It's coming..... Ice Fishing..... ICE ICE BABY

[knoppers]

today, at least 6 boats out on mille lacs, some ice in the protected bays. I thought my lake would be iced over, I am 30 miles north of mille lacs, only 300 acres, and only 15ft deep. the lake was 75% iced over. need a couple more weeks of normal weather.

[monstermoose78]

I walked on the water today. I found about 3 inches, but that is not enough for me.

[GeluNumber1]

I walked on the water today. I found about 3 inches, but that is not enough for me.

monstermoose8, how far north is the lake you walked on? I'm getting antsy for ice.

[monstermoose78]

Around Princeton. There is a reason I am not on the lake fishing. It is known to have thinner spots be careful. Most lakes had spots the geese kept open, so I would not recommend  a non local testing their luck. Also if we get 6 to 9 inches of snow it will not be safe. I know I am a giant but I have grown up fishing these lakes and know the little springs. I also have been watching the lakes for last few weeks to keep tabs on where the Geese were keeping them open.

monstermoose8, how far north is the lake you walked on? I'm getting antsy for ice.

 

Please use use caution and bring all your safety gear. 

[OldBear]

How come every year my body says I have to have thicker ice!!

[redneckdan]

Got out again today and found some eaters. 5" of good ice, no creaky poppy this time. Hand hauled the otter.

 

[JIvers]

I believe my hopes of getting on the ice somewhere south of the Cities this coming weekend are going to come up a bit short.

What thin ice there is will be getting snow dumped on it, and the temps don't look like they're going to be quite cold enough to make much of anything safe for walking on south of the Cities by this weekend, whether that water is currently open or not. Hopefully I'm wrong.

Looking at the current forecasts for the first half of December, it will be iffy whether I can find safe ice the second or third weekends of the month, either.

[busse3775]

Got out on the hard water for the first time this past weekend in the Breckenridge/Wahpeton area and found 4" of good ice. Saturday evening was pretty good fishing, catching around 15 eyes and kept my limit. Little slower on Sunday evening but was awesome being able to get out!

[dougger222]

My cabin lake in Burnett County WI was 95% open Friday evening. When I woke up Saturday morning the lake was 100% froze up. In the afternoon walked out a little ways on the new ice and it supported me, guessing 1.5-1.75 inches. The old ice chunk floated in front of my cabin and by Sunday felt like 4 inches at least and the new ice at least 2 inches.

I'll be fishing it for sure by this next weekend. Going out Wednesday to the lake an hour North of the cities. My cousin BIG Andy said 4 inches of ice where he's been fishing. Green Lake wide open today...

[slammer]

Got out on the hard water for the first time this past weekend in the Breckenridge/Wahpeton area and found 4" of good ice. Saturday evening was pretty good fishing, catching around 15 eyes and kept my limit. Little slower on Sunday evening but was awesome being able to get out!

Must have been on the river in town?  Most lakes in that area are still open

[DLD24]

Got out in the Cloquet area today had about 3 or 4 inches...got a half dozen crappies

[JIvers]

Barring some major change in the forecast, 2015-16 is going to be the worst ice-fishing season of my life.

But on the plus side, I have already saved some time off at work this month, and will probably be saving quite a bit more before March rolls around.

[timjones]

So much for my prediction of walkable ice in the Alexandria area by Dec. 4th. Might need to put a 2 in front of that 4.

[busse3775]

Must have been on the river in town?  Most lakes in that area are still open

Yea, the area of river I was fishing has about 5". Fished it again this past weekend and did pretty well. Released a 28" on Sunday.

[blackice25]

So since the water temps are nearly that of first ice... do you assume the walleyes are in their normal "first ice pattern"?? Or do they need that sheet of ice on the top for them to become more active? Heading out in the boat, trying to figure out what the fish are (or will be) doing ????  Any advice??

[fishnowworknever]

So since the water temps are nearly that of first ice... do you assume the walleyes are in their normal "first ice pattern"?? Or do they need that sheet of ice on the top for them to become more active? Heading out in the boat, trying to figure out what the fish are (or will be) doing ????  Any advice??

No they don't care if there is ice or not.

 

Look for them in their normal early ice locations.

 

 

[JIvers]

Yes, the walleye should be in the same place for this time of year, ice or open water, assuming water levels and everything else are the same.

From experience, I can tell you that if you are fishing from a boat in shallow water for walleye in December on a lake, especially in clear water, that the fish can be easily spooked. Fishing through ice, even thin, clear ice, makes it harder for the fish to see or hear you. It doesn't seem to take as much to spook a walleye in December as it does in June.

Looks like that cold front that was finally going to make some decent ice south of the Cities got pushed back a couple days.

We should have good ice a few days before Christmas if the current fifteen-day forecast holds.

[reinhard1]

My brother hasn't been out yet up in the Duluth area so I'm waiting.  Going up after Christmas to fish up there so until then this is the Twin Cities area outlook curently.......good luck.

[JIvers]

I have my fingers crossed to get out on the ice on a sheltered bay in SC Minnesota this Sunday.

Rain and warmer temps are forecast for the Mankato-Faribault area on Monday, so the potential ice window opened by the colder temps coming this week will be a small one...assuming there is any safe ice at all.

For now, at least, the forecast looks better for ice-fishing after Christmas.

[JBMasterAngler]

I'll be waiting until Christmas eve. Couple of nights of single digits forecasted right beforehand. That should do the trick 

[roony]

Let us know Jivers, myself I just cannot see it happening. The lakes around me are wide open. 

[JIvers]

Yeah, I think the colder temps forecast for tomorrow (Wednesday) night through Sunday morning needed to get here yesterday (Monday) for me to have a good chance of drilling holes just south of the Cities this Sunday.

Still, lows around ten to fifteen degrees Thursday and Friday night, along with a lack of snow falling on the ice that will form, just might be enough to make safe ice by Sunday in sheltered bays and small lakes. Probably not, but maybe.

I haven't caught a fish since before Halloween, the Mississippi River in Iowa is now too high for me to get my boat out below a lock and dam any time soon, and I think it will be well in to January before I have safe ice down here, so I am probably going to throw my spud bar, picks, and cleats in my car and head back home to MN this weekend anyway. I can put my Mom's snowfence up while I am up there, at least.

[JIvers]

I think I'm going to hold off on that ice-scouting trip back to Minnesota.

As much as I want to think there will be some safe ice on small ponds and sheltered bays less than an hour south of the Cities on Sunday morning, I am not so sure of that as to make a 500 mile+ round trip.  If it had gotten cold like this a couple days sooner, better still with less wind, my ice gear would already be loaded in the car.

Things look better for ice-making after Christmas in southern Minnesota, so I can probably wait another week...unless I decide to drive up this weekend after all. 

 

 

[Moon Lake Refuge]

I'll go with Dec 4th in the Alexandria area.

What kind of Ice thickness are you seeing up there?  We fish a small lake in Brandon just north of alex but are from down in the cities so don't want to drive without knowing!

[timjones]

People are starting to get out on foot. Mainly on Manthey's Bay and the Schultz's Bay, Battle Point area. Running around 4 inches out from my area.