Minnesota Fishing Opener, Ice or no Ice?

With the recent temps, temps coming and thickness.

Whats the verdict that there will be some parts of the states that will still have ice on them for the opener?

I heard today that the heat is supposed to hit us in 10 days… If it gets warm like they forecast, I think there is a very strong chance there will be open water in Alexandria come opener.

If it gets warm and rains.

I am saying “no” for Vermilion and most of the Arrowhead.

Arrowhead region is going to be interesting if it doesn’t warm up and get some rain and wind.

DaveB wrote:

I am saying “no” for Vermilion and most of the Arrowhead.

It’ll be interesting but I think it’s only happened 6 or 7 times since the 1900’s…I’m betting you’ll make it (Interesting enough, it’s happened more so in recent years)!

I vote we delay opener two weeks! Everyone email your legislators!!!

All depends on where you are going. South of Mille Lacs and say, St Cloud, I think will be opened up. Northern MN will have some lakes open, some not, and a lot of ice/slush left on some lakes. 60% of the time, I’m right every time…

1 tons driving on Mille Lacs yet… 4/2/18…. fishing opener 5/12/18… hmmmm 1 month 10 days… gonna be close for sure. I say we need above average temps, rain and lots of wind.

LOL No poop?

big_g wrote:

1 tons driving on Mille Lacs yet… 4/2/18…. fishing opener 5/12/18… hmmmm 1 month 10 days… gonna be close for sure. I say we need above average temps, rain and lots of wind.

I’d say the big lakes such as Leech and Mille Lacs will still have ice. LOW will be open through the gap but main lake will have ice.
Long range forecast shows hardly any days before May 5th even getting above 65 in the cities, so without a bunch of rain, there won’t be much ice moving.

big_g wrote:

1 tons driving on Mille Lacs yet… 4/2/18

It will depend on where you are. I think it will be open in time.

According to this, it has happened three times in the last 10 years!

http://www.lakevermilion.com/iceout/index.html

Although some of those years, we had fishable water and Big Bay had ice.

How bad was 1950 to have it ice out at the end of May?

Northern tier I say ice on opener for many lakes. I have seen it twice near Red in the last 15 years.
If opener weren’t so late it would be even more likely.

The meteorologist on the radio said, “Everyone thinks it’s sooo cold but really the temps were very average for March.” I guess we are just getting soft.

Check your calendar Joe….its April. lol I’m tired of this winter and I don’t worry about the opener.

that may be, but the current thickness of really good ice takes time.

A guy brought the subject up on another site a few weeks ago.

I was pretty skeptical at the time…..but if this keeps up we won’t have open water until The Fourth Of July

Talked to a guy Friday who’s brother was on LOTW last week. They had 52″ of ice and temps were going to be near zero this weekend.

Mille Lacs will NOT be open and I am already making other plans.

Joe Scegura wrote:

The meteorologist on the radio said, “Everyone thinks it’s sooo cold but really the temps were very average for March.” I guess we are just getting soft.

It’s the super cold February that’s pushing everything behind schedule, we would have made more progress in March if it weren’t for that. The below average temps for the next 10 days aren’t gonna help either.

It’s definitely gonna depend on where you fish to see if you have open water, IMO anything north of the March 1/March 15 fish house pull line will be close. SD border opener on 4/21 will likely be on ice, if that ice is safe.

I’m seriously doubting the bigger lakes, Mille Lacs, Leech and north will be open by May 12. On Mille Lacs, it’s going to be awhile before the snow is gone and even start working on the ice.

No one will be complaining about the late opener in 3 years when we are catching the 2018 class of walleyes on Mille lacs because the tribe didn’t spear momma when she was spawning.

I’m predicting no ice out in MN this year due to climate change.

I hope it is off. We have the week of opener off.

lindyrig79 wrote:

I’m seriously doubting the bigger lakes, Mille Lacs, Leech and north will be open by May 12. On Mille Lacs, it’s going to be awhile before the snow is gone and even start working on the ice.

This is also probably correct, the smaller lakes will likely be where it’s at on opener.

All you northerners will be coming down to my neck of the woods. Preparing now for busier ramps in Southern MN!

Tuma wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>big_g wrote:</div>
1 tons driving on Mille Lacs yet… 4/2/18

It will depend on where you are. I think it will be open in time.

I haven’t been up lately but hearing from folks is that it hasn’t even started to melt. Even the shorelines are still holding up.
More ice out there now than January.
Although I wouldn’t drive out there now.

i was up to mille lacs last week end fished a small lake near by if there would have been one more inch of ice i would have needed an extension and i did drive out the shore line on mille lacs looks the same as it did 2 weeks ago. andy we need to meet up i have aplace next to the reddoor

mcrew wrote:

andy we need to meet up i have aplace next to the reddoor

Oh? Well we missed you then at the GTG out of Red Door in February?
Maybe that didn’t work for you that time. But yea…I’ll send you a PM. Plenty of times it’s just me when I get up there…sometimes I’m looking for someone to visit with.