First Ice Predictions For MN

Im hoping to be on Red by the 18th. Rogers reported skim ice last weekend. Fingers crossed.

That might be optimistic, but the forecast looks good! I’m thinking you will be able to drive on Red by Black Friday again this year.

I agree with Werm. The forecast definitely looks promising. I am hoping for walk out fishing by thanksgiving here in the metro.

Have a trip set with Rainy Daze for 1/6/18 and 1/7/18 so Im hoping Rainy is locked up everywhere by then so we arent limited on locations

BigWerm wrote:

That might be optimistic, but the forecast looks good! I’m thinking you will be able to drive on Red by Black Friday again this year.

I spend Thanksgiving up at my hideaway. If things setup as hoped this year, there’ll be at least walkable ice on Mille Lacs for my Black Friday.

BigWerm wrote:

That might be optimistic, but the forecast looks good! I’m thinking you will be able to drive on Red by Black Friday again this year.

^^^^^^ You heard it folks! My insurance guy said 1/2 tons and 16’ wheelhouses are good to go Black Friday! Lol. I’ll believe it when I see it. Mother Nature has been known to fool us before. I hope you guys are rite.

MNdrifter wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>BigWerm wrote:</div>
That might be optimistic, but the forecast looks good! I’m thinking you will be able to drive on Red by Black Friday again this year.

^^^^^^ You heard it folks! My insurance guy said 1/2 tons and 16’ wheelhouses are good to go Black Friday! Lol. I’ll believe it when I see it. Mother Nature has been known to fool us before. I hope you guys are rite.

Haha might have to leave the sleeper at home Drifter! But 3 and 4 years ago (I think) I drove my truck out to Center bar on Black Friday. So it can happen. Or not lol.

I’m thinking some walkable ice in my area by Veterans Day. I’m getting my stuff in order next week.

I’m hoping we will be on hardwater by Thanksgiving but think a more realistic guess would be a week into December. Which I’m also fine with.

Like I said before I’m hoping to get at some thanksgiving pike and panfish on mille lacs

Alexandria area here. Hoping to be out on Black Friday.

The way the weather looking we should be out by Thanksgiving, we just need the wind to die down a bit. However, there have been times when we were wearing shorts and tee shirts on Thanksgiving so let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

Metro area seems to be hovering in the 31-39 degree range. Wind has been pretty heavy. The night dips down to about mid to high 20s, but looking further ahead, being out by thanksgiving seems possible.

Saw skim ice on a metro slough this morning – 494 north of Rockford Road.

Lake Mallalieu in Hudson, WI had some skim ice on it this morning. While grouse hunting off HWY 210 in NE Minn this past Tues there was a small beaver pond that was completely iced over.

After looking at the forecast for the Duluth Area it wouldn’t surprise if small lakes were covered by Veteran’s Day weekend.

I’m hoping to be fishing small ponds in the south metro on Thanksgiving weekend, like in years past (not the last 2). I surely miss seeing 2-4″ on small ponds by Thanksgiving and it will be a warm welcome if it happens this year. Shoot, the last two years were thin or none by Christmas in most areas of southern MN…

There definitely won’t be any Veterans Day ice fishing from the metro area to the South. I’d say Thanksgiving will be the first weekend where people will be out on sloughs, marinas, and real small ponds around the metro towards Southern MN (2-3 inches of ice).

My prediction for the chaos and crowds to hit 3-4 solid of inches of ice on smaller bodies of water will be Saturday, December 2nd.

Until I see 3 or 4 consecutive nights with temps in the low 20’s or high teens and no wind…it is hard to lock up any water bigger than 40-50 acres.

Up here in DL the bigger lakes are mid 30s water temp as of yesterday, and ponds are forming skim ice on cold nights for the last week. Forecast shows temps hovering around freezing over the weekend, then down to 18 on Sunday night and 10 on Monday night. Highs are at or below freezing all week with relatively light winds and clear skies.

I’m predicting someone will be on ice up here by Veteran’s Day Weekend. But I was wrong once before. Either way it’s a nice change of pace from the last two years!!

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Hey fellas some buddy’s and I are trying to plan a ice fishing trip to the Canadian side of LOTW in February, I would like to target some Lakers and walleyes. None of us have ever been to the Canadian side so I was hoping for some suggestions. Best resorts/outfitter to stay at without breaking the bank… too much.
things to bring or leave behind rules..etc.

Hey fellas some buddy’s and I are trying to plan a ice fishing trip to the Canadian side of LOTW in February, I would like to target some Lakers and walleyes. None of us have ever been to the Canadian side so I was hoping for some suggestions. Best resorts/outfitter to stay at without breaking the bank… too much.

Was out duck hunting yesterday in the metro area and had to break ice on the bays of the lake getting out to an open main lake. some of the small back bays were close to 2 inches thick but as stated a totally open main lake. WILL NOT BE LONG NOW BOYS!

I have seen a couple of people who were ice fishing some small ponds around Ely, MN yesterday (11/7/17) But I would guess many smaller lakes north and northeast of Grand Rapids should be good to go (with proper safety precautions obv) this weekend.

I will be ice fishing this weekend if the targeted pond stays locked up through today. As always, safety must be stressed. Lifejackets, picks, rope and obviously the buddy system is a must on these extreme early ice ventures. Good luck to anyone who will venture out.

Can’t find good ice around you? Find a small, shallow, wind protected pond and take a peak, you may be pleasantly surprised on the ice conditions come this weekend. Just be SAFE.

I just heard from a friend that there is 4″ of ice on red and people are out. Would want to contact the resorts up there to corroborate this. Be safe out there

crappie55369 wrote:

I just heard from a friend that there is 4″ of ice on red and people are out. Would want to contact the resorts up there to corroborate this. Be safe out there

Bear Paw Guide Service just posted fishing on 4″ of ice off the first break in 8 fow.

I’ll be waiting quite a while, but I think your goal of the 18th looks good Crappie!

Also, there are currently 2 people missing from a capsized boat on LOWER Red yesterday.

minnesota.cbslocal.com/2017/11/07/lower-red-lake-fishing-boat/

I will be out checking ice this weekend in-between hunts.

I just walked out on lake Francis no fishing but there will be tomorrow!

I went and looked at some of the area lakes yesterday. Don’t think I’ll be out by Veterans Day as none of them were locked up yet.

Team Yukon Outdoors posted yesterday that they found fishable ice in northern MN.

-1 with absolutely no wind this morning in Roseau County.
DT