North Shore Lake Conditions

Monday January 7th

First and foremost, THANK YOU to everyone who made The Red Door your Lake Mille Lacs access point this past weekend.We look forward to seeing many of you again soon.

Ice conditions are fine with very little snow making cross country travel easy. Banking snow is precious these days. We have a consistent 16 inches of ice now in all areas.

The warming temps will make the live crack close to shore shift, most likely, so one never knows if the crack and bridge need grooming until it happens. Thanks for your patience if we are workng on it when you arrive or as you depart from the lake.

Fishing reports are pretty good for the most part. 28-30ft. of water along shore is good for most and some good reports are also coming in from the various mudflats. Low light periods are best as usual. Of course, some reports are not so good too. “That’s fishing”!

Wednesday January 9th

Generally, conditions on the lake in our area are as good as can be. Banking snow is getting even more precious. Warming temps each day have been shifting the ice and work on the crack is ongoing because of it. Thanks for everyone’s patience as the access is tied up at times.

Be aware, this coming weekend and into next week will bring at least a 40 degree temp change. COLD!! With that, be very vigilant traveling on any road or cross country, for fresh, wet cracks. As the cold sets in, the ice sheet shrinks and can change things fast, no matter how thick the ice is. We will monitor our road system as much as possible and will act accordingly. If you see or find a wet crack crossing any of our roads, let us know asap. We will always err on the side of caution. Please drive slowly. Look at your speedometer. If it reads over 10 mph., take your foot off the gas………..

Fishing reports are stable. Both the deep 28-30 ft. areas along shore as well as some of the mudflats are producing action for some and not so much for others. “Spotty”? The plain hook, line and sinker with a fathead sounds best.

Issued by The National Weather Service
Duluth, MN

Thu, Jan 10, 2013, 11:04 AM CST

Updated Jan 10, 2013, 1:05pm CST

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… FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON CST FRIDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DULUTH HAS ISSUED A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON CST FRIDAY.

* LOCATION… NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA AND NORTHWESTERN WISCONSIN.

* TIMING… FREEZING RAIN WILL DEVELOP ACROSS SOUTHERN AREAS EARLY THIS EVENING AND THEN SPREAD RAPIDLY NORTHWARD DURING THE EVENING.

* ICE ACCUMULATIONS… LESS THAN A QUARTER INCH FROM TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING.

* IMPACTS… EVEN THOUGH TEMPERATURES MAY HOVER AT OR A BIT ABOVE FREEZING… FROZEN GROUND SHOULD RESULT IN ROADS AND SIDEWALKS BECOMING SLIPPERY ACROSS THE ENTIRE NORTHLAND OVERNIGHT AND INTO FRIDAY MORNING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN OR FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS. SLOW DOWN AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

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More Information

… ROADS EXPECTED TO BECOME SLIPPERY ACROSS THE NORTHLAND…

.FREEZING RAIN WILL MOVE QUICKLY NORTHWARD ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST STARTING THIS EVENING… OVERTAKING THE ENTIRE NORTHLAND AS THE EVENING WEARS ON. EVEN THOUGH TEMPERATURES WILL INITIALLY BE ABOVE FREEZING FOR MOST AREAS… THE GROUND ACROSS THE REGION IS FROZEN. THE RESULT WILL BE GLAZING OF ROADWAYS AND SIDEWALKS ACROSS THE REGION STARTING TONIGHT. IF YOU HAVE PLANS TO DRIVE ACROSS THE NORTHLAND TONIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING… BE AWARE THAT DRIVING MAY BECOME HAZARDOUS ACROSS THE REGION.

Friday, January 11th

Rain has done away with all the snow on the ice. The ice itself is fine. We have 17 inches, consistently, in all areas.

Be aware of the big weather change coming for the weekend.Temps by Sunday morning will be, potentially, 40-50 degrees colder than today. Strong northwest winds and a skiff of snow might make cross-country ice travel a challenge on Saturday. GPS might be a must have. Also be aware of what the cold temps can and will do. New cracks as the sheet of ice shrinks can pop open anywhere and without notice. If you see a wet crack, back off. Let us know where it is. Drive slowly so the roads don’t get torn up and if you do see a wet crack, you can stop quicker. Going 10 mph. or less takes longer to get to the fishing grounds but keeps everyone safer and in the long run, could save you big time.

