Statewide Ice Conditions and Recommendations

I was out on Clearwater this weekend, and it was a slush fest that got worse with every hole drilled. We had 4 kids with us who all had wet hands and feet almost immediately, so the trip didn’t last long, but by the time we left the whole area looked wet instead of snow covered. Maybe 10-14″ of ice, and the water was running up and down the holes funneling them, which led to one of the older boys putting his foot down a hole. Still a fun weekend, but I’m not too interested in fighting that fight again.

I was on Rice Lake of the Horseshoe Chain by Richmond. Solid 13 inches with 2 inches of frozen slush on top. Entire lake is open to trucks, saw one guy pulling a large castle with a 2500 with no issues. Access out of Tinnies is slick, I had to help a guy who lost traction going up and jackknifed his fishhouse. Luckily no injuries or damage. Crappies were curious but not very willing to bite no matter what you threw at them or what you did.

I recently caught over a dozen crappies when the people I were with caught one or two (if not zero). Crappie bite on 90% of my hook sets were insanely subtle. Upbites and … maybe I will tell the the enitre story on the crappies thread – someday

I set the hook on a 13 inch crappie when my jig “red-line” disappeared from my Vex. I was distracted by a northern that swam by a buddy’s camera. When I look back at my Vex the jig line was gone. I knew it was not on the bottom. That crappie grabbed the jig and swam out (and I assume up) enough to get out of the detection cone of my transducer. I could not see the line go taunt or loose either.

Brittman wrote:

I recently caught over a dozen <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>crappies when the people I were with caught one or two (if not zero). Crappie bite on 90% of my hook sets were insanely subtle. Upbites and … maybe I will tell the the enitre story on the <em class=”ido-tag-em”>crappies thread – someday

I set the hook on a 13 inch <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>crappie when my jig line disappeared from my Vex. I was distracted by a northern that swam by a buddy’s camera. When I look back at my Vex the jig line was gone. I knew it was not on the bottom. That <em class=”ido-tag-em”>crappie grapped the jig and swam out (and I assume up) enough to get out of the detection cone of my transducer. I could not see the line go taunt or loose either.

Same bite we dealt with all weekend. Rods sat in holders so we could just tap the tip and let it sit and watch for the up bite.

Just got big house out for 1st time this year west metro about 18 inches of ice and no slush. Hoping for a big night

Lake Superior ice is still pretty sketchy, I went out near two harbors and it was like hop-scotch from one sheet to the next. The fishing was decent but now the ice is broken up further so fishing has to wait till this weekend, the sheets are too small to support a persons weight (this is as of yesterday). An ice sheet is forming in front of Duluth but I doubt it will connect with the shoreline – waves have been steady and breaking ice up

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I want to fish that so bad but that looks/sounds sketchy as hell and Im a first ice kinda guy.
Did you catch cohos?

Tom Rawlyk wrote:

Lake Superior ice is still pretty sketchy, I went out near two harbors and it was like hop-scotch from one sheet to the next. The fishing was decent but now the ice is broken up further so fishing has to wait till this weekend, the sheets are too small to support a persons weight (this is as of yesterday). An ice sheet is forming in front of Duluth but I doubt it will connect with the shoreline – waves have been steady and breaking ice up

Holy smokes that is some seriously sketchy ice. Be safe out there.

Forewarning to everyone, Lake Superior ice is always sketchy. ~20 mph winds today definitely aren’t going to let any ice sheets set up near Duluth. Any ice out there this weekend will be about 24 hours old. I sit and watch the lake everyday from my office and am able to see in real time how weather conditions impact ice formation. You won’t catch me out there anytime soon.