2009/2010 Iceleaders ICEMAP! (Thanks Everyone!!!)

[Jeremy airjer W]

Thanks to everyone that helped out this year. Buy far the most participation we have had in the four years I have been putting it together. and I think we set a viewing record with over 24,000 in just under a month!!!

As usually the participation drops off as the ice becomes more fishable so I pulled it from the sticky topics right after Christmas.

We'll give a another whirl next year. Thanks again to everyone that helped out!!!!

[Jeremy airjer W]

Northern Reports

12/17

Northlander -

5-7.5" in St. Louis Bay and 6-8" on most small lakes like Fish, Rice, Boulder, Grand and Pike. Bigger lakes like Island have 6-8" in the bays and main lake is still only 3-5".

12/16

Walleye Retreat, Lake of the Woods -

We have 10-12 inches of ice depending where you go. We are still using the 6 wheelers and carts on the lake. Pete starting pulling the bombardiers out of the shed today. We should be running the bombers soon.

Spearing Machine -

11.5 inches on Merifield Bay of north long (Brainerd) this afternoon with 2-3 inches of snow

12/15

Jerry@ROGERS', Rogers Campground, Upper Red Lake -

Another cold day on Upper Red Lake, right now here on the south shore there is 10 to 12 inches all the way out to the "Center Bar" but there are still a couple of spots that have just 7 and 8 inches along the way.

The walleye bite is starting to pick up a bit, today the best bite was in 10 and 11 feet of water, the best bait for us was a glow red frosty or a glow red doodle bug tipped with a fathead minnow.

Kelly Falls Motel, Rainey Lake/River -

The ice is forming rapidly,at Birch point there is roughly 9 inches,A 31 inch walleye was brought in yesterday caught on the east side of Birch point ,they have been getting numbers of eaters too.

The black bay narrows also has 6 - 9 inches we set up there this past Sat.a few sauger is all we landed.

12/14

Elephant Lake Lodge/Melgeorge's Resort -

Elephant Lake has 6 inches of ice and so far I have seen one group fishing out by the island. Blackduck Lake also has 5-6 inches and fishing produced some mid-day perch.

-Steve and Carla Koch

12/13

goldenbobby -

6 in on eleventh crow wing 9 miles west of walker

Spearing Machine -

Loc: Little Falls, MN and Stevens P...

Talked to my dad and he said he measured 9" in the spear hole on the south end of gull lake by brainerd this afternoon.

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12/13

High Banks Resort, Lake Winnibigoshish -

WAHOOO!! 'Tis the Season to be Ice Fishin'!!!! As of today we had reports on the main lake 1/4 mile out on the lake towards the northwest. Clear ice 6 inches. Groups were out front with wheelers and portables. Also there has been some groups fishing just around Tamarack Point in the bay. We will be opening for the season on December 31st!! Stop by the lodge and say hi!! Looking forward to seeing you in soon!!

cheebz -

Went out on big part of North Long yesterday. 8-9 inches of ice. It was a bit spooky on the wheeler, watching cracks shoot out 20-30 feet ahead but it seems to be solid, just stressing a bit still. Lots of permanent houses out already

12/12

FishingVermilion, Casey's Guide Service, Lake Vermilion -

7-8 inches in the McKinley (East end) area of Lake Vermilion

12/11

Steve and Carla Melgeorge's Elephant Lake Lodge/Resort -

Elephant Lake has 6 inches of ice and so far I have seen one group fishing out by the island. Blackduck Lake also has 5-6

Walleye Retreat, Lake of the Woods -

6 1/2 to 8" of ice today on the lake from shore to 22 ft of water. Haven't heard from anyone going out any deeper yet. Lots more fishing on the lake today with around 150 portables set up off of Morris Point. The fish bit great today again, lots of action. The guys were almost out of minnows at noon check. Dale battled a 45" sturgeon today getting a big thrill out of such a big fish. Matt fished the evening bite and kept 3 walleyes at 14-15". Scott and Mark fished today in 22' of water using their sleds. They had super fishing keeping their limits of both walleyes and saugers, with all walleyes measuring 17-19" and all saugers were over 13". They had 8 inches of ice. Bill fished the evening and brought in 4 nice keeper walleyes. We have 4 houses on the lake and more day houses going onto the ice tomorrow. We are hauling customers in the carts behind the 6 wheelers right now.

