Ice conditions P9 and P10

I’d like to get out there and fish a few spots – DeSoto bay,New Albin,up farther at Stoddard,an few others – but wonderin’ how much slop is on the ice. I’ve already done enough wading thru deep slush for the year and I don’t like using the snowmobile at late ice. I’d prefer using the Honda 110 ATC but deeper snow/slush make that impractical.

Three hour drive,I’m thinking thursday thru saturday…’Course,I could bring the boat instead.

Anyone willing to offer insight from closer to the river than I’m at?

I was out on Sat around PdC and there was about 12-14 inches of ice…with the cooler temps the slop should not be an issue..
The river had come up a foot from Sat to Mon so the edges might be tough getting on

Good luck

I was down at Cold Springs today, not to fish but just to check it out. The river at Lansing is only up about .6 feet so the shore line is good. When I walked on the ice it was spongy, like some good frozen on top with some slush trapped between. Going down there in the A.M. and then up towards Lansing or Green Lake area to see what it’s like up there. Can report back to you via PM.

I was at New Albin today. As I unloaded the Hovercraft I watched 3 different cars and trucks with fishermen pull up, look at the yellow water soaked snow and a little bit of open water at the bottom of the ramp and leave. I wouldn’t walk or atv on any area with current under it anymore.

Shore lines are chewed up with the influx of recent run-off. Railroad ties are serving more than their design intent in at least one access point I know. Once you get on the ice sheet you are good to go but like Duke said ~ I certainly will not be testing known areas where current lurks below until well after the big freeze in only 10 more short months

Last Friday (before Titan) my daughter and I had a hay-day on 12-inch river slabs.

Thanks,guys.

I was gonna skip the trip thinking if New Albin’s bad,and I’m not hearing much on the perch at Stoddard,and the buddy of mine at DeSoto must not have paid his phone bill (ahem…Jim? lol) so I ain’t gettin’ any firsthand reports…

Then again,it looks like it’s gonna be a bit chilly to be biating,maybe even some sloppy roads.

Friday thru Monday? P8 and P9 instead of heading down to Bagley.

BTW,not a big fan of cleaning panfish so mainly C&R. I’ll keep a few but not a coolerfull.

I’ll still bring the trike but prepared to leave it locked in the truckbed.

Okay seeds, I went to Stoddard today and numerous people were driving cars and trucks onto the ice from the public landing! It is getting slushy at the bottom of the ramp and you would not catch me driving a car or truck out but….an atv, utv should be okay for several days yet. Once out on the ice it is a good 16″ thick. Fishing today was slow but size was very good.

Duke

Thanks Duke….

Called a friend yesterday who happened to be at Stoddard. He “was just gonna call” me… Things had apparently slowed down a bit.

Called another friend who’s kid had reserved the last available room at Water’s edge.

I’ll be somewhere between DeSoto and Goose Island,most likely WI side of the river,this afternoon thru Monday. I’ll be at Stoddard at least some of the time but I’m no fan of crowds… If the ice is OK where-ever I’m at,I’ll be using a Honda 110 atc. if not,it’ll be in the truck,I’ll be on foot.

Just finished my kringle,time to leave.

Hmm…Three days at the river,did OK at best. Trusted the report from New Albin and didn’t venture over there until I was leaving. I’d watched ice leave from a couple other areas so figured the launch area at new Albin would maybe even be open.

Commercial netters had quads parked right next to each other just out from the open water across from the creek. I pulled out the hand auger and it took 27 cranks to get thru the ice. The blades tossed chips,not snow-cone material….That,where there was “open water” just last week. It WAS cold yesterday…

Didn’t have time to fish considering the snow. I shouldn’t have bothered checking but I was curious. Then I was ticked.

I caught some fish this weekend but – don’t worry – I didn’t harvest a single precious fish from P9.

I’ve said for years that the only ice report someone can trust is the sound of his own spud bar hitting the ice. I should listen to my own advice.

Yes,I was safe all weekend. In the future,however,I won’t bother asking current conditions from “locals”. I’ll find out on my own.

Were you on lake onalaska saturday?

Why do I feel like the “local” you’re talking about? Last Tues. I had a hovercraft at New Albin and there was open water at the bottom of the ramp when I came off the ice. Wed. I had it back out and went down to Fish Lake and crossed MN Slough from Bear Paw to Fish and there was a lot of open water and very thin ice bouncing like a trampoline under the hover craft. I feel like I gave an honest report and I don’t care if you take precious fish from pool 9 but it would be best to take them from on top of the ice rather than from under it.