Ice Out

[dennyerardi]

Any guesses this year as to the ice-out date? Coming out on April 5th for spring break with my boys, and wondering - will the boats be in or out of the water??

[Muskie Matt]

A standard question this time of year, I'll give it my standard answer... I'll have to go with mid-April for most lakes being open. Never know... a lot depends on weather patterns. If it stays warm with rain, it'll go quick. Stays cool... well, we all remember last year...

[Sid Chigger]

Well, it's been a week or two... What's the ice situation now? Boats in the water yet??

[Pete Stoltman]

Not yet. Some channels are open (like on the ER Chain) and other areas with current flow. Shoreline ice is erroding rapidly but still some pretty thick ice away from the shore. We're supposed to have some pretty nice weather the next week and that should do a number on the ice situation. Shouldn't last too much longer now.

[Mark Benson]

Just got back from Alma and fishing the Miss. River again. Noticed that Nokomis just north of Tomahawk may be open. I haven't checked the Tomahawk thread yet and with turkey hunting upcoming this week, probably won't be on the water until later in the week, hoping that my early turkey hunting will be successful. Have managed to find four pods of turkeys close to home, so hopefully...

Local lakes are starting to look fairly dark. They are still icefishing and as recently as late last week were running atv's, but I think that atv use is probably running to an end as well. The pond next to Kurt's Island Bait is about half water again. Once that is ice free, it is only about 7-10 days.

Mark

[Pete Stoltman]

Still saw a few guys out on Minocqua and Big Arbor Vitae today. I'm going to guess that if current trends continue most of the lakes should be ice free right around April 20 or shortly after.

[Pete Stoltman]

Ice is rapidly deteriorating in our area and lakes south of Minocqua are opening up or opened. I did see a handful of guys out on Big Arbor Vitae Friday morning but the usual group on Big Arb and Minocqua were gone Friday evening. I would be willing to bet that there isn't much in the way of "safe ice" anywhere. My prediction of April 20 is looking pretty good right now.

[Mark Benson]

Pete:

To mention a few names: I heard that lake seventeen SW of town was open last Sat. Katherine opened up partially two nights ago and only saw a little ice on it on the way back tot town after turkey hunting this morning. Clausen, very small lake on the way into town opened and the west side of Minocqua, especially west of the island across from Save-More was getting worked over pretty good yesterday by the wind.

Once I get my bird (thinking positively), I hope to take a little time out by the Rainbow to see what is happening out there. I heard it was coming up, but haven't heard anything about the bridge work being done out there, so I am skeptical of that report... I am betting that the Willow is looking fairly open at this time also.

Mark

[Mark Benson]

Well here are some more names for you to regarding the ice out syndrome.

Last night I saw open water on: West Basin, Minocqua under the bridge to the east to the islands, didn't get to see anything further east. Big St. Germain, parts of the Manitowish chain, parts of the Flambeau Chain, I heard ice is off the Turtle Flambeau, and saw Carroll, Madeline, Gilmore were mostly open. The Rainbow was surprisingly ice covered. The bridge at the dam is still being worked on and the while the water has come up some according to the WVIC web page, it is still way down.

I heard that Trout looked pretty solid, but they are talking upper 60's up here Thursday through the weekend with some rain, so it is possible that we could be entirely ice free early next weekend.

Mark