Jerry@ROGERS', Rogers Campground, Upper Red Lake -

According to my calculations we are exactly one week behind last year, so that should save a few fish. Finally today I got to bring out a couple of the smaller fish houses, the ice today measured close to 8 inches, I still needed to tip toe my way around a few thin spots that measured just 6 inches. The water is still very murky, it should clear up some in the next few days, maybe that is the reason I did not catch any fish but I did get the photo that I was looking for.

Northlander -

2-6" of ice on the smaller lakes in the Duluth area. Bigger lakes are still thin but the bays are setting up ok. Only about 1-2" of ice on the St. Louis Bay. Nights from -10 to 8 degrees are making some good ice with the little snow we got.

12/10

Walleye Retreat, Lake of the Woods -

6" of ice on lake today. Brian, George, Dale & Clayton fished today keeping the following: Brian kept 2 walleyes and 2 jumbo perch, George didn't get any keepers, Dale kept 2 walleyes at 17" and Clayton caught 4 walleyes; keeping 3 of them. Lester, Rich, Shane, Dan and the rest of their group had another banner day, catching lots of nice fish including a 24" walleye. We're sorry Deb couldn't make it this year and miss having her. Otherwise not hearing much for big fish being caught yet. Tim and George went out around 3pm fishing in 20' of water - they kept 5 walleyes at 15" each.

JigginIsLife -

4.5 inches on Silver Lake South of Hawley, i also hear they are fishing on swede grove lake north of Hawley

Steve Foss, Steve Foss Images -

Six inches of clear solid hard ice with one inch of wind-packed snow on top in the main channel of Birch Lake near Babbitt today.

goldenbobby -

i talk to a buddy today that lives 9 miles west from walker and he said that CROW WING TENTH had ice 12in next to shore and 4in in the middle. CROW WING ELEVENTH had 6in 45yards from shore

12/9

Walleye Retreat, Lake of the Woods -

Didn't get as cold last night with temp staying at 5 above overnight. Lester's group checked in last night and went out this morning around 8:30 to fish with their portables. They have sleds. The lake has 5 inches of ice where they fished in 17 ft of water. They had fish biting all day long and caught many, many walleyes. They threw back lots and lots of big walleyes and a few small walleyes. The group came in with their limits on walleye today and are having a big fish fry so they can fish again tomorrow. Brian, Clayton, Dale and George checked in tonight and will be fishing tomorrow. More groups checking in for the weekend. Supposed to be 20 below tonight and cold temps are supposed to continue for another week or more.

Northlander -

Duluth/Superior area lakes. All the larger lakes are either open or just skimmed over. Small lakes have skim to 4" of ice. Some back bays on larger lakes have a inch or two.

Some folks walking on Wild Rice Lake (Not ME!), a few on the narrows and shallow shorelines of Fish Lake and some fishing on Boulder Lake.

Be very careful, carry a pick set, wear a life vest and have rope to toss to someone in need. Always travel in at least pairs and keep your space. Once we get 6" of ice you can relax these precautions as you see fit.

Tim and Rita Jessie View Resort & RV Campground -

The south end of Jessie has 5 inches of good ice. Spear houses are going out.

We only received a dusting of snow from the storm and temps are staying around zero.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Central Reports

12/17

Woodland Resort, Lake Miltona -

Lake Miltona has 8 inches of very good ice on the East Side, near Woodland and near the East Access. Permanent houses are starting to appear in the typical early ice spots. There is wheeler traffic and some rumors of vehicle traffic on the West side. The Guides will have their fishing shacks out by this weekend and we are looking forward to a great Walleye bite!

