Mille Lacs ready to make ice!

The snow is coming down heavy at times here at Mille Lacs. After this snow fall we should have some good snow cover allowing our temperatures to freeze up the main lake surface. The wind has been blowing hard the last 24-36 hours really mixing up the water which also will leave it prime to form into a sheet of ice. I would quess that when this wind dies down it freeze quickly.

I will keep everyone posted on the most current ice conditions on Mille Lacs Lake……….

Cool pic Bob.. I know you stay on top of the Messenger, have you seen or heard of any new talk or rumors about the slot for next year?

negitive……..I don’t think we’ll here anything till after the first of the year.

From my understanding last year, the slot remains the same for their 5 year plan. The idea was to get away from the constantly moving slot.
I could be wrong, but that was how I took it.

Ya, that’s the understanding I have also……..wait and see?

Bobber, A big “thanks” for keeping us informed on the ice conditions. Was still fishing Mille last week. Just put the boat away on Saturday. Looks like it could be a short stretch between seasons.

Some ice is now forming on the main lake. If the wind would ever stop blowing, I think Mille Lacs would be ready to freeze over!!!! This picture is looking to the NW corner of the lake(Myr-Mar).

BBBBRRRRRRRR!!!!! That looks a mite bit chilly out there!!! Hard to believe 5 weeks ago we were in light jackets trolling in the moonlight out there!

Can you believe that was only 5 weeks ago we were all out there?

Our wind finally let up last night….the temperature was 20 deg’s so we made some ice over night.
Looking out on the lake from my view I see alot of ice. Much of it is pretty broke up.
I think we have a good start now to get the lake frooze up and allow us to get out for some ice fishing in the next couple of weeks. I’ll keep you posted right here!

Glad to see the Bobbercam is up and running.

Thanks, and keep us posted.

Today I have some open water just off shore. The main ice flow has drifted out to the west/nw area of the lake.

Mild temp’s are in the forecast…….that will slow the ice making process.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!

Bobber, any word on the South bays like Isle, Cove or Wahkon?

Today the ice is piling along the shoreline out front. We have strong winds again today. The picture attached show that the ice that is breaking up is around 2-4 inches thick.

Bobbercam Rocks!

I did see some fisherman out in the Isle Bay Saturday and have heard of others making it out in the Wahkon and Cove Bays. The main lake has been still moving with the high winds that this area has been experiencing. I have some large piles out front as the picture attached shows.

I fished a small Bay Sunday for Pike and had pretty good luck. One fish that went 36 inches and a few others over 25. The action was pretty good considering the clear ice, limited snow and how shallow I was fishing.

Out of curiosity, how thick of ice did you have Scott?

We have some ice 6″s thick on the east side, but due to the wind we also have open water too.

I drove by Mille Lacs yesterday. At Garrison there is some Ice by shore, out a few hundred yards, then open water as far as the eye can see. Wigwam Bay was pretty much ice covered. The main part of the lake remains open.

Every other lake I went by farther north was ice covered with the exception of Roosevelt which was completely open (for some reason). Other lakes that ware partially ice covered when I drove by on Thanksgiving were completely ice covered yesterday.

I had about 6 inches, I really didn’t check exactly. If the chisel didn’t go through in one good poke I kept going. I was only out about 100 yards though. Just nice to be on the hard water again!

We have a temperature of ZERO in the Mille Lacs area right now. Calm winds last night should have allowed some open areas on the lake to skim over and where there was ice it should have frooze some also!!!!!!
I’ll keep you posted on fishing the lake this weekend. We might have some walking ice on the main lake by then ????

I did see some fisherman on foot fishing the eastside of Mille Lacs on Saturday. I was down in MPLS and worked the Ice Fishing Show for Otter yesterday. I hope to get out this week and check out the conditions myself. The weather forecast this week calls for colder temps and some snow.