Making Ice in April.

With temps dropping to the single digits and below zero in northern MN, I might still be drilling holes in May.

Eelpoutguy wrote:

With temps dropping to the single digits and below zero in northern MN, I might still be drilling holes in May.

This extended season is AWSOME! I just wish walleye/pike season was still open.

I’m betting I’ll be in a boat on leech lake for opener. Any takers?

The only way you will be fishing from your boat is if you drill a hole thru the bottom of it.

MNdrifter wrote:

This extended season is AWSOME! I just wish walleye/pike season was still open.

Hang in there drifter, there have been other years when folks were still ice fishing for the “open water” opener in May.

Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>MNdrifter wrote:</div>
This extended season is AWSOME! I just wish walleye/pike season was still open.

Hang in there drifter, there have been other years when folks were still ice fishing for the “open water” opener in May.

Wouldn’t that be something!

The ice is all gone in southern Wisconsin but still at 20 plus inches in northern Wisconsin. Crazy year.

I want to get out by Park Rapids next week-I hear ‘bring an extension!” also “accesses are sketchy, don’t drive your truck” Yep I get that both can be true-just crazy.

I barely made it through without an extension on a wright county lake on Thursday. Last weekend I barely made it through on LOTW’s WITH an extension. With the temps it’s going to be here awhile!

Like how the truck is warm inside on those sunny days now. Don’t have to even warm it up.

Couple rain showers, and decent days the ice will be gone before may, I’ll bet on it.

nhamm wrote:

Like how the truck is warm inside on those sunny days now. Don’t have to even warm it up.

Couple rain showers, and decent days the ice will be gone before may, I’ll bet on it.

No say like that.

Eelpoutguy wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>nhamm wrote:</div>
Like how the truck is warm inside on those sunny days now. Don’t have to even warm it up.

Couple rain showers, and decent days the ice will be gone before may, I’ll bet on it.

No say like that.

Yep. Agreed. I’m too lazy to check but ice on opener is VERY rare. The April sun punished the ice quick!

Single digits for lows 6 of the next 7 nights in Hayward. Cabin SZN wont be starting til July this year. I even got the whole week for opener off this year

ClownColor wrote:

I’m betting I’ll be in a boat on leech lake for opener. Any takers?

Won’t take that bet. These guys were out on Mille Lacs opening day May 12, 2013.

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No one cares about ice fishing now. Ready for open water. This has gone on way to long.

Should have figured to have a spring like this after convincing the family we should move our week to opener week this spring.

bradl110 wrote:

No one cares about ice fishing now. Ready for open water. This has gone on way to long.
SOOO not true!!

bradl110 wrote:

No one cares about ice fishing now. Ready for open water. This has gone on way to long.

As much as I love ice fishing I kind of agree. Season ends for the most part after walleye closes, but do enjoy some panfishing through March.

By now though, all the ice fishing equipment has been stored away. Not being able…or even capable of fishing the river, it’s kind of that dead/down time until the opener.

Ready for open water too.

Why are you not capable of fishing the river?

Dusty Gesinger wrote:

Why are you not capable of fishing the river?

I’m the same way. I’ve squeak out on 4” of ice, drove four wheeler 50 yards of water, made 2×6 ramp to get it onto the ice. But moving water scares me. Don’t know why. Maybe something I can’t control or predict? I don’t know? Instilled on me from my father? One summer we tried cat fishing on a local small river in a boat and had a minor catastrophe, and that was the end of that. I’ll bring my kids fishing with me anytime I go if they want to go, but even if I’m shore fishing walleyes in the fall on the same local river they don’t go with me.

Dusty Gesinger wrote:

Why are you not capable of fishing the river?

I have a place at Mille Lacs and that is where I keep my boat. Winter storage is a nice big garage I rent a space that is within a few miles of where I keep my boat during the open water season. Nice garage to store it, but no driveway in and out…just a field. So…right now there is at least a foot of snow over a field that is between the boat and Hwy 18.

So, in short…not coming out until May. And then I’ll just keep it up there.

Guess I’m not incapable of fishing the river. Got on open seat in your boat if your going out on the river?

tim hurley wrote:

I want to get out by Park Rapids next week-I hear ‘bring an extension!” also “accesses are sketchy, don’t drive your truck” Yep I get that both can be true-just crazy.

I drove from Nevis to Park Rapids today and that is definitely true. Anywhere with moving water was opened up (north end of Long Lake and the river leading into Fishhook), but saw a couple people out fishing. I’ll be checking the ice on Belle Taine tomorrow, but expect there is a lot still. Didn’t get much snow last night, and I hope to spend opener up here so I’m thinking warm thoughts!

Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>bob clowncolor wrote:</div>
I’m betting I’ll be in a boat on leech lake for opener. Any takers?

Won’t take that bet. These guys were out on Mille Lacs opening day May 12, 2013.

Yep. That was one of a few years the opener was delayed. I’m still putting money on I’ll be fishing Leech in a boat on opener!

BigWerm wrote:

I’ll be checking the ice on Belle Taine tomorrow, but expect there is a lot still.

Still close to 3 feet of ice, and I felt like Rocky preparing to fight Drago walking down to the lake. Easiy 3 foot snow drifts.

Werm,
They bitin up There?
What was the temp this am?

Andy, there are lots of opportunities for good shore fishing the river. PM me if you want some spots to try. Some are hard to access, some very easy.

Eelpoutguy wrote:

Werm,
They bitin up There?
What was the temp this am?

According to my parents, word around the Muni was the bite has been very slow. I didn’t get out, just relaxed in front of the fireplace where it was warm with the fam. It was around 10 degrees this morning and Very windy.

AUTO_5 wrote:

Andy, there are lots of opportunities for good shore fishing the river. PM me if you want some spots to try. Some are hard to access, some very easy.

Thank You!