Always make sure to check the ice, though! - Especially if you are going off of the well travelled paths!

Hagaandaz -

7.5" on Peltier straight out from Waterworks, slow bite

waterbound -

Wayzata Bay on Lake Minnetonka had about 6" this afternoon.

12/16

Will -

6.5 to 10 inches on white bear lake, out from bel-air beach. I also walked thru a couple of slushy spots (still freaks me out). Lots of wheelers and two wheel houses out there.

Foreverfish1 -

6-7" of good clear ice on Martin Lake today in Anoka county. Lots of snowmobile tracks out there and a few drove by when I was out.

12/15

Bigslugger -

Limestone Lake: 7-8" where little snow cover and 5-6" where heavy drifts are

12/14

KC612 -

Fished Nokomis in S. Mpls. after the game yesterday. Had a few lookers, but no takers. A good 5" of solid ice...

12/13

waterbound -

I was on Medicine Lake near Plymouth and found 4-6 inches.

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12/13

bassboy6109 -

5-6" of solid ice on Pleasant Lake near St. Cloud

mnguy152 -

round and dog lake by howard lake had 6 inches.

Glockwinger -

Solid 7 inches on Waconia between the marina and the island.

12/12

Paul, Betsy Ross Resort - Lake Ida, MN

There is 8 inches of good ice in Little Ida right out in front of the resort. Fishermen are driving their houses out with 4 wheelers and walking out to fish.

dtro -

6-9" Horseshoe Chain near St Cloud

A few slushy spots and cracks, but the ice was in good shape

shnelson -

6-8" on Green lake (Chisago County), southwest side today. Some of the ice seemed heavily stressed (cracks lit up like fiber optics from beneath the portable once the sun dropped).

Saw a couple permanents get pulled out by 4 wheeler, they stayed within 100 yards of the shore for the most part.

The chisago lake/lindstrom channel had up to 7" in some spots as well.

mbani -

4-5.5" of clear solid ice on chisago today. 4" was in the middle of lake.

Bigslugger -

Locke Lake: Ice depths vary between 7"-4", be careful if wandering in the middle since it just froze up a few days ago because of the geese

Ember Lake (Private): Right around 6" everywhere I went

thatoneguy -

6 good inches on Pike Bay, 4-5" of not-as-good ice on Turtle Lake (north of Bemidji).

Gissert -

7 inches on South Turtle. My wheel shack is out!

12/11

12/11

RumRiverRat -

Wheelers going out on Pelican at 1615 today.

Talked to some guys 6" of ice everywhere.

Paul Waldowski - Appledorns Sunset Bay Resort, Mille Lacs

7+ inches of ice in Sunset Bay Lake Mille Lacs

frazwood -

Coon Lake in East Bethel has 5-6 inches everywhere that I checked. Most of it was clear/black ice, but there were a few patches of gray ice.

12/10

Traxxx -

Checked a small lake in the Nisswa/Brainerd area and it had 5.5" to 6.5" Most of the smaller lakes in the area now have 4-6 inches of good ice. Some of the bays on the bigger lakes have froze over.

Glockwinger -

Spent about two hours checking Carver County area lakes today...got the itch pretty bad!

Also...this is NOT an endorsement of safe ice, just what a fellow fisherman found, usually between 50 and 200 yards from shore. Please check your own ice before travel on the lake!!!

Eagle Lake: 4" clear ice in the area I checked about 200 yards out from the landing.

Hydes Lake: 4" of ice about 100 yards out. I could see an area of chunky ice from the wind about 50 yards out further that I did not check.

Waconia: Checked by the fishing pier. 4" of ice about 50 feet out, once out closer to where the pier is floating about 100 yards from shore there was slushy snow and only about 2"! I stopped by and talked to the great folks at the In Towne Marina and they said they would be doing an official check in the next day or so and would post their results.