Fishing reports are spotty. Some good reports are coming from the shoreline deep water (28-30ft.) and from the deeper water around the various mudflats(28-34ft.). Plain minnow and bobber rigs still are out-producing the jigging spoons.

Please stop to get updated ice conditions. The cold snap means change! Don’t assume anything. Slow down…thanks and good luck!

Sunday January 13th

Cold! No snow on the ice. If you have a house that wasn’t blocked up before the rain Friday, it most likely is froze in. New banking is now non-existant until the next snow/wind that will drift a little around the houses.

As predicted, the ice reacted to the 40 degree plus temp fall. Thank you to everyone for your patience this weekend as we worked to keep the access safe and open. We got everybody off and on until late Saturday night when we had to close it down until early this (Sunday)morning. Bridging three cracks at once was a chess match and forced us to have all wheel houses leave the lake today via Barnacles. THANK YOU to Barnacles for allowing that to happen. We hope to be down to one bridge and one crack by Monday morning.

Fishing reports were all over the board. “Good”, “GREAT!”, “a little slow” and “NOTHING!” Some had to keep the lines out of the water to get some sleep and others had quiet nights. They say “that’s fishing!”

Wednesday January 16th

The ice and the access is all fine with one bridge in place. The warms temps have not made the ice push up—yet. The ice is still snow free with a small amount of pin drifting and some drifting around the houses that will help with banking.

The cold snap will, inevitably, create ice crack issues later in the weekend. Please be vigilant as you drive across the ice for any new wet cracks and if you see one, back off and let us know where it is. Don’t cross a wet crack without a bridge. Please be patience if we are having to work on the access because of the extreme cold temps coming. Thanks.

Friday January 18th

The ice access is fine. We do have two bridges in place over one live crack and one that is still healing.

The major cold snap coming will undoubtedly form a crack somewhere in the neighborhood–hopefully under one of our bridges. If not, we will do our best to safely bridge things as usual. For immediate updates, call our office.

Snow cover is slim but some light drifting is showing up and will definitely show up more this weekend with the high northwest winds in sight. Be very aware of the coming conditions for this coming weekend and early next week. Wind forecasts are for over 30 mph. Saturday afternoon and night. Temps will drop 30 plus degrees in just a few hours–from Saturday morning to Sunday. Make sure you start your vehicles often and run them long enough to insure them staying warm enough to start in the sub-zero temps.

Good luck fishing! Drive slowly and be very vigilant of any new wet cracks due to the cold snap.

Sat, Jan 19, 2013, 3:54 AM CST

Updated Jan 19, 2013, 4:45am CST

… WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON CST SUNDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DULUTH HAS ISSUED A WIND CHILL ADVISORY… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON CST SUNDAY.

* WIND CHILL VALUES… 25 TO 40 BELOW ZERO LATE THIS EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING ACROSS THE NORTHERN THIRD OF MINNESOTA… INCLUDING THE LOCATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL FALLS… VIRGINA… GRAND MARAIS… BRAINERD AND DULUTH.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY MEANS THAT VERY COLD AIR AND STRONG WINDS WILL COMBINE TO GENERATE LOW WIND CHILLS. THIS WILL RESULT IN FROST BITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. IF YOU MUST VENTURE OUTDOORS… MAKE SURE YOU WEAR A HAT AND GLOVES.

Sunday morning the 20th

Our access is closed at least to start with. Last night the cold snap took it’s toll and we are wiating for daylight to see what the next move is . Call the office for updates.

OUR ACCESS IS BACK OPEN

The crew moved the bridge over the new crack to the west of the access.

Thanks for everyone’s patience!

For now, today, we have the access open to all vehicles but no wheel houses in tow. Our bridge is in place to where any long rigs will not be able to line up onto it going out. (the ones that are out now on the lake can get off easier as the angle is better.) Hopefully by tomorrow (Monday) sometime, we can get the bridge straight out again from the ramp and be good to go for the long rigs too. Call the office for imediate updates.

Thanks again…

Issued by The National Weather Service
Duluth, MN

Sun, Jan 20, 2013, 2:57 PM CST

Updated Jan 20, 2013, 3:25pm CST
… WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT… … WIND CHILL WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON CST TUESDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DULUTH HAS ISSUED A WIND CHILL WARNING… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON CST TUESDAY. A WIND CHILL ADVISORY HAS ALSO BEEN ISSUED. THIS WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT.

