making some good ice - Mille Lacs Lake Fishing (Fishing Reports, Events, Tournament Information and more)

Ice Man · Member

making some good ice

westsider · Member

right on

MCallies · Malmo Bay Bomber

YUP ... it made a lot of ice on the big lake over the past couple of days.

Stay safe guys! Have the hovercraft ready to go.

They are out on Isle Bay today by foot and sled. MM

MCallies · Malmo Bay Bomber

Mille Lacs Lake Ice Cover Notes: MM

1. In 2011/2012 we had full ice cover (verified by satellite view) on Thursday 12-06-11;

2. But last year -- 2012/2013 -- we had no safe early ice on the main lake in December ~~ a very weird year. I could not rent a HP guide house in December, 2012! UGH.

3.For the previous normal year of 12-06-2011, we had good early ice; we may be very close to matching 2011 for good early ice at this time.

MM

4. I cannot find a clear satellite view today on MODIS but it seems we are very close to

Full Ice Cover on the lake. confuse confuse confuse

5. Does anyone had a clear satellite image of the lake to from yesterday or today?

Thanks MM

-- Edited by MCallies on Friday 29th of November 2013 07:55:39 PM

fishnpole · Veteran Member

Going out for awhile this morning again. (Not with the wheeler, quite yet)

Yesterday I got 1st hundred yards from shore 4 to 6+ inches

2nd hundred yards 3 to 4 1/2 inches
3rd hundred yards 2 to 3 1/2 inches,
4th hundred yards from shore had 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches and that looked like it went on for quite a ways, although after we started getting 1 1/2 pretty consistently we came back in.

I've got some pictures from out there, but my photo library is being difficult and ain't letting me download.

This set of guidelines is put out by the Army Corps of Engineers:

Loads on Ice

Required Minimum Ice
Thickness in inches Description of
Safe Moving Load
1-3/4 One person on skies
2 One person on foot or skates
3 One snowmobile
3 A group of people walking single file
7 A single passenger automobile
8 A 2-1/2 ton truck
9 A 3-1/2 ton truck
10 A 7 to 8 ton truck

You're probably okay at 8 inches with a wheeler. That's what I go by, but the "condition" of the ice may vary in density and strength.
Always check your trail ahead with an auger to make sure you're on safe ice.
This was two years ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9sK1AepzH8

Makin' more ice every day.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yAbR-gU_bY

-- Edited by fishnpole on Saturday 30th of November 2013 06:51:13 AM

MCallies · Malmo Bay Bomber

Great Report and Ice Thickness Guide, Fishnpole!!!

Many thanks as always.

smile smile smile

I will use my Arctic Cat 4 wheeler to get there when we get 8 inches;

I see that Jody is a film star again and usually catches all the fish. No surprise there.

Maybe we are going to get some good early ice this year! Way to Go!

Good luck, MM

-- Edited by MCallies on Saturday 30th of November 2013 10:59:36 AM

fishnpole · Veteran Member

fishnpole wrote:
Going out for awhile this morning again. (Not with the wheeler, quite yet)
Yesterday I got 1st hundred yards from shore 4 to 6+ inches
2nd hundred yards 3 to 4 1/2 inches
3rd hundred yards 2 to 3 1/2 inches,
4th hundred yards from shore had 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches and that looked like it went on for quite a ways, although after we started getting 1 1/2 pretty consistantly, we came in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=oJZY7hNNjwc
This was all we had out there before we started getting snow. Basically, just enough ice to keep falling snow dry. Here's Eddy Lybeck from last year, (could replay for this year):
"Just got in from checking the ice out on the main lake. 2-3 inches was all I found with about 4 to 5 inches of snow on it. The water just below the ice isn’t cold enough to freeze and the snow on top of it is insulating the cold from getting to it. We need cold weather, and no more snow. The ice won’t change much until then. I’ve heard reports of 5-7 inches in the bays, even with that there were reports of rescues yesterday. It’s just not enough ice out there to take chances on, especially outside of the bays, and with the snow cover you will not know where the changes of thickness of the ice is. So for now……we wait…. Eddy"

Posted on: 2012/12/11 15:01
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