Obviously, we have been reminded the past ten or more days that this is winter on Lake Mille Lacs.
With a dusting of snow the past couple days and a huge northwest wind howling across the ice, there is a fair amount of drifting on the ice nowadays. Cross country travel is fine as long as you pay attention to where you stop, avoiding any drifts as you go. The ice is now white with snow covering what has been bare ice all winter. In fact, we now have enough snow to scratch real roads out to the fishing grounds.
The light snow and big winds again piled up drifts on the west and north sides of the perm houses. If you are smart, and have any doubts if you are blocked high enough, add blocking before you drill new holes. The banking that has been around the houses, due to the rain earlier, is almost solid ice, so it is quite a chore to break some of the houses loose--just to block them up more. But at least there is now plenty of banking snow close by each house!
The cold snap has again opened a wide crack close to shore that we have bridged. PLEASE--only ONE VEHICLE NEAR OR ON THE BRIDGE at one time and go very slowly over the bridge! You are driving on water-- not pavement! SLOW...thanks!
The cold snap slowed the walleye bite some but fish are getting caught. Same patterns and areas as the past few weeks. The warming trend for the coming weekend could be better.
