Spring in Minnesota?

[Dave in Walker]

After having one of the warmest winters in history it has turned into the coldest March and now April in a hundred years or so. Its April 6th and you can drive everything from a car to a freight train across the ice yet! their is basically no melt here in the north, ice tight to shore, in my 54 years I can only remember one other April when you could drive on the lakes, don't get me wrong, ice fishing is fun but the middle of April is pushing the envelope on my idea of fun. People up here are desperate! their is a sliver of open water up on the Rainey River on the border, yesterdayys report was 150 trucks at the access at 10:30 in the morning, lots of damage to bigger boats, you have to drop your rig on the ice and shove it over about 30 to 50 feet of shore ice to reach the open water and then only to play bumpem boats once your on the water. I've had it I am going out into the garage, fire up the wood stove and sit in my boat and rearrange things for the umteenth time, bring it on, spring that is

[Fish_on]

Made a cabin fever run to Reeds yesterday morning. That didn't help a bit. Going to the Rainy on Thursday, and Dubuque on Saturday, hopefully that will help.

[Harry]

Dave,

I hear you. Although I live in Phoenix and our A/C has been on this past week due to low 90's here already, I sympathize with you. My boat is up there and wish I could sit in it and "rearrange" stuff till my trip to Leech happens.

Extended forecast says you should be mid 50's by middle of next week.
Keep warm and think open water!

[crappie slayer]

ha,

i feel the same thing, i live in central minnesota. I would like for the ice to be gone to. I have rearrange my fishing thing about that to. I had a great year on the ice. through the hole winter i got about 35 to 40 limits of crappies. i am ready for spring crappies. I get some of the biggest crappies around here. i go to a lake by minnawaska and get 1.5 to 2 pound crappies. Well now that i got you thinking spring again.

you can always go to sleep and fish in your dreams...lol or you can stay in the garage until the real spring come....

go luck when the ice gets off the lakes......

[Gofish]

I can relate with you Walker guys, Im here to. Lots of ice yet and opener is just 5 weeks away. That cabin-fever run to Reeds can hard on poket but it has to be done!!
On the good side I have experienced great walleye fishing with a late ice out.

Gofish-Leech lake

[Big Winnie]

I couldent be better, Been fishing every day with clients and friends, Best Perch bite on Winnie in the Last 10 years. Open water is way off yet unless we get rain and wind.

[Jackpine]

The way to relieve that boredom is hunt coyotes. No ice fishing for me.

[EYESCHOOL]

Where are the global warming experts now? ;-)
Funny, I haven't heard a thing from them latley!

[EYESCHOOL]

Where are the global warming experts now? ;-)
Funny, I haven't heard anything from them lately!

[Bad Finger]

Dave,

Just heard a report that a pickup truck went through Leech yesterday. Two Dead.

If you want open water, come on down to the Twin Cities. The River has been open all winter.

[Dave in Walker]

Me and my big mouth, after I said you could drive a freight train across the ice this happens, 2 dead, 2 make it out, they drove their truck across a pressure ridge south of Stoney point, very unfortunate, sorry to their families. No matter how much ice their is, and theirs LOTS pressure ridges, points, necked down areas, inlets and outlets, any current areas are all the weakest links. Now with no snow on the ice people are driving at will anywhere and common sense still rules.
I may have to hook my boat up and head to pool 2 of the Mississippi, that was my stomping grounds when I lived in the urban jungle to get my open water fix.

[Bad Finger]

Dave,

I'll second that. Breaks my heart to hear of a fellow angler going down chasing fish. Also heard a report of another truck going under on Red. All Ok!! (except the truck)

Actually, you are not missing much down here.....Just got off the water. It's comming up and muddy. One 15 incher to make the trip worth while.

Almost all of ponds 15 feet deep or less are open. Ice is pulling away from some of the lakes around the TC. It won't be long. I'll have to revise my Mille Lacs ice out prediction of the 27th. I'm moving it back a few days to May 1st.

[Glenn_S]

It really is too bad to hear of more going through the ice. Anyone going out on the frozen stuff right now just isn't using good sense.

On a happier note, my wife and I are leaving for Lake Ray Roberts in Texas on Thursday for some great Bass fishing with about 40 other internet friends. Gonna be there 4 days, and the bite seems to be on. We're firing up the smokers for turkeys Friday night, and the same for brisket Saturday night. Gonna be a blast. Maybe the ice will be mostly out by the time we get back...

Glenn

[ANXIOUS]

dont worry the global warming is still there. did you see the satellite picture of the 1260 square mile ice berg that melted and drifted away from the polar ice cap? it probably drifted down south and that is where we are getting all this cold weather from! i think people think about global warming all backwards.... first it will melt the polar ice caps,then the sea levels will rise and then the stormy weather.... get the picture? just my over reactionary way of thinking who knows.

[ANXIOUS]

where did the ice out prediction post for mille lacs go? i think i was down for may 1st also.