Poor Ice on Minnesota's Iron Range

[Greg Clusiau]

Hi All,

Did some scouting today, before sitting down to a great Thanksgiving Day dinner. Checked about 8 lakes or so in the "north of Nashwauk" area and didn't find anything with decent, walkable ice. Checked my old standbys, lakes that are the first to freeze every year, and all of these more-than-likely had some ice on them when the big snowfall came last Sunday. Screwed things up royally. It will take some cool, hopefully frigid, weather before these lakes are safe to fish. I just wanted to post this in case some of you Twin City anglers are planning on heading this way for the Thanksgiving weekend. I'm sure, if you really sniff around, you could find "something" but for the most part, they are dangerous. Don't waste your time.

My next ice-checking endeavor will be the larger lakes that were wide open when the snowfall hit. That might of been just enough to cool them down to the point where they made some good starter-ice.

Til the St. Paul Ice Fishing Show........Greg C.

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Jaw Breaker Guide Service
Phone: 218 778-0087
[email protected]
http://fishtec.com/guide.htm

[Steve Foss]

Hang in there, Greg. It'll come. I feel for you.

We spent three hours watching flags pop on a 325-acre lake near Ely with 5 to 6 inches of good ice. Guys were fishing it on deer opener but backed off when the weather warmed, and then we got the 12-14 inches of snow, but the ice has come back nicely. A little slush near shore is all. Fourteen flags, 8 pike, none big.

People also have been fishing on ice that thick on lakes around Bemidji like Turtle and Three Island and, no doubt, others.

But here's a caution for everyone. Ice that's 6 inches, clear and hard on one spot can turn to an inch thick in the next step, so take care, use the life preserver and ice stakes and go slowly. Live to fish again.

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"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by stfcatfish (edited 11-27-2003).]

[This message has been edited by stfcatfish (edited 11-27-2003).]