<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mahtofire14 wrote:</div>
After last night I know why no one is on the east side of White Bear. We didn’t get stuck but man was there slush. Good thing we had studs on the sled or we would’ve had problems.This rain won’t help much at all
Should help keep most the pressure off. Been a good season for walking.
Should help keep most the pressure off. Been a good season for walking.
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This I do agree with
New to ice fishing this year. I’ve only been out a few times. Skunked every time. Yet I’m hooked and it’s all I think about.
Maht beach looked rough as an access point a couple weeks ago when we drove by. Not sure there was even parking.
When we used to skate down at the Birchwood rink. There were guys that used the shared access area to get out. Not sure if that was legal unless you were part of that group. No skin in the game so I never asked.
Last week I watched a pickup drive out at Bellaire.
Snow is fine. The slush sucks.
For many hardcore ice fisherman they get by. I am still fishing locally and catching fish, but most say I am crazy. I would say my trips are down 50%.
For anyone wanting to take out family (young or old) … the only option seems to be pay to play. Fine … but I like 2-4 hour trips a half hour or less from my home the majority of the time
Maht beach looked rough as an access point a couple weeks ago when we drove by. Not sure there was even parking.
When we used to skate down at the Birchwood rink. There were guys that used the shared access area to get out. Not sure if that was legal unless you were part of that group. No skin in the game so I never asked.
Last week I watched a pickup drive out at Bellaire.
The east side you will not get far without a sled with studs. Helped a guy and his wife get their 1/2 ton unstuck right when we got out there. Slush is pretty bad out there. Still only about 10 inches of ice on the east side and north arm. Bellaire I’m sure it’s much safer and more packed down because that’s where the masses tend to go.
I’m doing a small tourney out of Bellaire next Saturday. Should I just leave the wheeler at home then and walk out with a smitty? Don’t think we’re allowed to venture much further than that SW part of the lake anyway.
I’m doing a small tourney out of Bellaire next Saturday. Should I just leave the wheeler at home then and walk out with a smitty? Don’t think we’re allowed to venture much further than that SW part of the lake anyway.
I will preface this by saying I haven’t been out from bellaire this year, but there are trucks going out there so I think you’d be ok. I would just watch out if you’re going off the well travelled areas out there and bring chains if you have them. I would assume it’s fairly trampled down.
I appreciate the info. Didn’t realize anyone was driving on in the metro. May just drive then and if I don’t like how it looks just walk it.
The east side you will not get far without a sled with studs. Helped a guy and his wife get their 1/2 ton unstuck right when we got out there. Slush is pretty bad out there. Still only about 10 inches on the east side and north arm. Bellaire I’m sure it’s much safer and more packed down because that’s where the masses tend to go.
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Saw someone’s abandoned pickup buried in ten inches of slush and the wheels had completely frozen into the ice yesterday out of Maht. Looks like a terrible situation. Access is very rough I have seen a load of people get stuck so I just walk. There was about 8-10 inches of frozen slush yesterday I am sure that all melted and is an absolute mess today. I had anywhere from 1-8 inches of slush up in Chisago today.
Slush is definitely going to get worse before it gets better. I still only measured 8 inches of ice on lake in south metro Friday. Don’t see that changing soon. Won’t be driving truck for awhile there. At least I won’t.
The east side you will not get far without a sled with studs. Helped a guy and his wife get their 1/2 ton unstuck right when we got out there. Slush is pretty bad out there. Still only about 10 inches on the east side and north arm. Bellaire I’m sure it’s much safer and more packed down because that’s where the masses tend to go.
Saw someone’s abandoned pickup buried in ten inches of slush and the wheels had completely frozen into the ice yesterday out of Maht. Looks like a terrible situation. Access is very rough I have seen a load of people get stuck so I just walk. There was about 8-10 inches of frozen slush yesterday I am sure that all melted and is an absolute mess today. I had anywhere from 1-8 inches of slush up in Chisago today.
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Yep, Studs were the only reason we got where we needed to go and even that was sketchy. We’d hit the slush (which you can’t see in most spots) start bogging down and sinking until we’d get down the the ice and the studs would finally grab.
The slush has been terrible around Cambridge since the first snow. Hopefully the snow settles down some more before it freezes back up later this week. The ruts are going to be bad if it doesn’t. I have yet to drive my truck out and have stuck with the sxs. The trucks that are driving out look to be getting stuck frequently.
The slush has been terrible around Cambridge since the first snow. Hopefully the snow settles down some more before it freezes back up later this week. The ruts are going to be bad if it doesn’t. I have yet to drive my truck out and have stuck with the sxs. The trucks that are driving out look to be getting stuck frequently.
I hadn’t gotten stuck yet, but I have been testing my suspension a little bit.
Just saw a post that a guy went through on Bald Eagle today. Got himself out and kept fishing so I’m guessing it was shallow. But be careful out there. The ice is really inconsistent in some spots.
Wow, I saw trucks all the way out to the island early morning Saturday on Bald Eagle.
Don’t want to work, just want to fish. Boo this weather.
I could not agree more Deltak. I love late-December and early January ice fishing – LOCALLY – where you need to walk out … no crowds, no trucks, just fishing and usually fish. I have a few trips planned before ice out, but those take bigger blocks of time …
I guess I have now resorted to posting too much on this website and taking a few days to travel far enough away to chase roosters in a land where there was no snow. That story I guess would be best told on a different forum.
I just got home from fishing Crystal lake in Burnsville. Trucks rooting around in the slush.
I wonder if they realize there is only 8” of real ice in many places.
Drilling holes it looks like plenty of ice until you measure the the actual ice thickness.
I am finding similar thickness on other lakes in that area. Won’t catch me driving on 8inches especially this kind of 8 inches.
I drive a half ton on 8 inches, have for 20 years. But not with this heavy slush on top.
I stopped by my fish house yesterday and ended up pulling it off. I feel bad for the guys that had the couple houses near me if they don’t get out in the next day or two before it freezes back up.
I am new to this game. What does this mean? If they don’t pull it off it’ll be stuck in that one spot all winter?
I am new to this game. What does this mean? If they don’t pull it off it’ll be stuck in that one spot all winter?
It means it will be frozen in and they will need to chisel it out.
I had 6″ of blocks under my house and had water up to the frame. The neighboring fish houses had none and had water up past the frame. Not to mention there was close to a foot of water on the road I plowed weeks ago with multiple large holes from the water running down.
Made this smitty sled hack after walking through the slush and snow. Wow what a difference! My buddy and I caught enough keeper crappies for him to take home. Waxies early then minnow heads/tails about 6pm.
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Gregg I’m stealing that idea. Simple and easy
Gregg I’m stealing that idea. Simple and easy
Looks like my smitty! Maybe a little straighter! 
The handyman gene skipped me unfortunately…. 
Is the sled attached to the skis, or just held on by the strap?
Here is another simple smitty. I have since moved rope to ski tips but pretty easy to make. Comes apart east and stores a lot smaller.
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