning, had about 5.5 to 6 inches of ice. Fishing was good from 6 till about 10.

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I was out about 30 feet,but I walked around a little bit, it appeared to be that thick all over by looking at the cracks.

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WENT OUT TO CHESTERWOODS TODAY TO CHECK ICE CONDITIONS. OUT IN FRONT OF THE LANDING, 5 TO 6 INCHES. TOMORROW NITE IT IS SUPPOSE TO GET NEAR ZERO. THAT WILL HELP ALOT.

WALKING ON THAT CLEAR ICE IS SPOOKY NO MATTER HOW THICK IT IS!!!

SHANE

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Watch it around the trees at Chester for awhile no matter what the rest of the lake is doing. A lot less ice around some of those bigger trees early in the season.Fairly deep water in a lot of those spots too.

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I stopped by Willow Creek Res today about 11:30 I couldn't belive it had open water just west of the point.I don't know if its the wind or darn geese but it's taking a while to seal up.

The ice must have been good up to that point cause there was a lucky guy out fishin.

Keep in mind if your out there soon that the ice is going to be thinner in the spots were the geese have been swimming.

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I spiked around the Ne corner of Foster Arends today. In 100' of shoreline I found 1" clear ice, then a small pool of open water, then about 4-5" of good clear ice. About par for the course for that water.

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There have been a few people fishing Willow Creek, but you cannot fish North or NE of the point as the geese have that area wide open. The folks I've seen fishing have been SE of the point.

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I was out at Foster today. The ice was pretty good 5 to 6 inches in most places. The trout were pretty aggressive. Well, when you could find them. Many 13 to 14 inches. The ice never stopped making noise. Hallelujah, 'tis the season!

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Welcome to Fm Jett. Great first post!

Is there any snow on the ice? Or can you see through the clear stuff and find the weed edges? I've fished early ice there before. And the ice was very clear so you could see down quite a ways. That made it easy to not end up drilling holes and finding out your straight over the top of a clump of that slimy weedy stuff.

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The north side of the island at Willow Creek reservoir is another spot to watch out for all winter long.This is the only place I have ever went through the ice at. Luckily, caught myself at the armpits before going all the way down. There are springs there that will keep some funky ice no matter how cold it is. We were fishing straight north of the point edge and started to hole-hop with the vex. I was just walking along bs-ing and the next step was no ice under the blown snow. shocked.gif Our shack was sitting on about 14 inches of ice,60-70 feet away. There were signs that I chose to ignore(a little slush, constant bubbles on the vex). Never again.

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Thanks for the heads up Mac. Been there, done that with the armpit thing myself! shocked.gif

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I'll verify the fact that Dan has done that at least once....didn't stop him from fishing the rest of the day though...he dumped the water out of his boots, ran home changed clothes and was back on the ice in record time.

All is well and I'm looking forward to ice'n some fish this winter Dano!

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Pool 4 Backwaters had up to 5.5" of ice on Sat AM in an area with very little current. An area with quite a bit of current measured 4.5" on Sunday morning.

Be safe out there. The recent showers and above freezing temps are certainly affecting the ice.

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • smurfy
      i cant help you with the weed thing, but i just came back form out that way......Regal, New London Hawick area. i dont no how big the swat of rain was but there is water standing everywhere. my buddy told me they had over 3 inches of rain yesterday/last night 
    • mulefarm
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    • LakeofthewoodsMN
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    • leech~~
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    • Rick G
      Crazy windy again today.... This is has been the norm this spring. Between the wind and the cold fronts, fishing has been more challenging for me than most years.  Panfish have been moving in and out of the shallows quite a bit. One day they are up in the slop, the next they are out relating to cabbage or the newly sprouting lilly pads.  Today eye guy and I found them in 4-5 ft of water, hanging close to any tree branches that happened to be laying in the water.  Bigger fish were liking a 1/32 head and a Bobby Garland baby shad.   Highlight of the day way this healthy 15incher
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    • monstermoose78
      Well yesterday I got a little excited and let a turkey get to close and I hit the blind!!
    • smurfy
      good......you?? living the dream..in my basement playing internet thug right now!!!!!! 🤣 working on getting the boat ready.......bought a new cheatmaster locator for the boat so working on that.   waiting for warmer weather to start my garden!!!
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