Current Ice Report

[hovermn]

Right now, an air powered boat is the only way that I'd hit the ice. We flew around little green finding some pretty crazy ice. Open water seemed to pop up out of no where, and everywhere we went, it crack from the pressure. I just can't believe that people had been walking out there where we were fishing. In the second picture on my HSOforum, you can see tracks leading out. My buddy said that he had seen them out there a few days before with a portable. Lets put it this way. My hand auger doesn't have the sharpest blades out there and it took almost no effort and time to cut through the ice.

I like fishing like the next guy, but I'm not willing to risk my safety for the sport! My hovercraft is made entirly of foam and fiberglass. It's a flying bobber if you will. If we had broken through, we would have floated like a cork in jello :-) Please, everyone stay safe out there!

Of course, the weatherman is making us all crazy, talking about a good freeze Sunday!

[Dan Wood]

Hovermn,

That is awesome! How about the story behind that hover craft of yours?

[Giant_Jackpot]

OK. I can’t resist.

Hoverman,

You state that the ice was not safe to walk on but someone obviously had to be standing on the ice to take the picture?

[hovermn]

Yeah, I was waiting for that. The ice that we were on was around 3" thick. I was around 15-20 ft from the craft which was surrounded by "safe" ice. I say that because it was the only ice on the lake that didn't crack when we went over it, or set down. Don't know if this helped, but I walked out there by sliding my feet VERY SLOWLY. We had rope on board incase of an accedent as well.

As for the story. I designed and built the craft a couple of years ago. It's powered by a Geo Metro 3 banger for thrust and a Honda lawn tractor engine for lift. There's all sorts of info on my HSOforum at http://www.hovermn.com under Oblio. Hovercraft have pretty much become my life. I work to supply a means for my hobby. Someday it may become a business, but right now it's more of a lifestyle...Err, I mean hobby. lol

I may be out again this weekend, maybe Sunday or Monday on Green or Chisago. Email me and I may be able to get you guys out on the lake for a quick spin. email is hovermn @ comcast.net (without spaces)

[Roughfisher]

Drove past Moore Lake last night, there were firetrucks and ambulances all over and a dozen firemen in exposure suits out there ... somebody must've gone through.

[Minnetonka]

I live on Phelps Bay on Lake Minnetonka. I just looked out the window and there are two guys out there in a boat that look to be crappie fishing. I am waiting for ice, but I guess I put the boat away to early. Oh well. Bring on the cold.

[Quickstrike]

those are some cool pics, interesting.

[Giant_Jackpot]

Cool stuff there hovermn. I’ll trade you an evening of muskie fishing for a ride in that thing!

[fishbouy]

where do people go on little rock lake by st.cloud, is that the one that hwy 10 crosses in the middle..do you know how much ice is there? i go to school up there and am looking for lakes that will be good for early season.

[Ole #1]

I've only been to little rock a few times, but it's the lake off hwy 10 by the kings.

It is good for early season and I know people were fishing there this past week.

[anyfishwilldo]

I went out to big elk lake by the town of clear lake last night. 4-5" of ice. Didn't catch any fish, but scratched the ice fishing itch(kind of).

[JIvers]

Accuweather.com or weather.com? If accuweather is right about the forecast, there should be a lot more ice by next Thursday. If weather.com is right, I will have to get my boat back out. How two forecasts can be so different, I don't know. I fish in the SE corner of the state, and there is no ice at all now .

[frabillfisher]

Finally got out today..wow! it felt good to see that tip up flag up and felling tht fish shakin his head anyways..there as about 5 to 6 inches of ice and a few 4-wheelers and snowmobiles out there

[BackHerUp]

Well...tomorrow (Sunday, Dec 12th) is supposed to bring Minnesota winds in the 35 to 50 MPH range...meaning most if not all the lakes will open up and the forecast for the rest of the week doesn't have us (St. Cloud to Metro areas) even getting close to zero. We'll only hit 10 degrees once next week for a low! I'm guessing...I'll be icefishing sometime in early-to-mid January!! (I'm not a risk-taker anymore)

[federline]

Yah Andy, this is starting to get on my nerves. Someone was out fishing in their boat on Buffalo yesterday, Dec 11. If we wait for good ice in Wright County here, I think the hardwater season will be short. Plan to drive north for more quality time! -Jim

[icecold]

This waiting for ice is just as bad as waiting for snow, so I can use my snowmobile which is sitting hi and dry, I lived in minnesota all my life, and it seems winter is coming later and later each year. I hope we get some good walkable ice in southern minnesota so I can sit in my fish house and stare down the hairless hole, oh what a good feeling that will be again.

[cubbies11]

From the mille lacs report, people were fishing in wahkon and cove bays in portables. I have been trying to get confirmation on that forum but nothing, can anyone here confirm or deny the report. Planning on heading up on friday if there is ice.

Cubbies

[honda400ex_treme]

I checked an ice report for Red Lake and there is 8" of ice 3 miles out and 10" closeer to shore. This is from a HSOforum. I'm going to red lake january 6-9, it will be the first trip out with the new perminant house.

[Stratosman]

We braved the conditions today and were rewarded for it, hit a lake near Grantsburg, there was 4+ inches, smaller lake and we hammered the big bluegills, most were probably 3/8 pound, some were pushing 3/4 pound. Some of the best bluegill fishing I've had in a while. The bite was very, very light, basically had to wach the flasher when a fish moved up on the bait and slightly move the rod to see if one sucked it in, very few would hit it hard enough to feel the tap on the rod, line watching was important. All in all it was a great day and the first time on the ice for me so far. Depths were 10-14 feet and lure choice was an orange flirty girty tipped with a couple spikes. The wind sur made it tough and we were unsure about fighting it but it was worth the drive and the effort. Anyway, it beats staying home to watch the Vikes get humiliated any day.

[LittleRanger]

Was at a hockey tourneyment in Detroit Lakes this weekend. I saw a couple dozen portables and a few hard siders on the ice. The winds were fierce, almost whiteout conditions

[colt44]

Greeting from Michigan's Upper Peninsula. (Marquette County) Inland lakes just locking up, but we got zapped with approx. 20" of white weight last night and today. More to come tonight. Can you say "Happy Slushing"

[marbleihunter]

yes there is ice i'm going to my lake just n. of mille lacs and was there last Sat. and people were on Wahkon then.

[Lost]

Drove by a couple lakes in the wind yesterday. I could see the ice moving from one side of the lake to the other. This morning as I drove by one of the lakes, you could see a ridge of ice on one edge of what's frozen and a lot more open water than there was the day before the wind.

But I also saw ice in the Mississippi going under the 694 bridge.

[thaJman]

Lake Minnetonka was almost completely open yesterday and this morning it was almost completely frozen. North Arm, Crystal, Maxwell are frozen tight. I could see some steam about a mile out from Bracketts point in the diamond reef area...so I assume there is still a hole in that area.

[fishingguy]

I drove out to a near by lake this morning to check it out. It is completely froze over. I forgot my chisel so I'm not exactly sure of the ice thickness, but I walked out about 10' from shore and it held my 250lbs without cracking. I also thru a softball size rock out about 30yds and it just bounced on the ice. So, there is hope!!