Reitz: Slush on top of the ice at the acess, only about 1.5 inches about 20 feet out. Chisel went through with one throw!

Wasserman: 2 inches about 50 feet out from the acess

Bavaria: Still has open water areas, did not check

Parley: Walked out the farthest on Parley. Found almost 6" about 50 feet from shore, and it got thinner the farther I ventured out. I stopped about 300 yards out when the chisel when through with four whacks, about 2.5 inches, but it was frozen slush on top of ice.

PLEASE STAY SAFE OUT THERE! After this week of cold temps, we should have great walkable ice by this time next week.

12/9

merkman -

Most small lakes around Cambridge have a good solid 3+ inches on them now.

I have been seeing good clear strong ice around here.

I was out spearing on 3 inches with a Clam 5600 yesterday.

No ice deflection and no cracking.

I will be out tomorrow and will update you tomorrow night.

BriGuy88 -

Locke Lake was still open in the middle as of this morning due to all of the geese in the area.

Bigslugger -

Limestone Lake: 3.5 inches as 20 min ago, private Lake Next to it: 2.75 inches

[Jeremy airjer W]

Southern Reports

12/14

SKEETER-B -

A good 8 to 9 inches of ice on the ponds around Luverne, good clear solid ice. Still would be careful out there it is still early. I fished the creamery pond in Luverne Sat. morning and it was a good 8 and an half. BE SAFE!!!!!!!!!!!

12/13

walleyehunter80 -

Loon Lake near Lake Crystal, Mn Blue Earth County Had 7" good ice on it, lot of portables out and 1 large wheel house and 1 small wheel house. fished 3 evening hours and no fish caught!

dtro -

Had my sled out tonight on a 500 acre "southern" lake. approx 8"

muc33 -

Lake Okabena in Worthington solid 7 inches and the hard houses are coming out, many small ones on the lake already. Small wheel houses mad the trek yesterday. I have time yet.... and plenty of portables!

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12/12

JimBuck -

Cedar Lake in Golden Valley had 4-6 inches on it.

12/11

walleyehunter80 -

Lake Crystal, Blue Earth County 10 miles West of Mankato has 7" of good ice as of 12/11/09. Two guys 4 hours 3 very small walleyes 1 perch

Bottle Fish -

Lake Washington in Meeker county has 6-8 inches depending on where you are. 4 wheeler's and small perms should be no problem. I went off of the Sportmans landing and helped put one out today.

I did check every hole we drilled with a tape measure also.

RumRiverRat -

Crooked Lake in Andover has 3 to 5 inches everywhere. Norris Lake in St Francis has 4 to 6 except on the west end near the cattails

12/10

RumRiverRat -

Pelican in St Micheal has 2 to 6 depending on where you are. Wheelers going out at 1615 today.

12/9

morefishplease -

Looks to appear that the ice in the Albert Lea area took a beating with this blizzard. Ice looks to have sunk in with the 12+ inches of snow. Looks very slushy all around the shores

[Jeremy airjer W]

Other States

12/14

Agronomist_at_IA -

Measured 7-8 inches on ponds down here in NW Iowa on Sunday. There were some spots where the snow pushed the ice down, but it flooded and the slush froze solid leaving about 8 inches of ice.

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12/11

'eyehunter -

I found 3" of good clear ice underneath 3" of cloudy frozen slush on a small pond near Iowa City this morning. This was a pond that had a coating of slush and water on top of some flooded ice (no idea on how thick that ice was) on Wednesday before the heavy snow, wind, and deep freeze arrived. Caught a lot of bluegills through that ice this afternoon.

12/7

'eyehunter -

Detroit, Michigan, Ann Arbor area. The small reservoirs and ponds around here are still 90% open, with just a little skim ice around the edges.

12/6

Jeff Dosch, Dosch's Guide Service - Devils Lake, ND -

devils Lake, North Dakota is covered with a sheet of ice as of 12/4. Some of the smaller lakes connected to devils Lake have had ice for about 10 days and are starting to see foot travel.

