Zumbro ice

How’s it look ? Might have to spud out there and try it this weekend .

Best just stay home for a while bud. The lake is being brought back up to its winter pool height and shorelines are going to be for the birds until some serious cold helps things out. That lake is NOT an early ice lake.

I live in the area but never ice fished Lake Zumbro before. Where do you guys park & walk out?

Make sure you know where the current goes through. The ice will be thinner around that area. Be safe.

I haven’t check the snow fall depth yet this morning but I think it’s like 4″. Similar depths should be expected at the lake. And it’s still snowing. That will not bode well for the lake while the water is still rising or just recently quit rising. As mentioned, areas of current can vary and be a factor in ice thickness. On top of that spring activity can pop up anywhere on that lake and be an issue. I have gone thru poor ice on the lake. Not fun when on foot and a quarter mile from the car.

As for access points, the old Fisherman’s Inn ramp on the south end of the lake is one and the Ponderosa boat launch on the north end is the other. Everything around the lake is private ownership so if a person knows someone who has shoreline property, they may allow some foot access.

Appreciate it – sounds like I better stay off . Got 4-5 inches of snow in S Rochester if not more . Sounds like you fish it quite a bit Jimmy . Thought about bringing the wife see if we couldn’t get into some tip up Pike . Any ideas or am I chasing unicorns !

I just checked and the lake still has a way to go to get to winter pool height. There’ll be a lot of shoreline water to deal with for a while unless we get some very cold stuff soon. This snow will not help.

Pike….the basin in front of the old Fisherman’s Inn has typically been a good pike area for tip-uppers. Right in front of the King’s Marina docks can be a good pike area too, but crossing from Fisherman’s ramp lot means crossing the current, not a good idea in that area. Check with the Marina, they may let you walk out from there to fish the ice. 100 feet straight out from the end of the docks should be pretty decent.

On the ice straight up from Fisherman’s landing until the water opens up into the large bay on the right, follow the shoreline to the right until you get a hundred feet or so from the last house that’s right on the water will get you into some deeper water not far off the shore. Fish a crappie rig deep and a sucker on a tip up shallow closer to shore. That whole shoreline can be a good one for both if you stay out in twenty or more feet of water for the crappies. Somewhere along this shore would be my choice if the weather has been steady and not bouncing the barometer all over the place.

Take me with when you go Andy.
Like said above, it’s been rising last few days.

FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:

Take me with when you go Andy.
Like said above, it’s been rising last few days.

Will do . Seems like the only place around that’s peaked my interest around Rochester for an ice bite other than the Mississipi backwaters .

Jimmy Jones wrote:

I just checked and the lake still has a way to go to get to winter pool height. There’ll be a lot of shoreline water to deal with for a while unless we get some very cold stuff soon. This snow will not help.

Pike….the basin in front of the old Fisherman’s Inn has typically been a good <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>pike area for tip-uppers. Right in front of the King’s Marina docks can be a good <em class=”ido-tag-em”>pike area too, but crossing from Fisherman’s ramp lot means crossing the current, not a good idea in that area. Check with the Marina, they may let you walk out from there to fish the ice. 100 feet straight out from the end of the docks should be pretty decent.

On the ice straight up from Fisherman’s landing until the water opens up into the large bay on the right, follow the shoreline to the right until you get a hundred feet or so from the last house that’s right on the water will get you into some deeper water not far off the shore. Fish a crappie rig deep and a sucker on a tip up shallow closer to shore. That whole shoreline can be a good one for both if you stay out in twenty or more feet of water for the crappies. Somewhere along this shore would be my choice if the weather has been steady and not bouncing the barometer all over the place.

Really good info ! Thank you !!!

Chesterwoods should be good to go. Or the scout camp.

I’m gonna go poke around on Chester quick see what the ice is like . I’ll report back tonight.

Ice is 3-5 inches . Kinda scarey walking with all that heavy snow on it ! Didn’t get too far from the the ramp maybe 5-600 yards .

Further back towards the dam is likely much thinner. Geese like to keep the water open back there and if they’ve vacated the place the ice will be thinner there for a short while. Those trees that stick up out of the water near the dam should be prime crappie stuff about now.

There were a ton of geese flying around the area . I wouldn’t be surprised if they have it open yet . I never rounded the corner to see the dam . That snow on that ice had me worried . Can’t see the springs or any old goose holes . Need some cold temps and doesn’t look like we’re gonna get any for a while !

Has anyone been out there lately. Just wondering if it is safe to drive on?? Heard there were some vehicles out there just wondering if it’s safe. Thanks for any advice.

There has been sleds and wheelers out. Not sure I would take a vehicle out

dp wrote:

Has anyone been out there lately. Just wondering if it is safe to drive on?? Heard there were some vehicles out there just wondering if it’s safe. Thanks for any advice.

As in any situation, driving on ice is up to you and you take responsibility if you and the vehicle take a dip.

I stopped driving on the ice there years ago. In the high banks area springs would pop up right out of nowhere and open holes in the ice large enough for a car tire to go thru. Snow/slush on the ice could cover those springs and you’d never know they existed. I would not trust Zumbro’s ice with anything larger than a snowmobile or ATV.