January 21st ,2024

Our first weekend of being out there and having fishermen out turned out good on the “catching” side of fishing for many. Lots of very nice C/R Walleyes over the slot, many in the slot, some big Northern Pike up to 40″ and very good Perch activity in the shallow basins. I kept the few houses we got out inside of North Twin, Spider Island, Gull Reef and the end of Pope’s knowing warm weather was coming and the ice was going to move on the main lake.  Yesterday and this morning it did and I’m quite sure it’s not done yet.

Today, we drilled over 100 holes checking ice in our areas close in and farther out in the clear ice . (the thinnest). We found on the average 15″-16″ inches of ice, meaning we made 2″-3″ since we last check the entire area.  That is Good.   But for the next 10-14 days our ice making is done by the way it sounds. Tomorrow we will resume our pull list of permanent customers that have called to get on it.  If you haven’t, or have questions, call and verify it with the office ASAP tomorrow.  Being the ice is still moving around farther out I will be still pulling the smaller houses first the next couple days and go from there. More rentals will go out as they are reserved for the weekend.  I anticipate it will be a good weekend for all out there.

Starting tomorrow our weight limitations on vehicles will increase to 6500 lbs. which will include most 1/2 pickups and lighter vehicles on the ice in areas not affected by the main lake ice movement.  Wheelhouses will still be needed to be pulled by a SxS until Wednesday when it settles down.  Areas like Banana and Tundra and Gravel have cracks up to 10″ wide that will be accessible but only by ATV, SxS or snowmobile for now so keep up with the report. Things will change.

The only worry I have is the weekend of Feb, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.  I looked at five different 14 day forecasts today. Three predicted temps in the mid to upper 40’s and pretty high percentages of rain Friday night thru Sunday morning. 🙁  After that colder weather comes back. 🙂   Rain on clear ice could be a very big problem.  Many of our customers seen that the second to last weekend of our season five years ago. We had 24″ plus of clear ice and and over an inch of rain in 24 hours. There were waterholes around some of the houses big enough to fall thru. The dark clear ice turned soft and as we were pulling house.  The the steel skid houses were digging in sometimes over an inch into soft ice.  That was on 24″ of ice.  We will only have 16″‘-17″ if it happens.  Something for all to think about.

Keep a Tight Line!

Eddy