Minnesota Ice Out?

[BradB]

I'm itching to get out and am wondering how close we are around the state for ice out. I'm thinking that we're not really that close. The only internet link I could find that gave a report is the DNR: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/current_conditions/index.html

This only updates on Mondays and doesn't give much info. Would anyone out there in the Gopher state care to report on lake status in your area?

Brad

[BENNY]

I was out for a ride on the bike on sat. and checked the lakes around prior lake. looks like most of the lakes in the area should be open by monday or tues. some of the larger ones may be a little later. 4/14

[cisco]

Channel 11 out of Mpls reported that Calhoun was ice free as of yesterday -- Minnetonka still has ice in most places.

Central Minn lakes are still ice covered, but lots of melting occured today (Sunday). Last week I'd have said 3 to 4 more weeks before ice out in Cent. Minn. As of today, I'd say another week and most lakes will be clear. (Of course, that does not take into account a cold front in the 30s, which we might have.)

[Glenn_S]

s out on Bryant yesterday. Totally ice free, as was Christmas lake in Excelsior. Drove out to Minnetonka today, and the smaller bays are open, such as Maxwell, North Arm, Seton. The larger bays are blowing in, and should be clear by mid-week, or the weekend at the latest. I'm planning on being sick Friday to go get some crappie on Maxwell and Seton...

Boy was it nice to crank the motor up and run WOT for the first time this year!

Glenn

[mlacs]

medicine lake in hennepin county went out either this morning or last night (04/15/01). historically mille lacs goes out 2 weeks or three weeks at the outside of medicine------things are looking up---

[12# HUNTER]

Man you guys still have ice, Ive been in the boat for over a month now, glad I live in sunny Canada. ha ha.

[paul]

Rumor is Mille Lacs ice out around may 5th isn't that great.

[RMB]

Up here in Grand Rapids the lakes are still at least 1-2 weeks from being ice free. If it doesn't warm up soon, it's going to be an interesting opener for sure. Where are you located Brad and whats the ice status where you are?

[BradB]

I'm located in Saint Paul, but I do almost all of my fishing north of Hinkley. I wasn't able to get out this past weekend and haven't seen any water besides the flooding Mississsippi.

Thanks for all the reports. Keep 'em coming and hope for a thaw. It's 24 degrees right now and making ice!

[ANXIOUS]

WELL I LIVE BETWEEN CAMBRIDGE AND PRINCETON,AND TODAY ON THE WAY HOME FROM PRINCETON,I NOTICED THAT SILVER LAKE AND GREEN LAKE ARE OPEN! CANT WAIT!

[Hans]

There's a web-cam looking at Vermilion, and it has a fresh coating of white snow when I looked this afternoon.

http://www.lakevermilion.com/EagleEye/index.html

Hans

[Fishnfuul]

White Bear Lake is open on the north end, and quite a bit of the south end as well. FINALLY!!

[curious]

where did you find this web cam? do other lakes have them?

[Fishin_fool_in_minn]

There is lots of open water. I have had my boat out for a month now. Red wing was old news a month ago. Rainy had been good for two weeks until close. Last weekend I looked for Crappies in the blandin res. in Grand Rapids. I had to fly out this week to work and noticed that the farther away I got, (the closer to the cities) the blacker the ice got and although I dont know the names of the lakes in the cities most of the smaller ones that I could see from the air were open and the bigger ones looked close. Millacs was actually looking very black in spots. If the weather is good I will keep my eyes open on the flight home friday and see what changes are going on and will post on here...

[Firetiger(MN)]

The smaller lakes around the Hutchinson area are open with some ice that is being moved around by the strong winds today. Other than that, most lakes are 90% ice covered but are breaking up. Probably a couple of weeks before the DNR get the docks in anyway.

[cisco]

The bays and shallows that were open in the lakes near me all iced over yesterday with the cold front that came thru. And, it's in the low 20s this morning, so we've had a temporary setback. Plus, lakes on river chains are floating the ice high because of the high water flowing in the rivers. I won't get my boat in for some time unless I trailer to something south of here. Central Minnesota will be open by May 1, but not much before.

[Hans]

Here are some more lake web-cameras -- all except one (Mississippi) are showing ice.

Lake of the Woods-Flag Island: (scroll to bottom of page) http://www.yahooey.com/

Buffalo Lake: http://www.buffalo.k12.mn.us/district/buffalocam.html

Lake Superior at Duluth: http://www.allete.com/lakecam/

Moose Lake: http://www.customcabins.com/webcam.html

Lake Vermilion: http://www.lakevermilion.com/EagleEye/index.html

Mississippi at Wabasha: http://198.36.213.211/inetcam/river.htm

Hans

--
"I long for the dear old lakeshore, where I dreamed my youth away;
for a dreamer lives forever, and a toiler dies in a day.
From the sleepless thoughts endeavor, I would go where the children play;
For a dreamer lives forever, And a thinker dies in a day."

[anxious]

i heard the ice has pulled away from shore by a good 50' on mille lacs! may 5th sounds late

[RMB]

Just curious, are you in the Grand Rapids area? I've just moved here and am always looking for a good hook to fish with. I was also at the power plant outlet the other day. Just nice to get the boat out and runnin'!

[Xplorer]

The St Louis river/harbor is now open and appears to be free of most ice chunks. Did not see much debris in the river either which suprised me. Stopped at the landing under the I-535 bridge this morning and the water is about 12" lower than last year. I plan on putting the boat in tomorrow after work :-) Water is still probably too cold even for trolling salmon/trout on Superior but I built a mast/planer board setup and added a couple of new 27LC's to finally try out!! I don't even want to think about the lakes around here, I think we've been making ice the last three nights. OPEN WATER RULES!!!! Xplorer

[EYE-B-JIM]

I was told that on sunday buffalo lake was at least half open. I would say it should be fully open by the weekend with the wind. I sure hope so or I'll be dodging ice in my boat. Long lake in long lake is all open.

Hit the water!

[cisco]

Not too many miles north of Buffalo there have now been three consecutive nights of remaking ice in the shallows and bays -- Central Minnesota has been in the teens and 20s overnight since Sunday.

Longer days and stronger sun should help, but it will still be awhile in this part of the state.

[BradB]

4/19/01

Anything new to report? We've had a couple good days of warm weather. How far north has the ice out progressed?

Thanks!

[JasonMN]

Minnetonka is 99 percent ice free as of this morn.

[Toad]

From Brainerd . . .

371 Bay on North Long - black ice, could go out this next week
Round Lake - about 1/4 open
Gull Lake - still nearly 20-inches of ice in some areas
Leech Lake - still nearly 30-inches of ice in some areas

-a friend called Toad