Ice just formed over my local lakes, please enjoy and tell stories about your open water winter bass fishing so I can have a little hope for next spring here in Minnesota

Tonka isn't socked in - but Emerald (small lake, part of the Tonka 'chain') is about 1/3 covered now.

I saw a bunch of small ponds and ditches with ice on them today when I was out too.  Bigger, windswept lakes still had mostly open water.

 

Definitely not gonna be thick enough to safely ice fish for a while.  Especially with almost 50 degrees in the forecast later next week again.

^ How much you wanna bet that some nimrod is gonna try soon as one of those ponds, or Emerald here, get socked in?

We got no ice here @Pogues2300…. Wait let me check again…. Nope nothing  here. 
Sorry couldn’t resist, but really I do feel for you people in the north. I remember how it felt to shutting down for the winter, I was already waiting for spring. 

Hate you’re already done, Not quite time to break the ice skates out…… I caught bout a dozen smallies today ! Water temp was 59. Going again a little bit tomorrow. 

1 hour ago, GRiver said:

Sorry couldn’t resist, but really I do feel for you people in the north.

You'd be surprised how many people want cold weather so they can ice fish here.  Ice fishing has WAY more participants than open water anglers, and its not even close.

 

Normally they start around Thanksgiving in the northern portion of the state but not this year.  They are all out with pitchforks complaining that its been unseasonably warm here.

Ice here in Wisconsin, where I was just catching a few bass the day before thanksgiving. Started bringing rods into the house for the winter this evening.

bummer.

8 hours ago, gimruis said:

Ice fishing has WAY more participants than open water anglers, and its not even close.

Really!! I wouldn’t have guess that. When I lived in Nc. It never really closed out. There would be a few spots here and there, some places closed the boat ramps. I would bank fish some in the winter for river smallies.

9 hours ago, gimruis said:

You'd be surprised how many people want cold weather so they can ice fish here.  Ice fishing has WAY more participants than open water anglers, and its not even close.

 

Normally they start around Thanksgiving in the northern portion of the state but not this year.  They are all out with pitchforks complaining that it’s been unseasonably warm here.

I always get a kick out of people complaining about the weather like it’s going to help change it  😂 

 

 

 

30 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I always get a kick out of people complaining about the weather like it’s going to help change it  😂 

 

My Grandfather used to say everyone complains about the weather but no one does anything about it.   

 

I feel for people who can't fish because the lakes ice over.  I'm not sure what I think about ice fishing though.  I wouldn't be going even if our lakes froze up.  

12 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

^ How much you wanna bet that some nimrod is gonna try soon as one of those ponds, or Emerald here, get socked in?

I remember when Jesse Ventura was governor and talking about people going through thin ice… he said it was nature’s way of weeding out the idiots.

17 minutes ago, Woody B said:

My Grandfather used to say everyone complains about the weather but no one does anything about it.   

 

I feel for people who can't fish because the lakes ice over.  I'm not sure what I think about ice fishing though.  I wouldn't be going even if our lakes froze up.  

I think the idea of ice fishing is cool, but I’m far too chicken to walk my butt out there . So I watch it on YouTube 😂 

36 minutes ago, Woody B said:

My Grandfather used to say everyone complains about the weather but no one does anything about it.   

 

I feel for people who can't fish because the lakes ice over.  I'm not sure what I think about ice fishing though.  I wouldn't be going even if our lakes froze up.  

 

Tried ice fishing about 25 years ago with some of my buddies who worked for Cabela's. Had all the gear, punched about 20 holes in the ice...set the tip-up's, and stood around waiting for the flags to fly. 

 

Weather was nice, and the sun was shining. Bored me to death...I have never been back. 

 

 

Yup...pretty much done here too. I went last Sunday; caught 44 between my neighbor and I (bass and black crappie). Water was 45 degrees, which I was surprised it was that warm. But we had a cold week. Gonna be skimmed over here any day now.  

The only ice I have here, is in a Margarita after a great day of bass fishing.

No ice here on the west coast but it’s cold. Last Night dropped to 29°. If you can handle the cold, the spotted bass are still active, 20-50 fish days, depending on how long you fish. 

Getting some snow today but haven't seen any ice yet.  In recent years, we've sometimes gone until January before the still water ices up, and a few times it's been here by the end of Nov.  Roll the dice. 

On 11/25/2023 at 6:00 PM, gimruis said:

Definitely not gonna be thick enough to safely ice fish for a while.  Especially with almost 50 degrees in the forecast later next week again.

Forecast changed - highest temp predicted through next weekend is only 40.

 

4 minutes ago, looking45 said:

Last Night dropped to 29°.

I'd love to see that right now - current temp is 16 here

1 minute ago, MN Fisher said:

Forecast changed - highest temp predicted through next weekend is only 40.

 

I'd love to see that right now - current temp is 16 here

 

27 here right now. We'll hit 14 overnight tonight.   Only very rarely go below zero here, though.

 

I grew up in northern MN, and remember being out, shoveling the driveway in 15 below.  When people here complain about the cold, I just shrug.

3 minutes ago, MIbassyaker said:

I grew up in northern MN,

What part? I spent 6 years in Bemidji so I know exactly what you're talking about.

2 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

What part? I spent 6 years in Bemidji so I know exactly what you're talking about.

 

Grand Forks area, MN side.   Good lord, the wind.

41 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

current temp is 16 here

The wind chill is near or below zero too.  Yesterday was like a hurricane out.

 

The rest of this week looks pretty good though.  Mostly around 40 degrees.  I can deal with 40 degrees this time of year.  There is a possible weather event coming on Saturday.  It may completely miss us here and go to the south.

 

Won't be long until we hear of some bone heads on 3 inches of questionable ice, risking their lives for a few palm sized crappies.

For you, Gimruiz. And me too:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KClpLzFftU

 

1 hour ago, MIbassyaker said:

I grew up in northern MN, and remember being out, shoveling the driveway in 15 below.  When people here complain about the cold, I just shrug.

 

Me too. I lived for 30 years in northwestern WI and when people asked why I moved to coastal Maine, I say, "It's warmer."

 

We did hit -16 twice last winter, but those temps are way, way, WAY outliers. I remember many days in Wisconsin when my car door groaned, my seat groaned, and my engine groaned. 

Ok Katie , if you moved to Maine because it was warmer than somewhere else…… you might have half done it