Leech/Winnie Opener Ice Free?

What are we thinking? Do we have open water for the opener or are we dodging ice chunks?

My guess is they are both ice free the tuesday/wednesday before opener.

Hard to say, but they should be open by then. Bowen Lodge on Winnie reported that the ice is starting to turn dark.

Wondering the same thing but on vermillion. Extended forecast is not looking favorable but things can change fast.

One of the resorts posted yesterday that they still had 17” of hard ice on leech yet

i’h headed up that direction in the morning ……….if i get service i can give you an idea what its like.

Williams narrows resort (cut foot sioux) has several web cams at their resort. I look at them daily hoping the ice magically disappears. It hasn’t yet… A lot can change buy opener, but it isn’t looking good right now…

Matt

It can go fast if we get another warm snap but time’s running out!

I found this link for helping to predict ice out.
Going by the Wunderground forecast for Park Rapids they will have 210.5 thaw days on May 3rd.
So there is still open ice will be off just in time for opener.

https://seagrant.umn.edu/programs/recreation-and-water-safety-program/mn-ice-ice-out

We should be good to go. The last round of warm temps helped greatly. Any lake smaller area lake with a current will open up soon. I’m just off the 6th Crow and is opening more by the day.

Leisure Outdoors Adventures posted a video yesterday that Winnie is still locked up tight and they heard over 20″ of ice on the main lake still. That said the extended forecast looks pretty decent, and I’d guess she will open up within a week of opener.

Matt M wrote:

Williams narrows resort (cut foot sioux) has several web cams at their resort. I look at them daily hoping the ice magically disappears. It hasn’t yet… A lot can change buy opener, but it isn’t looking good right now…

Matt

i look at that one often also, especially this time of year as well as first ice. we have a cabin not far from there.

Geigers resort on bowstring has one as well, as does Lakewood lodge on sand lake……

Isn’t there a walleye tournament on vermillion like right after opener.

Charles wrote:

Isn’t there a walleye tournament on vermillion like right after opener.

Is this the one you are thinking of? Its Sat, May 20. One week after opener.

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Same question every year, same answer every year. yes, Ice will be out. Maybe a day or 2 before, but it’ll be out.

KPE wrote:

Same question every year, same answer every year. yes, Ice will be out. Maybe a day or 2 before, but it’ll be out.

This^

Happens every year. It will be out. Couple days of rain over the next week +.

KPE wrote:

Same question every year, same answer every year. yes, Ice will be out. Maybe a day or 2 before, but it’ll be out.

Sorry we are excited….

I will be sure to post this again next year.

Temps bumping the 50’s for the week along with some rain ought to turn the ice black pretty soon I’m thinking

Leech at the city park, tight to shore

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Leech Lake TV also has a live Tower cam that scans the lake.

http://63.142.190.238:6120/mjpg/video.mjpg

There was 17″ of ice on forest lake 6 days before ice out this year.

Raining up there right now so that should help!!!!!

Matt

I’m currently just north of bowstring. When I drove up Tuesday Jessie lake was still tight up to shore.the lake we are on ice still iced up but the shoreline ice is mush and it got dark big time since I’ve been here. After Brainerd there wasnt much for open water.

As is often the case its going to be close. With the forecast I’m seeing for that area I’d say really close this year. I think it will be off, but not by more than a few days. I got a picture from a buddy a few years ago of them sitting on the ice with a beer in one hand and a Ice rod in the other on opening day. It does happen.

Bowstring looking dark and just starting to pull away from the shore out front of our place. Not as fishable (on ice) as the live cam at Geiger’s made it look just a couple of days ago. This area should be ok for opener.

Leech ice is getting darker. Warm daytime temps for the most part in the coming week

Timbuktu Marina on Lake V is reporting that Oak Narrows is wide open.

Here’s the view from a minute ago on my Ring cam looking N towards Niles Point.

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Beauty of a spot Brian. Love that lake. Wish I had a pulley dock that just cranks up like that. Haven’t really seen those anywhere in Minnesota but there. How are they to deal with?

How are they to deal with? As easy as writing a check every spring and fall.

Most people, including myself, use a service.

This comes up every year and the answer is the same 99% of the time. Yes leech will be open water for opener.

2 things are true when it comes to ice. People overestimate how long it takes for a lake to freeze and be walkable and people overestimate how long it takes a lake to open back up.

Avg ice out for leech is April 28th. Obviously late this year. My guess is it is open by May 8th

Out front of my cabin, about 1/2 mile below stony point.

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