Ice predictions/reports

[rundrave]

any predictions on first ice? I know some guys that braved walking out a couple weeks back and obviously we lost that ice with the last warm snap.

I am pretty much on vacation until after the 1st of the year hope to be getting out a bunch when we get some ice. Hoping to get some good old fashioned SD cast and blast days in before pheasant season closes.

[rlsd]

45 minutes ago, rundrave said:

any predictions on first ice? I know some guys that braved walking out a couple weeks back and obviously we lost that ice with the last warm snap.

I am pretty much on vacation until after the 1st of the year hope to be getting out a bunch when we get some ice. Hoping to get some good old fashioned SD cast and blast days in before pheasant season closes.

How far do you want to go? Once the wind goes down and the ice gets locked up, it appears that NE SD will have pretty good ice making weather over the next week. I would expect a good possibility for walkable ice up in the webster area by next weekend. Just need to get the sloughs locked up and keep the snow off of it!

 

[rundrave]

well last couple days were great, no wind, nice and cold at night and now we enter a mild spell again. One step forward 2 steps back. I am really itching to get out but thinks its going to be a few days yet if not longer.

[rundrave]

Here's what Alvin looked like when I stopped on my way into town earlier this afternoon 

 

[rundrave]

well I got an itch that needs scratching I may be heading out tomorrow for the first time if the wind doesn't wreck things today. Doesn't look like I need to get much further than Hwy 14 for walking out.

[rundrave]

Fishing has been ok for me but havent been going out much. I have caught a few walleyes and perch nothing to get too excited about. From what I can tell lots of good young walleye classes in  more than a couple lakes with lots of 10-12" fish to be found.

 

Walleye bite seems to be good on most lakes after sundown and through out the evening overnight and then the bite shutsdown about 9am and doesnt start picking up until late afternoon. I haven't been having much luck on perch and eyes during the day. Few perch I have caught were nice fat 12-13" but haven't found those schools of fish bunched up like I have in the past.

 

Would help if the weekends didnt have such drastic weather changes. Seems like every weekend we have fronts come through etc and all the traffic and noise on the lakes doesnt seem to help either. I have had my best luck mid week and avoiding the crowds.

 

Gonna head out again this afternoon but chase some gills I think.

[rundrave]

anyone have any recent ice reports in the Brookings area?  Poinsett, Oakwood, Whitewood, Thompson, 81 ponds etc? I haven't been out in the area since last Friday which was before the weekend warm up. I dont know how bad the rain and snow coupled with that wind made a mess of things.

 

Not looking for fishing reports, just want to know if you can access the lake and what sort of travel is required to get around on the ice? 

 

Can you still drive on and not get stuck on the snow with a truck? Atv travel ok? I would rather dig that out of the slush than my truck lol.

 

 

[rundrave]

fished Poinsett yesterday, place was a ghost town. Ice is a good 25" and even thicker in some other spots. Big heave across most of the lake just south of Saaraners access on NW side. Saw trucks still coming and going at that launch. If you go to the far east side of lake you can get around heave but might want to watch those areas.

I accessed at Prestrudes on East side and lots of water on top of the ice there but were still driving out there also. Early morning wasn't bad but coming off the lake at 9pm last night it was a mess, lots of slush and water.

Fishing was slow worst trip I have had there this year.

Driving up in the morning I only saw a few guys on West 81 ponds and Albert looked pretty sketchy lots of brown ice in spots.