the earliest on the ice?

[Snake River King]

Man I will tell you what I got the itch!!! I cant wait to go Ice fishing!! The cold temps last night felt great!! I was woundering when was the earliest enyone has been able to get out and ice fish? I can remember around thanksgiving but eny earlier?

[GRAND DAD]

That's the earlest I know of either the week end before or after for me,

[Flaco651]

Around Thanksgiving time on some ponds in the metro is the earliest I can remember.

[Jameson]

Thanksgivings day I was out on a little lake a few years back. That day their was still a little open water in the middle of the lake. I seem to remember having about 3 inches of ice. Didn't catch a thing. The next day it was warmer and windy. The warmth and wind opened that lake almost all the way back open.

[hanson]

Thanksgiving is a nice early ice benchmark.

A few years back, we ran snowmobiles out of Rogers Campground on Upper Red Lake Thanksgiving weekend with about 8" of ice on the lake. It was also subzero during the last week of deer camp that year as well. Brrr...

[Coach1310]

I remember setting tip up out in front of a buddy's cabin during the 2nd weekend of deer camp. It wasn't the smartest thing we have ever done, but we were ice fishing..... we caught some nice northerns too

[Shack]

In the early nineties, we hit Coon Lake the weekend before Thanksgiving. We used sheets of plywood to get out to a spot and sat on them. I believe there was 2-3 inches. Man, I do not think I will being doing that anytime soon. One never knows. I was young dumb and full of fun

[Ryan_V]

bottom line, not early enough!!!

[Sonicrunch]

Quote:

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In the early nineties, we hit Coon Lake the weekend before Thanksgiving. We used sheets of plywood to get out to a spot and sat on them. I believe there was 2-3 inches. Man, I do not think I will being doing that anytime soon. One never knows. I was young dumb and full of fun

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Just one more reason to go for a flip over style. The tub can be a boat too!

[fishinrush]

Quote:

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Thanksgivings day I was out on a little lake a few years back. That day their was still a little open water in the middle of the lake. I seem to remember having about 3 inches of ice. Didn't catch a thing. The next day it was warmer and windy. The warmth and wind opened that lake almost all the way back open.

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Must have been the same weekend...about 4 years ago my brother, dad and I were setting tip-ups on a back bay of Chisago. The big lake was open and we were on about 3" of ice. (No Nils needed there) The ice was so clear and thin we could walk and find clear areas within the weeds to set the tip-ups. It was a good time, until the wind picked up and the waves from the big lake started cresting over the ice. We knew it was time to leave. The next day that bay was wide open.

[Shack]

I don't think so man! My Otter Tail Med. would of went straight threw! With me in it, No float, nothing!

[jdm911]

Earliest for myself was Nov 9 in Bayfield County. We were only able to fish a small bay and only had one flag but it felt great. In fact the weather warmed up and rain fell two days after and that was that for a couple of weeks but I won't forget it, in fact it helps me remember my grandmother's birthday as that is the 9th as well. btw, snow flurries north of Duluth this morning!! Take Care

[Scott K]

Are we talking earliest, without falling in! I have been out before thanksgiving a quite a few times in back bays, and close to shore. I learned 1-2 inches holds you for a little while. Then when a friend gets freaked out because water is starting to come out of the hole when I am pulling up a fish and busts the shore line open, it makes for a cold wet walk back I have to say I stopped doing that a few years ago, I wait the extra time to get to 3 inches now.

[JustinG]

I remember back about 1993 driving a Dodge minivan out on URL with about 10" of ice right after Thanksgiving. I also remember as a kid ice fishing on Thanksgiving day almost every single year!

Earliest I can ever recall being on the ice was 2nd weekend of deer season.

It was also snowing at a pretty good pace for most of the day up here in Ely today!

Justin

[BFT]

The 4th of Nov , 1991 , fished on 6 inches out in front of my parents.

BFT

[Jarrod32]

The earliest I have been out on the ice is the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend...we were on a small lake in NE South Dakota on about 8" of ice. The next year, on the same day (the Saturday after Thanksgiving), we were out in the boat in short sleeves.

[Bruce Mosher]

Earliest I've ever been out on foot was in '98 or '99 on November 4th. I finished up our Shotgun Deer season all of our party went home so I went out to Maple Lake by Erskine, MN and walked out on about 1" of ice off of Breezy Point. Chipped two holes with a hatchet, pumped up the lantern. Tried out my new bobber (Ice Buster) set the depth, put down a sucker minnow, jigged it twice and watched a hit. When I finally pulled it up it was a 32" Walleye. I was in heaven!! Took a photo and let er go! Now I'm alittle older, have kids, and I usually take it a little easier at first ice. But I can't Wait to go!!!!

Bruce Mosher

[troutman]

November 9th,1991.Mississippi River,Harriet Island marina.The tempurature got real cold the week after the 91 Halloween blizzard and put a sheet down here and there.We carefuuly inched our way out between the slips and caught a few crappies.VERY thin ice.....but only 3 to 4 feet deep so,we knew that at most we risked a wet behind.I was a bit younger and..........

[CrappieAttitude]

[quote

Must have been the same weekend...about 4 years ago my brother, dad and I were setting tip-ups on a back bay of Chisago. The big lake was open and we were on about 3" of ice. (No Nils needed there) The ice was so clear and thin we could walk and find clear areas within the weeds to set the tip-ups. It was a good time, until the wind picked up and the waves from the big lake started cresting over the ice. We knew it was time to leave. The next day that bay was wide open.

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I still tell that early ice story..Good times! It was kind of creepy seeing the waves break on the ice edge and seeing the water sliding across towards us. I remember before we left solving this equation..

warm water sitting on ice + windy conditions = us leaving the lake.

I love first ice!

CA

[chris63]

When I was younger (44 now)we walked out on (Contact Us Please) and fished the last week of october.I remember because we went to a halloween party the next day or two in Isle,mn.Come on Ice!!!!!!!!!!!!Can't come too soon for me!!!!!!!!c63