ice

does anyone know how much ice Mille Lacs has ?

enough to walk in most spots close to shore. it varies so much over the whole lake that giving a number isn’t possible.

we still had open water in some spots yesterday. The wind FINALLY died down last night….I’m hoping that it froze up overnight….we light south winds right now.

With no snow on “week old” shoreline ice that surely reaches fishable depths in many stretches around the lake, I am sure there is 5 or more inches in those areas.

But Bob is right. Big sections of the lake had whitecaps on it as of dark last night(Monday). The winds died and the single digit temps surely iced over those open areas again in short order. Hopefully! One of these days it will STAY frozen over the entire lake long enough and the risk of a main sheet shift will be over until April. As of today, the risk of a main sheet shift is HUGE. The new ice is probably an inch or less, and is very vulnerable to a big wind from ANY direction. Unfortunately, the wind is gonna blow hard from the WNW later today and tomorrow again behind the most recent clipper. But temps will be COLD–until Friday and then warm up. Will the new ice hold up? Hope so! But I will not bet on it.

So….stay on the DOWN WIND end of the lake on that shoreline related ice and pay close attention to FORECASTED wind direction. Even the thicker ice along shore can break loose and go sailing out to sea with you on it. Don’t be idiots like Fellegy’s and get caught on it— 3 times! The last time we were on 8 inches of ice with the SAME exact lake-wide scenario we have now…and crossed a 1/2 mile of open water to get home!

All for a fish…

Steve Fellegy

218-678-3103

Great having you and Bobber keeping us posted on the Ice conditions and senarios from the Pond. I wish that wind would stay down but with those clippers coming thru it brings the cooler temps also. Thanks for the reports guys.

As the sun sets (Tuesday the 5th), Mille Lacs held pretty tough through heavy south winds. There were still open football field size or bigger patches of water dotting the main lake, including areas around the “East Flat” out from Red Door, within a half mile of shore in Garrison Bay and several spots along the west half of the lake including a mile long 20yd. wide streak across St. Albins Bay–about a half mile off shore starting at Pike Point heading south.

That all said…if the big NW wind coming in behind the clipper tomorrow doesn’t rip it open as it did the past few days, I think the main sheet will survive until April.
If things are still “tight” by dark tomorrow, the forecast looks good for getting enough ice to hold for good. With some luck…the lake should be stable by Friday–even with the warming trend on it’s way.

What does THAT mean? Stable? It should stay froze–no more waves. Does that mean it will be safe this weekend? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!!

By the weekend, ice that was in place the past week will be 6 inches thick or a shade more. Ice that formed SINCE Monday(yesterday) morning will be only 3-5 inches thick. That means in many places, “shoreline” ice will be fine for walking and ATV’s but will thin waaay down as you go out on to the “new” ice. Which by the way…is within 200yds of shore in a few places.

I might sneak out and take a “poke” tomorrow. But with a NW wind howling…it won’t be for long as the boat ain’t handy!

That’s the latest as I see it.

Steve Fellegy
218-678-3103

thanks for the info. i hope to make up to the lake in the next week. also looking forward to the get together.

Thanks for taking the time to post these reports Steve!