Sometimes I wished I lived in Minnesota!

KATMAN · #1 08-22-2009, 05:37 PM

I've only been ice fishing once,when I lived in Michigan as a kid.I was probably about 7 or 8 and not really interested in catching fish as I was sliding on the ice.I watch these outdoor shows and see these guys loading everything on a snowmobile and go off on a lake with their ice augers and ice shanty's. Of course I'm saying this in a ten year old mind in a fifty year old body. Down here some of the smaller lakes freeze over,and it isn't safe to walk on,even though some people do.How cold does it take to freeze a small lake or pond safe enough to walk on? And about how thick should the ice be?

Arnie Oakley · #2 08-24-2009, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KATMAN

I've only been ice fishing once,when I lived in Michigan as a kid.I was probably about 7 or 8 and not really interested in catching fish as I was sliding on the ice.I watch these outdoor shows and see these guys loading everything on a snowmobile and go off on a lake with their ice augers and ice shanty's. Of course I'm saying this in a ten year old mind in a fifty year old body. Down here some of the smaller lakes freeze over,and it isn't safe to walk on,even though some people do.How cold does it take to freeze a small lake or pond safe enough to walk on? And about how thick should the ice be?

Here in Wisconsin, the rule of thumb is 4 inches to walk on, 12 inches to drive.

lovestohunt · #3 08-24-2009, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KATMAN

I've only been ice fishing once,when I lived in Michigan as a kid.I was probably about 7 or 8 and not really interested in catching fish as I was sliding on the ice.I watch these outdoor shows and see these guys loading everything on a snowmobile and go off on a lake with their ice augers and ice shanty's. Of course I'm saying this in a ten year old mind in a fifty year old body. Down here some of the smaller lakes freeze over,and it isn't safe to walk on,even though some people do.How cold does it take to freeze a small lake or pond safe enough to walk on? And about how thick should the ice be?

Guys were ice fishing here in WI shortly after Thanksgiving this last year.

KATMAN · #4 08-25-2009, 08:23 AM

That's pretty much what I thought. My brother feels that these smaller lakes are safe to walk on.But he's never lived in Michigan or any of the great lake states. He thinks that two inches is safe just because he done it once.He's a lot smaller than I am,but still I wouldn't take a chance like that..Myself,I would love the oppertuntiy to snowmobile on a icy lake and catch a bunch of bluegills!

12Bravo20Bravo4 · #5 08-27-2009, 12:12 AM

I was ice fishing on thanksgiving day here in WI because deer hunting sucked. The ice was 4 inches and it held up my 250 lbs with no problem I was fishing on a small river with not much current. I wouldn't want to live in MN though I would rather live right here in WI.

KATMAN · #6 08-29-2009, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12Bravo20Bravo4

I was ice fishing on thanksgiving day here in WI because deer hunting sucked. The ice was 4 inches and it held up my 250 lbs with no problem I was fishing on a small river with not much current. I wouldn't want to live in MN though I would rather live right here in WI.

I guess the hunting would be better and would be closer to relatives in Michigan.

citori · #7 09-09-2009, 05:49 PM

2" of ice is safe if you don't fall through... though if you do it is probably your last act. I just find that 6" of clear ice is much better for my piece of mind and 8" is even better. I've been through the ice 4 times in my life and it is something I do not wish to repeat again. Having pulled more than one body from the waters by a person who had more desire to catch fish than sense, I have tempered my desire to catch fish with my safety. At no time is ice totally safe as currents (either natural or induced such as schooling fish), ice ridges, salt from the street, and other factors can decrease ice thickness in a short time and make "safe" areas treacherous. I'll wait until after New Year's to do my ice fishing, partly I am pretty sure the ice will be thick enough for me as a rule and the bird seasons have pretty much closed.

Actually, I much prefer living in MN as the hunting for everything except possibly ruffed grouse is much better here. You don't hear of people leaving the deer stand to go ice fishing because the hunting is so slow. Even as early as the second weekend of November there can be enough ice for fools, er, diehards to go out on. The couple I've talked to that were out there either did not deer hunt or had already used their tag and were not interested in helping others fill theirs (party hunting is allowed here). Down in the Twin Cities I have seen people out on area lakes and sheltered bays of large lakes as early as Thanksgiving but mostly its been a week and a half or two later.

Hunter · #8 10-26-2009, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by citori

Actually, I much prefer living in MN

citori -- where do you live in MN?

I drove through there last Oct and was impressed with the Fall colors. I spent the night in Albert Lea, then went to T/C (and was very impressed with the capitol bldg, the campus of UM, and St. Paul's), Duluth (via Hwy 95 (with a side trip into WI on Hwy 87 and 70) and Hwy 23), back to T/C (via Hwy 210 and 169), then up to Itasca, and on over to Grand Forks, ND. Pretty area.

citori · #9 11-02-2009, 01:37 AM

210 and 169 was about the closest you came to me but still a ways off. My wife wonders were I live too as I am pretty familiar with the whole tate other than the far southwestern and northwestern corners of the state. It seems like where ever we go, I know someone to call on.
The fall colors last year were some of the better I've seen in many years, you picked a good time to come up. The capital is pretty impressive from the outside but the inside fails to measure up in my eyes. I was there fairly often on Union business as well as a fair number of other issues. Maybe familiarity has taken over and I am not as awed as I once was. I got my degree from Moo-Moo U (as the St Paul campus is known since it had the Ag Sciences classes over there) so am pretty familiar with both places.
That Hwy 95 can be a rather nasty stretch of road in bad weather but it is one of the more scenic routes in the state. I hunt turkeys on a small piece of property I bought not far off Hwy 8 and used to go with my grandpa to buy horses at the small Amish community that used to be off Hwy 70. I don't think they are there anymore even though the warning sign was still up the last time I traveled that way.
I've been down Hwy 23 a number of times, my wife's cabin is not far off the road and there used to be good sharptail grouse hunting down there many years ago. I used to shoot a limit of ruffed and sharptail grouse plus up to 5 woodcock in MN and then run across to WI to shoot another limit of ruffed grouse and whatever was left on my woodcock limit. That made for a hard day, even back then. There is a small general store/deli in the town of Duquette that makes the best sandwiches on homemade bread. If you ever get that way again you will have to try it.
I am not a fan of 210 on the eastern end as it is too close to the casino for my taste. I have nothing against it, I just tend to over eat at the buffet and then it is a long miserable ride back to the cabin. The Hwy 2 route is one of my favorites and I tend to take it even when it is not the most direct. Maybe it has something to do with the Cabela's store in East Grand Forks as they tend to have more unusual guns than the ones in Rogers and Owatonna. There is also a run down shack on Hwy 2 posing as a gun store that always has a hand painted "Sale" sign out front. I get a line on a lot of unusual guns from the proprietor and he gives me first choice on many. Its a long run over there but I can usually make it worth my while fairly easily.
I'm glad you enjoyed you sojourn through our fair state, it is much like Wisconsin and the U.P. in that it has some fantastic country if you are into trees. It does not have much in the way of elevations but the fall colors are some of the best around. As much as I like travel to other places, Dorothy was right, "There is no place like home".

cnelk · #10 11-04-2009, 10:31 PM

I grew up on Lake of the Woods and lived there for 20+ yrs before moving to Colorado [20+ yrs ago]. Both states have excellent ice fishing oportunties.
I ice fish out here in CO like I learned in MN and do great - not much for walleye, but lake trout and rainbows.

Here is a vid of my fav lake trout lake...9700ft in February