Agronomist_at_IA -

Small ponds have about 3in of ice on them. Got 0ut after church and managed to catch a Bass and small perch.

12/4

Agronomist_at_IA -

I'm about 45 min south of Worthington in NW Iowa. Most of the ponds and gravel pits are skimmed over with ice. Unless you get over to MN or the IGL most of the Ponds are 20acres or under. Had about an Inch of snow, but not much wind. Shouldn't be long an We'll be fishing some local ponds before the lakes get safe ice.

11/30

muc33 -SW MN/NW IO - Right now water temps set at about 34 degrees, with the upcoming cold snap with forcasted highs below freezing and overnight lows around 10, one can only pray I will walk on water within the next week!!!!!!!

mole - skim ice on small ponds by iowa line.

[Burnham]

some of the smaller lakes(round in andover) are starting to form a sheet of ice, some other small lakes in the area are just beginning to form ice around the edges though. see some ponds with a good sheet, especially in the morning. i am talking the anoka, st francis, andover area.

[peerchking]

just a little ice on the ponds around here (Kandiyohi co) I'm thinking the end of this week with the cold snap coming. I'll get back to you

[bassNspear]

this is so awesome to have here on FM. Thanks for doing this Air!!!!!

[Mike Stark]

south kawsih river/ely ....ice back in the bay...close to an inch...skim ice out on the main body.

thanks airjer for taking this on!

[otis]

Crow Wing Lake jsut south of Brainerd was skimmed over real nice this morning.

[merkman]

Central - Small lakes around Cambridge have skim ice just out from shore all day long now. They are still navigateable by boat yet.

Fannie was wide open yesterday.

[DTro]

Nice to see the map Jer!

I know these types of things require lots of time and dedication. Thanks for provinding that.

[shnelson]

Central - North Washington County - Lots of ponds were iced over this morning.

Forest Lake, Clear Lake & Big Marine are still wide open water as far as I could see.

[Mike Stark]

could this be stuck to the top of the board????

[muc33]

Will send reports from the SW corner and NW Iowa great lakes Jer!

Right now water temps set at about 34 degrees, with the upcoming cold snap with forcasted highs below freezing and overnight lows around 10, one can only pray I will walk on water within the next week!!!!!!!

[PTocko]

Central Minnesota, Prior Lake (Scott County) - Wide Open, water temp at 34 so all we need is a lttile cold and we should be making ice. I will keep ya updated. Was also up at the cabin this past weekend (Two Harbors Area) - lake were wide open as well. Paul

[Northlander]

Just skim ice in the narrows and protected bays in the Duluth/Superior area Jer.

[Paul Waldowski]

Mille Lacs,

Wide open and water temp of 36 degrees

[mole]

skim ice on small ponds by iowa line.

[LakeDocktor]

Around the Hackensack/Walker areas as of this morning...

I didn't see a pond that wasn't fully covered with ice. Some lagoons and smaller bays of a few lakes were ice covered. I did see a handfull of smaller, wind protected lakes that were also completely iced over. Leech didn't have any ice forming on the shores from what I could see.

It won't be too long!!!

[Jeremy airjer W]

Where off to a good start! Thanks for the reports!!

[hoppe56307]

all of the ponds that i seen on between Albany and Little Falls were iced over, north lake in albany was 75% ice covered.

[merkman]

It looks like Black Bay on Rainy Lake has some ice forming.

It is snowing up there today, lets hope they don't get hit real hard with the white stuff as the lakes are locking up.

[Jeremy airjer W]

I like the pic!

[iland99]

At lunch I checked a small 90 acre lake in Bagley (25 miles west of Bemidji). I'd say it was at least 75% capped, even with the wind we've had lately. My guess is it'll be capped over for good tomorrow morning. Most years this lake is capped on or around November 18th, so that gives you an idea of how far behind we are this year.