* LOCATION… NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA INCLUDING THE LOCATIONS OF DULUTH… TWO HARBORS… GRAND MARAIS… VIRGINIA… HIBBING… ELY… INTERNATIONAL FALLS… GRAND RAPIDS… BRAINERD… AITKIN… CLOQUET… AND MOOSE LAKE.

* WIND CHILL VALUES… 15 TO 30 BELOW ZERO TODAY INTO THIS EVENING. WIND CHILLS WILL THEN PLUMMET TONIGHT TO 35 TO 50 BELOW ZERO AND PERSIST THROUGH MONDAY MORNING. THERE WILL BE SOME IMPROVEMENT MONDAY AFTERNOON BEFORE SIMILARLY DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS REDEVELOP MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING.

* IMPACTS… FROSTBITE COULD OCCUR ON EXPOSED SKIN WITHIN 5 TO 10 MINUTES IN THESE TYPE OF CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY MEANS THAT VERY COLD AIR AND STRONG WINDS WILL COMBINE TO GENERATE LOW WIND CHILLS. THIS WILL RESULT IN FROST BITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. IF YOU MUST VENTURE OUTDOORS… MAKE SURE YOU WEAR A HAT AND GLOVES.

A WIND CHILL WARNING MEANS THE COMBINATION OF VERY COLD AIR AND STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND CHILL VALUES. THIS WILL RESULT IN FROST BITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA OR DEATH IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN.
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Local Weather Alert

Wind Chill Warning for Crow Wing county , MN

until 12:00 PM CST, Tue., Jan 22, 2013

Other affected areas:

…

Koochiching, MN; North St. Louis, MN; Northern Cook/Northern Lake, MN; North Itasca, MN; Central St. Louis, MN; Southern Lake/North Shore, MN; Southern Cook/North Shore, MN; North Cass, MN; South Itasca, MN; South Cass, MN; Crow Wing, MN; Northern Aitkin, MN; South Aitkin, MN; Carlton/South St. Louis, MN; Pine, MN

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Issued by The National Weather Service
Duluth, MN

Mon, Jan 21, 2013, 10:49 AM CST
Updated Jan 21, 2013, 2:25pm CST
Get WeatherReady

… WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DULUTH HAS ISSUED A WIND CHILL WARNING… WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY.

* LOCATION… NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA INCLUDING THE LOCATIONS OF DULUTH… TWO HARBORS… GRAND MARAIS… VIRGINIA… HIBBING… ELY… INTERNATIONAL FALLS… GRAND RAPIDS… BRAINERD… AITKIN… CLOQUET AND MOOSE LAKE.

* WIND CHILL VALUES… 30 TO 50 BELOW ZERO ARE EXPECTED. THERE WILL BE SOME IMPROVEMENT LATE THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS REDEVELOP TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING.

* IMPACTS… FROSTBITE CAN OCCUR ON EXPOSED SKIN WITHIN 5 TO 10 MINUTES IN THESE CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WIND CHILL WARNING MEANS THE COMBINATION OF VERY COLD AIR AND STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND CHILL VALUES. THIS WILL RESULT IN FROST BITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA OR DEATH IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN.

Tuesday January 22nd

The recent big cold snap and wind is the talk of the ice world.

Although 95 percent of the ice sheet is now snow free, the drifts around the houses due to the big wind the past few days are deep and hard. For those that have not been up since before the snow drifts formed , you might want to re-block your house before you drill holes as the extra weight from the drifts is causing some flooding around some houses.

Cross country travel is fine. We have a wide crack due to the cold temps along shore that is bridged. Please be aware that our bridge is 9 ft. 5 inches wide so any wheel houses over the legal highway limit might not fit or at the very least, will have trouble getting lined up on it as you attempt to cross it. It is not a straight shot onto the bridge from the access so getting lined up is touchy. The crack dictates how, where and when we bridge it. We welcome wheel houses but just saying…….

Fishing reports are spotty. Good catches are coming from the shoreline areas in 29-31 ft. and from some spots on the mudflats. The deep shoreline areas seem to be more consistently good.

Issued by The National Weather Service
Duluth, MN

Wed, Jan 23, 2013, 6:50 AM CST

Updated Jan 23, 2013

… WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 AM CST THURSDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DULUTH HAS ISSUED A WIND CHILL ADVISORY… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 AM CST THURSDAY.

* LOCATION… WALKER… PINE RIVER… BRAINERD LAKES… HILL CITY… AITKIN… PINE CITY AND SANDSTONE.

