how long will ice last?

[james_walleye]

Am i crazy to be a little worried about the ice not being out when we are suppose to head up to Dogtooth memorial day weekend?

[Hemlock]

You will be completely fine by Memorial Day weekend. I'm a little nervous about a May 3 or May 10 weekend on Whitfish Bay for Lakers.

Last year was a little behind and it was May 4th before it was out.

Trucks still driving on LOTW, with the landings getting pretty soft and soupy.

[Shorelunch]

I heard on the radio that LOTW was at normal water levels, until recently when they let out 2 feet at Kenora. I hope we get some good Spring rains to bring it up a foot or so. I know there's no snow in the Baudette area, how about Kenora? The Arrowhead are of MN got dumped on with quite a bit of snow, so hopefully that will find it's way into the Rainy.

We've had openers in mid-May where we've had to go around some ice islands but have always been able to get out.

[kkahmann]

Fairly normal winter here on Lake Nipigon. Ice thickness in front of the house right now is 44inches with some slush. About normal too.

I was looking back over some of my old records--the earliest ice out I've seen was April 26th,2007 and April 16th,2006. Althrough the '70's it was generally the last week of May around the 20th with the latest being May 22,1982.

Victoria Day weekend in Canada is always around the 18th or 20th of May--generally the week before your Memorial Day--Always fish Nipigon Bay of Lake Superior that weekend--we call it the Ice Run. Always dodgeing large sheets of ice-but the trout fishing makes it worth it.

[srj]

Kkahmann, are you down in the SE corner? Nipigon is the most incredibly beautiful lake I've been on. Can't imagine having Nipigon out the back door. The scenery from the boat is awesome. I haven't been there for a few years now but hope to make a trip this summer. We've stayed at McCollums in the past--not many choices.

Love that big water--when the wind kicks up to 30+ out of the NW a guy gets to see just how big waves can get on an inland lake!! Do the MNR/OPP guys go out in their big boat when it's blowing out of the NW? They checked us one day on the water after a big NW blow and even tho the wind was down the previous days waves were still 3 or 4' rollers so they couldn't get very close with their 30 footer (maybe bigger?). I was off Edward island jigging in deep water and they seemed suspicious that we weren't trolling. It was kind of funny. Nice guys but they must not encounter many boats not downrigging.

Take care, enjoy your paradise.

[kkahmann]

srj--Jumbo's Cove is about 5 miles north of McCollums. I sometimes work on a 60-ft Commercial fishing vessel and in a good north blow even we don't go out. I've had no luck at all jigging for Lakers on the big Lake--it works well on Lake Superior and several of the small inland lakes like Jessie, Pasha and Barbra. I like trolling planer boards right after ice-out--never know what you might pick up. Specks, Lakers or big Northerns. I can imajine the MNR wondering what you were doing jigging,lol, Where is Edward Island?--never heard of it.

[srj]

K, might be the memory is getting bad (the lady says it is) but it's one of the islands heading into South Bay from the main lake. We did pretty good jigging in about 140' but there were a lot of fish in the area. Maybe a one time thing, but they were chasing down and mashing our big jigs. That was in mid August.

Jumbos cove must be getting up towards the MNR base.

Wish it wasn't a 10 hour or so trip from Norhtern MN. Love that big water. That day we got checked by the MNR the only other boat we saw was a commercial rig heading north.

Gotta go get a tooth pulled now. Yuk.

Take care.