Current ice conditions

[The Bait Shop Guy]

I got a couple panicked phone calls today from guys on the upper bay. One guy was calling from the Vagabond, saying there was A LOT of water on the ice. Another saying the same thing about the yellow gate access. Apparently the strong southerly winds today are pushing a lot of water back into the bay, forcing some of it out onto the ice.

I drove up to Gladstone at lunch time to check things out. The ice and the access areas near the Shell station and the harbor were both dry as a bone. It looked like there was some standing water off the campgrounds and Saunder's Point, (open water at the point, now.) Kipling appeared to be in good shape, with no standing water that I could see.

Once the wind dies down, most of that water should drain off, and the return of cold temps should firm things up well over the course of the coming week.

If anyone that was out today has any more information, please add it here.

[raywriter]

I rode from Kipling to Yellow Gate South by ice on my four-wheeler with no problem today, while pulling a heavy shack. The ice was about a foot or more thick in the spots I checked. I did see at least one pick-up truck out in the middle of the bay. Lots of very clear ice spots and plenty of milky patches as well.

The bite was good - as it has been - but I had to go through lots of small perch for each keeper. A friend landed a twelve-inch mud puppy. One of the largest I've seen! Small soft plastic crayfish imitators were good, but best tipped with a single spike. I did see a fair number of walleyes and pike on camera, but I was set up for perch. Twelve feet was a good depth.

[The Bait Shop Guy]

Good to hear, Ray. Thanks for the update.