Fished Waubesa on Saturday. Bite was slow but I did have good solid ice all the way across. A tip of the cap for the brave fool who had the ATV out on 4 inches of ice. Found some crappies in 25 feet of water. Monona was ice covered but an opening exists in the middle. Mendota is wide open water from where I can see it a little ice in the north bay.
Thanks for the info!
Good to know..thanks. Does Waubesa generally get crowded on weekends? I’m trying to find a place to avoid the Delavan mess.
There are some “community spots” that get a bit crowded. I avoid those spots generally and do quite well.
Someone else can confirm…. most of the chain is ATV W/Floats only. I think it may be different on Waubesa….. when the ice firms up. Just bringing up before anyone makes a haul. I’d tend to think the most popular access is from Babcock park.
Once things lock up even more…. is there a good access point onto Upper Mud Lake? Does the ice become questionable over the deep portion on the east side, and lastly, can you use an ATV there without floats? Fished in a boat, and I’d think it would be a good spot to get away from crowds on the ice if access was possible.
Why does it take Mendota so long to lock up?
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Why does it take Mendota so long to lock up?
Historically, it locks up a few nights (within a week) after Monona does. Size/shape I’m sure contributes. Since its more round than elongated, prevailing winds or even just a slight breeze will keep a chop on it. Also being as far south in WI as it it, we usually don’t see the single digit nights until much later into Dec and sometimes Jan.
Central state… and very deep and a pretty good sized body of water. Like Lake Geneva a ways south… it could be weeks there.
No floats required on Waubesa. I don’t know how to get to Mud from Waubesa. There are tracks to cross and only one small bridge to access Mud and it has a lot of current running through it. The best access are Goodland park or Lake Farm. Babcock is the last place I would get on due to the open water. Mendota is 10K acres. It just takes longer due to the volume of water.
From what I read on another site is that there is no good access to mud lake (with or without quad) since the “tank farm” closed the private access. To get out there you have to come up from Waubesa and walk over the tracks, which is trespassing. I’ve also heard that you can manage a quad over those tracks, and some crazies have even run them wide open under the trestles on good ice years.
I remeber reading somewhere that the DNR was considering purchasing an easement somewhere for upper mud.
Jake,
Could we get a scientific synopsis of why Mendota takes so long to freeze? and possibly mix in your views on the recent coaching moves made by the Chicago Bears?
Yeah the only way to access mud is to walk from green lantern on waubesa then cross the tracks and then walk through the woods. I’ve made the trek a couple times in the past few years and a trek it is but it can be worth it. 
They are taking 4 wheelers to mud my buddy said a guy told him that they jump the tracks and it is not as steep as years past. I USED TO BE ONE OF THE GUYS THAT DRoVE UNDER THE BRIDGE TIL THEY DREDGED IT OUT. It was way safer than going over the tracks.
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