winnibigoshish ice off for opener?

Do you guys think it will be ice free by opening day?

cass wrote:

Do you guys think it will be ice free by opening day?

NO NO and NO!!!

No. In 2013 there was ice on the lake until the Friday after opener. We were in the boat and fishing right next to the ice. It was one of the best days of fishing I’ve ever had.

Keep thinking positive guys. I’m super stoked this storm missed most northern MN. I’m thinking central MN will have a later ice out than Northern MN!

I’m “guessing” it’ll be open before opener by two days!

Let’s just say that you shouldn’t put away the auger yet.
DT

Just talked to a resort on the rainy river,four mile bay access roads are closed. Two vehicles drove out anyways and went through the ice.

Not sure ‘Tonka will be open- look out your window!

The latest ice out on record up there was May 17, 2013. I don’t think we are going to set any records but my guess is the ice is going to come off of leech and wini the a day or 2 before opener.

The 15 day outlook for the north metro looks like 60s for the final week of April. Of course this week will be 30 and low 40s. That leaves 2 weeks of tru melting weather.

I’d venture to guess the deeper large lakes take a minimum of 3-4 weeks to open. Still waiting for that clock to start.

ClownColor wrote:

Keep thinking positive guys. I’m super stoked this storm missed most northern MN. I’m thinking central MN will have a later ice out than Northern MN!

I’m “guessing” it’ll be open before opener by two days!

Keep thinking positive bob! But FWIW, while the snow cover can be a factor…the temps play into it as much or more so. If the overnight temps continue to dip below freezing, which it looks like they will for northern MN for awhile…any melting will just refreeze overnight, thus delaying the process.

How ironic, when in December…early January we’re hoping to be making ice, now we’re still making ice when we want it to melt.

Not a chance! IMHO

I live in the Park Rapids – Walker area and I highly doubt ice will be off any of but the very smallest lakes in the entire area. We cant even get rid of the snow that fell in December! But I have heard we will have at least the Month of July for open water fishing this year

This is getting ridiculous!

There is 26 days until opener. I’m assuming there is more than 30 inches of ice left based on lakes I have fished around Alexandria. That means we need to average over an inch lost a day. Better get moving.
DT

I’m making plans to spend Mother’s day at home this year, instead of in Nevis, and going up the following weekend. Hope I’m wrong, but there is just too much snow and thick ice at this point of the year imo.

Still driving trucks on Long Lake up in Brainerd.

I checked the ice very thoroughly this past weekend on a couple lakes in Alexandria. Some lakes the edges are rough and others I’d drive any combination of Ice house and truck out yet. The ice was over 30″ on every main lake area I checked.

As we all know it’s one thing to have 30″ of ice and another to have rock hard clear ice at this point. I drilled 30″ down (not all the way through) and let the hole sit… When the ice is honeycombed in the slightest the hole will fill with water in seconds. The hole stayed free of water the entire weekend!

I had high hopes but after last weekend and testing a lot of ice my official guess is… “no chance of ice free lakes in Alexandria by opener”. Let’s all hope I’m wrong on that!

A little ways from Leech but as of last Friday (04/13/18) Balsam Lake in WI had 32″ of ice on it still. With opening day just 19 days away I’d say we are going to need to see some extreme heat, rain and wind to start opening up lakes by opener.

Guys reported 50″s of ice on lake of the woods over the weekend.

I really doubt Winny will open by May 12th, but maybe some areas or cut foot will be fishable Drove by Cut Foot on Sunday and it was barely open under the bridge. I do’t think that area gut much if any snow yesterday and today but still a lot of ice to melt in 4 weeks.