On the hard water

[Vex]

Do you guys remember what the date was last year when you were first on the ice around here? Or what it typically is?

Vex

[eyebjim]

Last year was a very good long ice year. My first ice was 3.5inches on November 30th. My last ice was late March. You gotta love it.

Over the last few years it has been mostly in mid to late December but I remember a few as late as mid January.

[cRaPpiEMaN8265]

Last year I was out December 1st and the last day on the ice was April 12th believe it or not! I have a slideshow made up of fishing april 4th thru the 7th but I cannot out it on here because i am wearing a hat that "promotes" another competitor of FM

[Quetico]

I'm hoping to hit a few areas hard very early season. Get that first ice bite going within 2 months.

[Kyle Sandberg]

West of the Metro, I was able to get out two days after Thanksgiving. This was a smaller lake that haddn't been subjected to the heavy snow yet. Latest I was out was around April 10.

[ac777]

Last year we had our 7x14 wheel house out before christmas, I think it was the 20th and that was in sw minnesota. That was one of the earliest we've been out.

[jwhjr]

December 8th in the Emily/Outing area last year and a few days before that the year before.

[tip_upclyma]

I remember going to the Ice show Friday in St. Paul (not sure when the date was) I bought a Yukon and Saturday morning me and a buddy drove up into the Alexandia area and fished on Lake Osekis (forgive the spelling, i am from Missouri!) on 3 inches of ice! I am wondering when early ice will hit northern minnesota???? I will be in the car roadtripping that first weekend that i hear people are fishing the hard water!

[JigginIsLife]

not sure i would say somewhere in the late november and then about 10 inches of snow fell and messed up the ice for a long time. we had an awesome cold snap that was making ice like crazy an then the snow came and...errrgh!!! anyways i know it was good early and then caused problems up by DL.

[jdndey]

I bought my Frabill prowler on the Friday of the ice fishing show last year and was on Rush the next morning on 3'' of ice....then that night the snow came.....and I was on the ice again that day...and lots of water was coming up the holes.