Duluth Ice

Well as of noon today we had fish-able ice at the lester, french and there is still ice at 21st but no one was out there.

Lester river –> The ice is anywhere from 1 to 3 inches with some shelf ice under it. It is a little hairy getting out on it but once you on it its good. I broke through by shore but its only a foot or so deep. There are some loopers being caught. Cloudy days seem to be best. Early morning and around the 3 o’clock hour have been best. Anywhere from 1 to 10 fow has been producing. Lures include any type of hair jig, with or without bait.

French River –> I did not see the ice personally today, but talked to guys who did. You have to wade out into the lake to get onto the ice. Ice is 1 to 3 inches. People are also shore fishing. There have been some good reports lately.

I dont know how long this ice is going to hold. Currently we have a W wind at 5 to 10 mph. The crack runnning next to shore that would be the culprit if the ice moved out got 2 inches bigger just in the 3 hours i was out today. And its nearing 45 degrees right now. Sounds like that with is going to be se tomorrow so that will be good. I will be on the ice early so i will give an update when i get off. Stay safe (and dry lol)

Thanks for the update

I may make a trip up this weekend if the ice holds.

If you bring a canoe with, would it be any safer?

not really unless you are going into deep water. If you are going to fall through, you will do it walking out. A canoe is really only a good idea if you are going far out and the ice moves out so you can paddle back and not have to call the CG. Hopefully the ice will still be here this weekend.

Haha, yeah when i was walking back out after going up to your truck with you. I was in one spot this morning where a guy walked by me and the ice was shooting up and down in my hole, just like when a vehicle drives by, but it was a 150 pound guy. Thats when ya know you have thin ice! lol. If you would jump up and down in alot of the areas you would break thru. Be sure to walk light, because the ice is 3 inches here and 1 or 2 there. Due to shelf ice you get these fluctuations.

I heard a rumor some fish were being caught too

******As of right now, i would be catious if you are planing to ice fish tomorrow. Looking at the forecase, this 20 mph east wind is going to switch to 20 to 30 mph out of the SW tonight and it will be 20 to 30 out of the NW tomorrow.****

This is the type of wind that sends people out to sea, so please use caution. Im guessing with tomorrow being a saturday there will be alot of people out trying to fish and if this ice moves it will be bad. Along the lester river there is a 4 inch crack running up and down the beach so that ice IS NOT locked into shore. The french will probably be toast by this evening if not right now with the east wind.

So use caution and be safe. If you are heading up, throw a long rod in with your ice gear. Or i should say throw a ice rod in with your shore fishing gear because if this forecast is right, this ice will be gone very fast.

Thanks for the report. The forecast itself is the reason I wont be headed up. Even if there was 8″ of ice. Shore casting might get me up there in the next couple weeks.

How does it look today?

no ice at all I’m at Lester now

Well shore fishermen, your time has come. From The Lester on up, shes all yours. I was surprised to see that ice last 5 days, it was sure nice to get out on it while it lasted. I suppose now i can spill the beans on what was working huh? lol.

Pretty slow down at the Lester this morning. Coho’s are biting up at the french. Wont be long and we will be trolling out there.

Due to light winds overnight, the lester had too much skim ice to fish this morning. Id guess by noon it will be good to go.