First Ice Predictions

[gamberc]

So guys the hardwater season is around the corner and i know im not the only guy waiting for it. When do you guys think first ice is going to be here? Im from the NE portion of SD and i believe Dec. 8th is going to be first ice for our area.

[MikeRaetz]

I have a good feeling that if the temps stay the way they are in MN it could only be a matter of weeks. Alot of the lake temps i have seen are already in the mid 40's. Just need to get in the low 30's now and we will be in heaven again

[Fishin4fun_MN]

I think we will be on the ice by the St. Paul Ice Show.

[basssmasher*]

I'm HOPINg for ice fishing by Turkey Day, but in all reality I don't think we will be on ice here in western Mn until just before X-mas.

[Mnfisher]

Being more of a pessimist, I'm saying mid December central mn and just after Thanksgiving Grand Rapids, Duluth and above! Hope it's sooner!

[JBMasterAngler]

Well, so far our autumn has been alot colder than last years', and even with those record warm october and november days, I was still on the ice by the 1st saturday of december. This year the 1st saturday is on the 1st So let the temps keep dropping!

[Ryan_V]

Not soon enough!!

[BEEFEATER]

I have a good feeling that if the temps stay the way they are in MN it could only be a matter of weeks. Alot of the lake temps i have seen are already in the mid 40's. Just need to get in the low 30's now and we will be in heaven again

ya weeks, as in 6 weeks.

[BEEFEATER]

im usually out every year by thanksgiving in the south metro, cept lasy winter aka summer

[mr_jman]

There are a few good perch sloughs in SW MN that are dynamite at early ice. I would hope to walk out there and drill some holes by the first week of December!

[Brad B]

hoping for the first week of December.

[Lawrence Luoma]

Every year we are out somewhere in the metro area during the Thanksgiving weekend. Even last year we were ice fishing on a metro lake on Black Friday.

[MNCPRGUY]

When you say first ice, are we talking skim, walkable, or drivable? My definition of first ice is anything that will allow me to safely wet a line, and I'd be tickled with anything before December 1st here in SE MN.

[pushbutton]

When you say first ice, are we talking skim, walkable, or drivable? My definition of first ice is anything that will allow me to safely wet a line, and I'd be tickled with anything before December 1st here in SE MN.

Yep, let the walking on thin ice thread begin Will let all you 2 to 3 inchers catch nearly all the fish in the lake, leaving me the few left over at around 5 or 6 inches Actually this is about the time the first wheelers start dropping through ........Think we will be right about on average this year....lets say Dec 9th for 5 inches on the bays of larger lakes in central minnie.

[tjbassmaster]

I'm going to be out before thanksgiving on a few of the perch sloughs jman is talking about down here in sw mn. (hopefully)

I have been out on 2 to 3 inches before thanksgiving the last 2 years. So I dont see why it would be any different this year.

[bobbymalone]

if i get out once before xmas, i'm happy.

i'm not so much the wear the lifejacket ice fishing guy.

[Hardyboy]

First weekend of december would be nice......but wait that the weekend of the ice fishing show sooo ill be trolling there.

[Rick G]

Will let all you 2 to 3 inchers catch nearly all the fish in the lake, leaving me the few left over at around 5 or 6 inches

This is why the Striker suit would come in handy, just in case I would be out there on 3in weather or not I had a floating suit Been doin it for like 20yrs and only fell through a hand full of times

Btw my prediction is Nov 27 for walkable ice in this area.