Midwest Ice

I am curious of tracking ice conditions of Iowa, SD, ND and MN… We are getting some sheet ice in NW iowa. but looking for an adventure.

Nothing in NE MN that I’m aware of. Also still going to be a few weeks, maybe month+ for a where in the metro area based on past knowledge and current conditions.

I know some guys are on 3-4 inches but they’re north of the boarder and pretty far north. I’m thinking mid Dec again for most of MN unless it really starts getting cold.

Nothing too much in the Bemidji, MN area. Some of the small ponds have had ice on and off but it’s been so windy as of late no time for water to not be moving.

The ponds around Farmington locked up last night

Awesome!! Thank you. NW Iowa small ponds are locking up, the wind has delayed it a bit.

portions of tonka are froze over this morning

I think the water temps are there. Just need some cold and calm.

A couple smaller lakes near me in the north metro were locked up on Friday to my surprise. Made it through the warmer day yesterday too.

well if this wind doesnt take a chill pill soon………and i suspect with all this wind the water will be all stirred up and dirty. kinda bites when your a spear chucker!!!!!!!!

Feathers wrote:

Most of the lakes in northern MN where I’m at are locked up. Not the big deep ones of course. Cold temps today, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday should make for plenty of fishable lakes by turkey day. Game on!

where are you at feathers??????

our cabin is about 7-8 miles from the north end of bowstring lake!!!!!

thats awesome to hear….i wont be up till dec 8th………….

I’m booked on red for nov 30th. I’ll give it 50/50 at this point. Itching to try the livescope I picked up…

We have had a few ponds lock up here in SE SD but have all blown open with the swings in temps. Was hoping to head north day after Thanksgiving but may be getting the boat back out and heading to the Missouri river. Thanks for the updates keep us posted!

Just drove by a small pond in NE Illinois. Thin ice near shore. It’s a start.

Seen a guy out on Lake Alice, had tip ups out. I checked a spot fish often Wednesday, had a couple inches just off the dock, but got to be less as I went, will check tomorrow, with predicted lows near zero here in Northern Wi, should be able to fish tomorrow

Eric Hammerud wrote:

I’m booked on red for nov 30th. I’ll give it 50/50 at this point. Itching to try the livescope I picked up…

you won’t need it there. if you are fishing on the 30th, you will be in 4 feet of water if you are lucky

There are resorts open tomorrow to 8’ or so on URL with foot traffic and 4.5-5” of ice. Ironically there are also resorts reporting 3-4” nearby who are NOT opening to foot traffic until next week. I’m sure there will be some great reports, and I’m sure there will be some terrible ones with crowds caused by only some resorts opening and cloudy water.

We’re giving URL a go this year, but we’re giving it some time to let the water clear a little for a couple weeks. With all the wind over the last 10 days, that water has to be pretty stirred up. Getting away from crowds on the earliest ice out there with foot traffic only is tough too. Cracks, and the sheer pain of walking over a mile and still potentially being crowded are not worth it for me.

There is not much happening further south on Pool 4 yet for ice. Skim ice keeps getting blown off all but the smallest of sheltered sloughs. Water temps are there, but the wind has rarely been under 8-10mph even at night for the last week. Today & Tonight will put out a nice coating of skim ice everywhere, but the forecast has a lot of days slightly above freezing with mild nights still to come.

eyeguy507 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Eric Hammerud wrote:</div>
I’m booked on red for nov 30th. I’ll give it 50/50 at this point. Itching to try the livescope I picked up…

you won’t need it there. if you are fishing on the 30th, you will be in 4 feet of water if you are lucky

They were in 8 ft yesterday. I’ll be up the 2nd to the 8th

Got up to the cabin at 4 last night.
Roosie was wide open, as the sun was setting the bay started to lock up. By 8 or so the bay was covered with a thin sheet of ice.
Very cool to watch the lake freeze over.

Westwind is already closed after opening this morning. I’ve got a couple buddies up there who said fishing was mediocre with cloudy water and people setting up close, but haven’t heard anything as to why that access is closed. I’d assume the sheet moved?

buckybadger wrote:

Westwind is already closed after opening this morning. I’ve got a couple buddies up there who said fishing was mediocre with cloudy water and people setting up close, but haven’t heard anything as to why that access is closed. I’d assume the sheet moved?

Wind is not in there favor. I’ve never enjoyed fishing from that area.

I think their parking is full.

Ripjiggen wrote:

I think their parking is full.

They’re dealing with an active crack. The people I spoke with were out of Hillmans and another out of Westwind. The ones out of Westwind were just inside the crack and said fishing started ok and quickly became tough as it became crowded. They also noted people arguing with resort workers about the crack…shocker.

Enough ice now in the Tomahawk area on some lakes, drilled some holes late this morning, it did thin out and had to stop, but were going to try the afternoon walleye bite, and listen to the Badger’s on the radio

They were fishing around my cabin over the weekend on various lakes. I walked a ways out on my lake but its a flowage with current and a little dicey even for me. I could see schools of minnows below me which was exciting knowing it will hold the good fish in my area longer but she cracked on me a ways out and I high tailed it back to shore. My wife was hanging out the door the whole time begging me not to try.

3 – 4 inches this weekend and open water in the middle of the lake.

Fished a solid 4 to 5 with open water near

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They were ice fishing Two different small lakes near where I was hunting Sat. and Sunday. This was in the Browerville / Long Prairie area. People I spoke with said there was 3-5′ Of ice. Looking at the forecast for this week I don’t think the area will make much additional ice but probably won’t lose any either. Looks like by friday the night temps will be back to ice making temps again. May have to bring the ice rods with when heading back north to Muzzleload hunt next weekend. Fish Mornings and Hunt evenings – Sounds like a good plan to me.

Fished 4 inches of ice in eastern ND and western MN over the last week. Still lots of water being kept open by wind and birds.