* WIND CHILL VALUES… EXPECT VALUES OF 25 TO 35 BELOW ZERO.

* IMPACTS… FROSTBITE CAN OCCUR ON EXPOSED SKIN WITHIN 10 TO 15 MINUTES IN THESE CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY MEANS THAT VERY COLD AIR AND STRONG WINDS WILL COMBINE TO GENERATE LOW WIND CHILLS. THIS WILL RESULT IN FROST BITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. IF YOU MUST VENTURE OUTDOORS… MAKE SURE YOU WEAR A HAT AND GLOVES.

Friday January 25th

The cold temps have been steady so the ice conditions have been relatively stable. The crack that opened last weekend as the cold snap hit is now 8ft. wide from original edge to edge. The warming temps later this weekend will no doubt buckle things pretty good as the ice sheet gets bigger again. Thanks for your patience if we are having to work on the bridging over the crack this coming Sunday–for sure.

We got a couple skiffs of snow that has mostly blown of the lake. Snow drifts around the houses are hard and deep but cross country travel in all directions is good to go due to no snow and almost glare ice.

The drifts have caused some flooding so if you have any doubts about how high your house is blocked, raise it before you drill holes.

Fishing reports are about the same, “good”, bad”, “great”, “slow” and some even “nothing”. Deep water (29-30ft.) along shore still is more consistently good than the mudflat bite. Rattle reels are still out fishing the jiggers.

Thanks everyone!

Issued by The National Weather Service
Duluth, MN

Mon, Jan 28, 2013, 4:11 AM CST

Updated Jan 28, 2013, 5:10am CST

… WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON… … WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS CANCELLED…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DULUTH HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH FOR HEAVY SNOW AND A WINTRY MIX… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

* LOCATION… PINE RIVER TO THE BRAINERD LAKES REGION OF EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

* SNOW AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS… SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM 5 TO 7 INCHES ACROSS THE BRAINERD LAKES REGION FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. THERE IS ALSO THE POTENTIAL FOR A COUPLE HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH OF ICE ACCUMULATION BEFORE THE SNOW BEGINS THIS AFTERNOON.

* IMPACTS… LIGHT ICE ACCUMULATIONS FOLLOWED BY SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS WILL RESULT IN SLIPPERY ROADS AND HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW… SLEET… OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.

Tuesday January 29th

Finally we have a little snow that stuck on the ice and didn’t blow away. A whole inch(or less). Cross country travel remains fine without plowing but we have now scraped a path out to mudflat country that will maintain from now on. The only active crack in our areas is the one we have bridged along shore, that is changing with every big temp swing. Thanks for everyone’s patience as we work on keeping the bridge usable.

Drifting around the houses is causing some flooding so either block things up more or have the house moved to greener pasture. Plowing those drifts ( on the north and west side of the houses will only make bigger drifts and more weight on the ice.

Fishing reports ate stable. Many are catching a few along shore in 28-30ft. and some are gettng good numbers on small spots out the various mudflats. Plain hook and bobber rigs are still are out pacing the jigs.

Friday February 1st

Obviously, we have been reminded the past ten or more days that this is winter on Lake Mille Lacs.

With a dusting of snow the past couple days and a huge northwest wind howling across the ice, there is a fair amount of drifting on the ice nowadays. Cross country travel is fine as long as you pay attention to where you stop, avoiding any drifts as you go. The ice is now white with snow covering what has been bare ice all winter. In fact, we now have enough snow to scratch real roads out to the fishing grounds.

The light snow and big winds again piled up drifts on the west and north sides of the perm houses. If you are smart, and have any doubts if you are blocked high enough, add blocking before you drill new holes. The banking that has been around the houses, due to the rain earlier, is almost solid ice, so it is quite a chore to break some of the houses loose–just to block them up more. But at least there is now plenty of banking snow close by each house!

The cold snap has again opened a wide crack close to shore that we have bridged. PLEASE–only ONE VEHICLE NEAR OR ON THE BRIDGE at one time and go very slowly over the bridge! You are driving on water– not pavement! SLOW…thanks!

The cold snap slowed the walleye bite some but fish are getting caught. Same patterns and areas as the past few weeks. The warming trend for the coming weekend could be better.

Caution advised!!

Earlier we said cross country travel is not an issue. Our guys on the ice have just discovered a LIVE crack several inches wide and growing, about 2-3 miles from shore—running SE to NW. Mid-Resort Flat level from shore. Where it goes to the east or west from there, we have no idea.

