Mille Lacs Lake ice update…..

With the high winds we experienced this morning the main lake has broke open. There is a large span of open water now that runs from SE of MyrMar to an area NW of Picard Point near Lakeside 3/4 mile reef. This open area comes up close to shore near the Hogs Back area and then goes back south. Its close to shore up near Fishers and Wilderness areas.

Mille Lacs has had some colder temps that should have froze up the lake, but this shows you that early ice can be very dangerous at any time. The weather forecast for this area tonite calls for below zero temps. We do need colder weather to firm up this lake for the ice fishing season.

The ice on the westside of Mille Lacs is as smooth as a babies butt! and the eastside looks like Antarctica!

We may need to plow roads in the ice to get through it?

I’ll keep you posted on any future changes………

Bobbercam at work Again!!!

So will we be able to get out to the Honeyhole or not?

Adam was out on the North end this am, lots of open water. He is now fishing the West side and reports that the ice is breaking up pretty bad, lots of open water around him.
He picked up a few walleye this AM and a few keeper perch but Lots of small perch. He also said that the ice conditions today were better this AM, but are now getting worse.

Just trying to post a picture before I call it a night. Scott can give an ice update tomorrow.

Wow it worked. The picture doesn’t do the open water justice….you can’t even see the white caps.

Yesterday brought back memories from a ice fishing trip that I made a post about earlier this fall. This time I was viewing the open water from shore. Fishing early ice you must be aware of possible changes in weather and effect it might have on the ice. Yesterday the wind was blowing out of the NW at a steading 20 mph.

I think two things happen with thin ice and high winds. One is the ice gets a wave action from the force on its surface and the other is when the wind will catch hold of it either on the ridges and or ice piles?

Yesterday I was very happy to be in the warmth of my truck and not racing around on the other side of this open mass of water looking to get off the lake……..

Bobber;

Next Saturday, I plan on fishing the cabage bed / breakline by Garrison Creek Marina.

Do you think there will be adequate ice to pull a portable out there (100 to 150 yards from shore).

Well Gary,
The ice “looks” good in the Garrison Bay. There were 3 small houses out in front of Garrison Sports out 2 blocks or so…….and one house just out of the public access on Pikes. This was as of yesterday morning.
I will say this: that they are not going out very far as of yesterday. Not sure how thick the ice is there.

Thanks!

I’ll play it by ear.

We always do well there, trolling in the fall, so we thought that we would try to hit it “first ice”.

Do you know if those fish stay in that general area or not? I do know many folks hit the gravel on the south, and the flats, but I want to hit that cabbage/breakline to see if we can find some action. I’ll have a camera with me, so we should be able to figure it out pretty quick.

Again, thanks!

Stop in to Garrison Sports and ask Greg E. or Kerri H. for info out front. They would know whats going on.

Gary, you will know very quick if the walleye are there. If you still have some standing weeds in that area there will still be fish. However, I am guessing most will be gone by now. It is worth a check though. The good old fall trolling spots are great places to start, especially if we get really early ice.

Thanks Scott, you too Bobber!!!

When those fish leave the weeds from the north end, do they travel to the flats, or head to the local reefs???

Would Myr-Mar and Garrison Reef be ideal choices?

I know I should probably work the southern end of the lake, however I spend most of my fishing on the north end during the summer and fall (primarily chasing muskies)

Thanks again!

Gary, fish the areas you know best. Yes, fish hand on the shallow gravel and weeds as long as there is food present. My first stop after we leave the shallow areas is Rocks or Gravel near deep water. I think the spots you mentioned would be real good