ice fishing for opener?

[Burnham]

someone brought up at school today that the northern part of the state may have ice on the lakes on opener. i thought about it and i started thinkin the same thing. has there ever been ice on the lakes for opener in any part of the state, and does anyone think it may be possible this year? maybe some people can ice fish for opener?? just wonderin..i know that opener isnt till over another month but there still prob is a lot of ice on northern lakes, such as low

[maros91]

I don't know when it was but I remember reading the outdoor section of the newspaper and a guy was fishing in his boat right next to a piece of ice in the middle of the lake. I want to say it was anywhere from 1995-1997. Of course it is possible. I'm sure Lake of the Woods has 30+ inches of ice on it and it has to be gone in 6 weeks. I know when it goes it goes quick. We will just have to wait see.

[dfricke1010]

google minnesota ice out and click the third link down there are a lot of lakes that have been iced over on opener

[L_Cappo]

lotw has an average of 38 inches of solid ice right now.im sure it will be off by opener.

[L_Cappo]

the latest ice out on lotw was may 16,1996.1996 must have been a really cold winter and spring.

[Scott K]

I normally fish Canada border waters the week before opener. I have seen ice floating on the lake, and at times where you would have to use a different landing because all the ice would blow and cover the main landing, but I cant remember not being able to fish in my boat. I have been close a few different times, I would call a few days ahead of time and it would be questionable, but I havent ever cancled do to ice.

[john.wells]

It wasn't all that long ago and people WERE ice fishing on opener in the Ely area. I can do some digging to verify this if anyone cares.

[fishcast]

I read something about MN fishing openers and remember reading that people were ice fishing once on LOW or something way up there once in the last 100 years, so it sounds it has happened.

[fisherjmb]

In 1996 on LOTW there were people ice fishing on the main lake out from Morris Point on the opener all while you could see boats fishing in the Morris Gap and the Lighthouse Gap. It has happened. That was a long cold winter that year.

[MNcanepole]

I remember some years ago a few openers not only up north but also on Lake Minnetonka, we had to wear insulated coveralls and sorrels. I think we even had like a coleman focus 5 heater in the boat to keep our hands warm. Snow and sleet to once or twice. Most the time we went out at midnite.

[LeeMB]

I have driven out in trucks in northern Manitoba a few times for the opener.

[MN Greenheads]

I think It's about once a decade that there is some ice on LOW and some lakes in the arrowhead can be ice fished on. I remember on Winnie in 96' the ice went out the night before opener and people slaughtered the big hen eyes in the gap to Bowen's. It was fun but sad as people kept the big fish.

[Early Riser]

I believe that Greenwood Lake off the Gunflint Trail has the latest average ice out date in the state. In the spring of 96 I heard that there was ice on all, or a good portion of the lake for opener. I thought I had recalled hearing that a few people did ice fish out there on opener. I don't know about that, maybe someone else has some of the specifics as I didn't drive up there myself to check it out.

My brother and I fished smaller trout lakes that day and a few of them were unfishable due to ice drifted into the landings. At our home in Hovland we still had several feet of snow in the woods at the end of April. Piles of snow were found in shaded areas of the woods until well into June.

[Gary Crichton]

Yes that was the year on Winnie 96. Tammarack Bay was full of ice and we fished right next to it. It was like someone drew a line in the water. We fished our normal spots anyway and did OK. We did not keep any pigs by the way. I heard some people did, and that was sad. You talk about boats in the gap, my god. We stayed away from that spot.

[Gary Crichton]

Way back in the late 70's up by Ely the ice went out 1 day b-4 opener. We had snow on the ground and it felt like a winter camping trip. If I remember right we didn't do very good either.

[landscaper]

so do you think i will have the boat out in 15 days????? for the opener?

[cRaPpiEMaN8265]

according to the meteorologists for the twin cities it is supposed to be 35 for a high on saturday and possibly even colder sunday. mid to loxer 40's all week and dipping down to 25 tonight in the burbs. Looks like i will be ice fishing next weekend!

I think you can take it out in 15 days but if you live north of the cities there will still be some ice on the lakes especially the people who got the snow up north because that is going to insulate the ice for a while!

Later,

[Tullibee]

Up the Gunflint Trail north of Grand Marais it looks about the same as it did in January. There is still a lot of snow on top of a lot of ice and the way the forecast looks it isn't going anywhere anytime soon. If anything we are supposed to get even more snow.

Cory

[tisosy11]

The metro ice will be good and gone in a week and a half. Suppose to be real warm. Hopefully!

[anyfishwilldo]

What are the thoughts on the late ice out and the walleye spawn?