driveable ice (updated with saturday's report)

[picksbigwagon]

Yes I fully realize there is no such thing as safe ice, but are people driving full size trucks on the ice either around EC or up on red cedar or rice lake? I am trying to find a fishing partner for tomorrow and my brother is my last hope, he lives in EC. Thanks in advance cooter

[kjgmh]

I have seen full size trucks on Red Cedar, Chetec and Rice. Most reports I have heard are around 14-16" of ice.

[Cooter]

No full sized trucks, you'll have to rent a Metro Seriously, they've been driving out for a couple weeks now and with this cold weather you'll be fine.

[Super Black]

You'll be fine. Had a buddy on Red Cedar fishing for smallies and he said 18 inches of ice...

[picksbigwagon]

I am assuming I can use the public access at the campground then? where do the walleye sit during the day? yeah, I know next to the bottom....

[Cooter]

Tom, your best bet for eyes during the day is off the break from Slawson's Bay into the main channel. Good luck.

[picksbigwagon]

saw this a day too late Scott.

Highlights from my trip to EC and red cedar include the WI State Patrol nailing some lunatic from IL in a volvo who felt that 90 mph at 9:30 PM was safe driving between Menomonie and Eau Claire. Obviously he has never traveled I 94 before. I laughed for at least 5 minutes.

Saturday morning the trip up 53 was uneventful, man is that one nice piece of concrete. Had stopped for bait and advice at the gas station/bait shop in Mincana. (Nothing like small town hospitality, she was awesome) Drove to birchwood for breakfast at the birchwood cafe, I recommend the Denver Steak and eggs.

Once on the lake my brother and I both noticed the lack of people. we only saw 5 guys total all day fishing. I caught a nice perch that had that perch spot fungus on it, caught something big on a tip up but pulled the hook at the hole, note to self; Don't mess with a drag that is kind of working on a 15 year old, poorly maintained reel.

we fished deep, we fished shallow as 10 feet. never saw a thing on the LX-5 and the camera was acting up a lot so I left that in the truck the rest of the day.

Other than that, I really like this lake and will be looking forward to more adventures. Next time we will head to slawson's bay and the main channel. Will have to investigate the lake a lot more this summer. we never went south of Stout's Island yesterday.

[Cooter]

Tom, glad you had a good time. I have no experience ice fishing R Cedar, I wish I could help more. Is there still a restaurant across the street from the gaso in Mikana? Used to Robert Earl's, however he passed away a couple years ago. And I'm glad you got the post a day late:

Quote:

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Next time we will head to slawson's bay and the main channel

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Buddy, I'm sorry, there is no Slawson Bay - I was messin wit ya! Saturday I'm thinking, jeez, I hope Tom isn't running around Cedar looking for the elusive Slawson's Bay!

[picksbigwagon]

Ugh, that's okay, the lady at the bait shop told us to hit some bay as well and we had no idea where she was talking about, so we asked and she right up where you were just talking about. I had mentioned 4 different areas already so I just dropped it. The resturaunt was still there but they don't serve breakfast.

I will need a couple more days this summer to get a better handle on the north side of that lake and rest of it as well. Oh darn....

[Cooter]

Tom, you still have those maps I faxed you? We should hit at least an afternoon/evening there this June. Spend some time touring the spots, fish some smallies, and then see if the eyes are hungry. Dinner and more beer at Mikana afterwards

[picksbigwagon]

My dad brother and I are making another trip there mid june this year probably, I am sure we could work something out then.