March is just around the corner. Hopefully this year will be another year we have a March ice out date at Birchdale.
So far for the month of February we have had zero days of 30 or above in Baudette. Looks like next week will change that.
Looking at my spreadsheet covering the last 12 years. We have had 2 years with zero days with day time highs hitting 30 our better for February. 2019 Birchdale access was open on March 28th and 2015 Birchdale access was open on March 23rd.
Oh buddy. Mason and I can not wait. Hope to see you up there again.
Oh buddy. Mason and I can not wait. Hope to see you up there again.
I can’t wait either.
Yeah I hope to see you two as well.
Right now I am planning on staying at Birchdale again.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
Oh buddy. Mason and I can not wait. Hope to see you up there again.I can’t wait either.
Yeah I hope to see you two as well.
Right now I am planning on staying at Birchdale again.
We will be there as well. Hoping to get one of the same campsites as last time. You’ll have to come on over for a beer and some food again. My boat didn’t crack a 30 last year but we landing 2 29.5s hoping to see the kid crack a 30 this year.
Before the end of March is still doable but it’s not gonna be like last year. Last year was one of the earliest.
Seem to remember the river opened and then froze over again last year. We got in on the 2nd time it opened and what a bite it was. Sure hope it’s something close to last year but you never know on the Rainy.
Before the end of March is still doable but it’s not gonna be like last year. Last year was one of the earliest.
Yes last winter was a crazy warm winter. Birchdale access was open for boats on March 12th last year. We had 30 days with day time highs of 30 or above in February and March up till access open date.
There is more to it than warm sunny days though. 2016 we had a march 14th date for the access being open with only 17 days above 30 for February and March up till access open date.
Seem to remember the river opened and then froze over again last year. We got in on the 2nd time it opened and what a bite it was. Sure hope it’s something close to last year but you never know on the Rainy.
I do know I won’t get sucked in to those rocks again, not only did that suck, it was also embarrassing. Lol
I hope I’m wrong but I think there will be a very short river season this year. It’s been a long time since we’ve had this much ice. I’ll take what I can get though. Trip to Chamberlain after our season ends and a couple to Green Bay will scratch the itch until Minnesota opens again.
Pretty sure nobody noticed you over there.
Few days later watched one of the so called guides up there run the bow of his boat into the rocks on the corner up there. Pretty sure I’ve never seen a boat go 4 wheeling like that.
only been that far upstream a couple of times what rocks are you talking about ?
also cant remember what ramp is it where the kids on golf cart and 4 wheeler give you ride to ur trucks for cash?
Birchdale
only been that far upstream a couple of times what rocks are you talking about ?
Near the Rapids. And yes birchdale is the golf cart kids.
If you are there i always support the old lady at the birchdale store and buy her home baked goodies.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>grizzly wrote:</div>
only been that far upstream a couple of times what rocks are you talking about ?Near the Rapids. And yes birchdale is the golf cart kids.
If you are there i always support the old lady at the birchdale store and buy her home baked goodies.
Thanks guys and hope to be back there this year and will try to remember the baked goods, always need some good snacks
Missed all the fun last year so I am itching to get up there this year. New rig to run the river with also. Maybe I can even find your rock pile Bearcat.
Missed all the fun last year so I am itching to get up there this year. New rig to run the river with also. Maybe I can even find your rock pile Bearcat.
I also picked up a smaller boat to bring up there,16.5 alumacraft so i dont have to dodge ice and logs with my Warrior. will also use this for lakes around home and fishing river in SD. bring on the warmer weather
Missed all the fun last year so I am itching to get up there this year. New rig to run the river with also. Maybe I can even find your rock pile Bearcat.
Oh she’s a dandy if a rock pile. Get to close and she’ll suck you right in. I had to hop in the river to push my boat off the rocks, all while my kid was teasing me
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>CBMN wrote:</div>
Missed all the fun last year so I am itching to get up there this year. New rig to run the river with also. Maybe I can even find your rock pile Bearcat.I also picked up a smaller boat to bring up there,16.5 alumacraft so i dont have to dodge ice and logs with my Warrior. will also use this for lakes around home and fishing river in SD. bring on the warmer weather
I went a step further and picked up an Alumacraft 1756 jon with a jet outboard, already had a little 16′ with a 25 hp but I wanted something a bit different.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>CBMN wrote:</div>
Missed all the fun last year so I am itching to get up there this year. New rig to run the river with also. Maybe I can even find your rock pile Bearcat.Oh she’s a dandy if a rock pile. Get to close and she’ll suck you right in. I had to hop in the river to push my boat off the rocks, all while my kid was teasing me
Burrr! buddy of mine had to get in the river last spring to push his Ranger off a sandbar up in Sd.It was cold as hell
We went over to LOW today to try that and that river is way frozen. Usually there’s some open patches in shallow spots closer to the falls but there wasn’t even that this year. We stopped on the way home to go grocery shopping and went to check out that landing in town and the river is wide open there. Not sure if they opened the dam up or what. Kind of a shame the landing is all blocked off and full of snow.
Any chance you can PM that spreadsheet of the last 12 years? Really curious about the patterns on when ice out happens
March is just around the corner. Hopefully this year will be another year we have a March ice out date at Birchdale.
So far for the month of February we have had zero days of 30 or above in Baudette. Looks like next week will change that.
Looking at my spreadsheet covering the last 12 years. We have had 2 years with zero days with day time highs hitting 30 our better for February. 2019 Birchdale access was open on March 28th and 2015 Birchdale access was open on March 23rd.
There’s so much more to it than just daytime temperatures. It’s been a long time since it’s been this cold with relatively little snow to speak of so the ice is the thickest it’s been in many years. That combined with what their plan is for water management at the dam is probably the biggest deciding factor. With the little amount of snow I could very well see them holding lots of that water in the lake. Hopefully it’s a nice gradual melt without any rain so we can all enjoy a week or two on the river.
dont they have a lot more snow to the east on Rainy or did i hear wrong. just wondering. Also heard they had a good rain over the weekend but not sure that will help much
The snow seems pretty much the same across the whole basin/drainage or whatever you want to call it from what I can tell when we go on sled rides. Definitely no rain last weekend. Beautiful and blue skies.
The snow seems pretty much the same across the whole basin/drainage or whatever you want to call it from what I can tell when we go on sled rides. Definitely no rain last weekend. Beautiful and blue skies.
Sorry by rain last weekend i meant last night Sunday
We left after dinner last night and it wasn’t raining then. Not sure what happened after we left. We don’t need any rain when the ground is frozen. That’s what started the last mess. That freeze/thaw, freeze/thaw is what we need to get things moving on the river. With the amount of ice that’s on the lake I’d guess one could fish out there the rest of the season without a problem. Who knows though, Mother Nature is very unpredictable and I don’t really care what happens as long as I don’t end up stacking sand bags again.
It will be interesting to see when Birchdale will be open for boats this year.
With that said the 10 day forecast for Baudette only has one day in it where temps are not reaching 30 degrees or more.
We had a very early original date for boats at Birchdale last year with very minimal flow but a lot of days above 30 for a high. The river did refreeze last year for a few days after things had opened up.
I think it would be fun to start a thread where everyone could throw their guesses in. A little friendly competition to see who can get closest.
March 25th at 8:26am
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