Current Ice Report

[Rick]

There is about 1" of ice in Southern MN.

Here is a picture:

I know we are all anxious. I have to say this. Don't venture on the ice. It is not safe. Be sure to warn your kids about the ice. It may appear safe in areas of the state. They may walk a few yards out just fine and then hit a weak spot.

Warn your kids about the ice now please.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

[Lost]

Thanks Rick. I haven't even looked for ice yet. I keep thinking there's open water I can still hit. But I can't wait to find some ice to drill through!

[arbuck]

Wow Rick,

I can't even find a frozen puddle to slip and fall on.

I don't think I'm to far from where you are at and I stopped by a small local lake tonight, to talk to the ice gods, and all liquid.

It's coming I just need to learn to be patient.

Keep the reports coming.

arbuck

[Matt Breuer]

I don't advise this, but my buddy and I walked out on our lake today, only to about the drop off to check it. Things are looking pretty good up here, really nice looking slate. Spudded our way out to find weak ice near the drop, it was only a few inches, but it's a start. With the calm cold nights we've had as of late here in Bemidji it won't be long!

Happy Thanksgiving!

[ghotierman]

A few quiet bays on some of the smaller lakes have started to skim over. been windy. big water needs a few calm COLD nights to cap over....maybe by next weekend?...will keep you all posted..

[jimh874]

went out and checked a few lakes. north end of pocket is froze over with a strip down the middle with the south end open. mary is open on north end, but froze over on about the south third of the lake.

come back past the access on victoria to see whats up and it seems a small beaver has started to build a new home around and under the fishing pier. looks like he/she has about a day or two worth of work in to it already.

no ice to speak of though.

south latoka was still open but nelson looked like it pretty well covered.

jim

[Ranger sport]

Has anyone been by lake Oscar? Is there any ice out there yet?

[Kylersk]

My father-in-law said there was 2" of ice on the lake where he lives, near remer.

[HunterHughes]

Nothing on Devils Lake, Nd yet. Alot of small local lakes are froze though. Another week!

[Jeff Dosch]

Devils Lake does have ice as of last night. Smaller bays like Dead Cow and Matsons Bay both froze last night and with some cold nights ahead it wont be long before we are back chasing those big Jumbos.

Some of the smaller lakes around Devils Lake have been froze for about a week and there have been fishermen out after pike. We went up to Morrison Lake today which is just north of Devils Lake to check ice thickness and we found 3" of ice.

It wont be long now!

[HunterHughes]

I was just at that Casino last night playing some craps

Are there Crappie in DL?

[knoppers]

they have craps at the casino's now?

[HunterHughes]

They did there, hadnt played in years had a blast, and they were HOT! Walked out with much more than I entered!

[ice_junky]

Ice on all the ponds near Austin. Theres an old gravel pit that is even frove over still trying to get permission to fish that. Wet snow today tooks its toll so it will be a couple of weeks before i try my luck on them sweet sweet crappies.

[Jason Boser]

some of the smaller lakes are covered and winnie had ice almost to tamarack point

Jason

[federline]

Thin sheets of ice floating on Buffalo this morning.

[CrappieJohn]

As of this morning, the ponds and reservoirs arond Rochester have scattered amounts of ice. I think it is way to early here with the snow fall on the ice to venture out. We had rain and then 3" of very wet snow yesterday and that all came on top of very thin ice, if there was ice at all.

[Ed Carlson]

I ice fish a lot of rivers and backwater areas and they demand a lot of respect and caution. This season I will be even more cautious due to the high water on all the rivers on the Red River basin. Some slow flowing tribs are icing up already, yet a bit high. I anticipate they all will fall a few feet yet so ice conditions will fluctuate often and dangerously.

A frequent effect of this high water freeze up is “Cave Ice”. Cave ice is sloping ice resulting from falling water levels that often insulate open water near shorelines and snags. Very dangerous stuff to say the least! It may appear to be solid and then the bottom falls out from underneath you. I have gone down several times due to this type of ice and it will scare you half to death. The risk of getting trapped by ice and pinned to the shore or under water is very high with this condition, so exercise EXREAM caution where you suspect this to be a factor. This season here on the Red River basin I am certain it will be, so be very careful folks!

A chisel is necessary anytime you test ice and especially on rivers. Cave ice when tested has a hollow sound and is most frequently found near shore and at a slant. Frequently on rivers, ice depth can change in less then a foot due to currents under the ice. For this reason I test with the bar every foot on all areas I plan to travel by foot. I do not stray far from this test area without again checking the ice carefully.

River ice is always dangerous stuff and demands a lot of respect. This season we may need to be even more cautious.

[Drake]

Just came in from Blackduck Lake and it is now totally frozen over. The west side of the lake was forming ice last week, but by the access there was still a lot of open water, but as of this morning it's now frozen solid. Didn't want to venture out too far as it was only an inch or two. Talked to someone at Upper Red Lake this morning and they said where there was open water in spots yesterday it is now frozen solid this morning. Temps up here in this area are suppose to stay in the 20's for the highs, so hopefully the winds will stay down and it'll keep forming solid.

[frabillfisher]

The ice os still no show on ottertail and west battke

[fisherdog19]

Ice in the Detroit Lakes area is forming. Big Detroit is almost completely iced over, and if the wind stays down, there should be fishable ice on some smaller lakes or breaks close to shore by Thursday or Friday.

[LittleRanger]

Quote:

---

......... I anticipate they all will fall a few feet yet so ice conditions will fluctuate often and dangerously.

A frequent effect of this high water freeze up is “Cave Ice”. Cave ice is sloping ice resulting from falling water levels that often insulate open water near shorelines and snags. Very dangerous stuff to say the least! It may appear to be solid and then the bottom falls out from underneath you.

---

In Colorado the resevoir water levels can drop drasticly durring a winter season. Many lakes are closed to ice fishing but I was not about to be denied. Imagine yourself out alone on a lake, hand drilling a hole and then hearing your ice hit the water about a second later. The water was about 6-8 feet below the ice!! Scariest thing in my life. If you fell in the ice would be 6-8 feet above your head!! Boy was I sorry and humbled. When we think we know it all, is when trouble is right around the corner.

[ryan johnson]

finally got out today on lake manitoba..ice at last...

[frabillfisher]

lucky lucky lucky i wish i was in your shoes

[Ranger sport]

ghotierman, How are the ice conditions in the Alex area? Are the smaller lakes west of Alex froze over yet? Did you get any snow up there? Hope to make it up there in the next week or two.