SO! We it bridged it on our road so perm houses can get in and out, at least for now, that have houses beyond that point. BE VERY AWARE OF THIS NEW CRACK THAT IS OPEN AND LIVE IN MUDFLAT COUNTRY.

Will it heal up soon? Who knows but for now…be very careful while off road traveling this weekend. This cold weather creates unexpected traps just like this. Big surprise to us…

We now two bridges in place. One by shore and one out on the new crack. All is fine on our roads! Thanks for your patience…as we will ALWAYS err on side of caution.

Wednesday, February 6th

The report is almost the same as the recent past ones.

The ice is still almost snow free with some drifting mixed in. Cross country travel is fine if you watch for the drifts and avoid them, especially when and where you stop. Between the few drifts, the snow is about an inch deep.

There are no live cracks as of now in our area but with the warming trend, the ice is bound to shift somewhere in the next day or two.

Attention permanent house owners! Be sure to start planning on how you are going to get your house loose, blocked and ready to pull off the ice in the next couple weeks. If you don’t plan on using the house from now on or after your next trip, get it ready to pull and let us know you are ready. Don’t wait until the last minute since the banking is tougher to break out of this year than most years due to the rain we had earlier.

Fishing reports from the past few days have been good one day and tough the next. Rentals have had 15 plus fish days recently and slow days mixed in as well. The bigger numbers of fish are coming from the 30 ft. areas along shore.

Issued by The National Weather Service
Duluth, MN

Fri, Feb 8, 2013, 4:44 AM CST

Updated Feb 8, 2013, 5:00am CST

… WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DULUTH HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH FOR HEAVY SNOW AND POSSIBLE BLOWING SNOW… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON.

* LOCATION… BRAINERD LAKES TO THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER

* TIMING… LIGHT SNOW IS POSSIBLE SATURDAY NIGHT WITH HEAVY SNOW EXPECTED SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT.

* SNOW/ICE ACCUMULATIONS… 6 OR MORE INCHES.

* WINDS/VISIBILITY… NE 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 20 MPH. VISIBILITY MAY LOWER TO ONE HALF MILE OR LESS.

* IMPACTS… TRAVEL CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE SUNDAY AS ROADS BECOME SNOW COVERED AND SLIPPERY. BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW MAY RESULT IN WHITE OUT CONDITIONS IN SOME AREAS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW… SLEET… OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.
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coming up this weekend. how much snow did you get up there this last weekend?

About 8-9 inches.

We will update the conditions later Wednesday.

Thanks

Wednesday February 13th

We got about 8 or more inches of snow over the past few days and wind with it. All the roads disappeared but are now open to all the areas previous to the snow. Driveways to perms will be done, hopefully, by the weekend. Please call if you are coming up earlier than Friday so we can get your driveway on a to do list. Be sure to re-block your houses before you drill holes if you have any doubts of how high you are!

So–roads to Eileens, Resort, Weimer, Bombeck, Fish House and Pantry are open.

That said, off road travel will be very limited at best with all the drifts now in place. If you venture off road, be ready to dig yourself out…do you have a shovel and tow strap?

To avoid getting stuck, travel past where you want to stop and circle around back into your original tracks and then stop, so you have a way out. DON”T STOP AND EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO START GOING AGAIN WITHOUT MAKING THAT TRACK FIRST.

Fishing was okay for some over the past few days. Others not so good. Spotty?

Thanks for everyone’s patience dealing with the fresh snow!

Wednesday February 20th

Heading into the final weekend report:

Big NW winds the past couple days have created more and bigger drifts. Our roads are opened to the south tip of Eileens, running by Weimer, Bombeck, Resort and Fish House flats. We might have a trail plowed to Pantry and Fletcher by the weekend as well. Roads at the 30 ft. level run east and west along shore too.

Off road travel is doable but hard, frozen drifts are scattered around and quite a few spots where big fish houses sat over winter are now vacant and potential traps to drive into. The road banks have low spots to break out of the road if need be. Even on cloudy days, polaroid sun glasses will allow you see the drifts easier in the process of trying to avoid getting stuck. 4 wheel drive in bigger SUV’s or pick-ups is a must. Cars will not work off road anymore this year.

Fishing reports remain about the same. Our rentals this past week caught quite few big ones including several over 28″ with one 29.5 and one 30″ leading the way.

Houses will be off the lake by Tuesday.