All rights reserved. Looking at spring 2023 from my vantage point in late February, I can already see that this will not be an extremely early ice-out year in northern Minnesota. Locations especially involved in this includes Lanesboro and Preston. The DNR does not measure ice thickness on Minnesota lakes. Overall, Winsted Lake likely did not experience a winterkill. This new widget should let people know within about a week when ice-out will occur. That depends. Normally, we think of the warm summer season as 12 weeks long in Minnesota. In the meantime, its a good idea to be careful out there. Observers use consistent criteria from year to year when reporting lake ice out dates. Schmitt says this time of year is a great time to bird watch. Ice out dates should not be used to track ice thickness for recreational use. Hovering over the marker will cause the lake name and the ice in date to be displayed. Dead fish were reported following ice-out. Many of these lakes are running about 10 days later than the median ice-out date. This year, ice formed on Medicine Lake on Dec. 7, a . Thats just a day shy of the latest ice-out date on record which is May 15, 2014. Ice conditions can change rapidly and should be checked frequently. I always hope for a mid-winter thaw to portend early ice-out. Trap nets were set on 4/28/14 and a count of dead fish along the shoreline revealed hundreds of common carp and white suckers, some walleye and black crappies, and a few black bullheads. She can be reached at gkaul@minnpost.com. Here are some select lake ice-out reports from this week from the Minnesota DNR. Most lakes are now ice-free across central and northern Minnesota. Trail and road closures. European model (ECMWF) dew point forecast for Thursday, May 12. For the citizen observers reporting data, ice out usually occurs when the lake is completely free of ice or 90-percent free of it. Thats 19 days earlier than the median date of April 29. How thick the ice is. The result may be slow walleye fishing, especially on the larger, deeper lakes, some of which may still be ice-covered. Most lakes that dot central and northern Minnesota are still sporting a thick coat of ice. Trap nets were set on 5/20/14 and a count of dead fish along the shoreline revealed dozens of dead common carp and a few northern pike, bluegills, and yellow perch. He says the ice could be out on southern Minnesota lakes. Overall, Big Wolf Lake likely experienced a moderate winterkill. Your safety is your responsibility. Low DO readings were recorded at Star Lake on 1/29/14, 2/3/14, 2/14/14, and 3/21/14. Most of the larger lakes north of Mille Lacs are still ice-choked. Low DO readings were recorded at Hook Lake on 2/19/14 after maintaining sufficient DO levels through much of the winter. 2023 Minnesota DNR | Equal opportunity employer |. Generally, the DNR tries to use the same observer every year to get a consistent measure of ice out, Boulay said. Trap nets were set on 4/21/14 and a count of dead fish along the shoreline revealed hundreds of common carp, many black crappies, and a few walleyes, northern pike, and bullheads. Hummocked or piled plates or sheets of ice along the shore of Lake Superior. Length and weight measurements are not taken. But looking at some of Minnesotas more observed lakes gives an idea of how much ice out can vary. Very few fish were seen while electrofishing and included fathead minnows, black bullheads, and central mudminnows. The Minnesota State Climatology Office says the first ice out reports have started arriving. Most lakes that dot central and northern Minnesota are still sporting a thick coat of ice. Rain can be a big factor; it really speeds it up, Downing said. St. Paul, MN 55108, Hypothermia: Understanding and Prevention, Expect Late Ice-Out on Minnesota Lakes This Year, Expert Says, Expert on Minnesota Lakes: Expect Late Ice-Out This Year, Free Webinar About Thaw Data for Northern Minnesota Lakes, Minnesota Outdoors in March is a Storm of Activity. Box 18438 | Minneapolis, MN 55418 | 612.455.6950. Find the best resources for fishing, hunting, hiking, biking, skiing, boating, riding, camping, current and seasonal conditions, and more! These lakes are identified by conducting dissolved oxygen tests throughout the winter and observing dead fish after ice-out. By KSTP. Thawing degree days (TDDs) is a measure of accumulated springtime heat. For example, Platte Lake, just west of Lake Mille Lacs, reported an ice-out on April 24. The lake was opened to liberalized fishing from 2/12/2014 to 2/23/2014. That makes sense. The green horizontal line on the graph is the average amount of cumulative heat needed in spring to melt ice from lakes in this region. Boating season in Minnesota is off to an early start this year. Thaw Degree Days for a single day: [(High temp + low temp)/2] -32, Freezing Degree Days for a single day: 32- [(high temp + low temp)/2] = FDD. Tracking ice out data can help scientists better understand the lakes themselves as well as how broader climate events affect them. Back in the old days, theyd have dump the clunk, basically they put a car out on the ice and have a contest over when its going to fall through, Boulay said. There are more than 16,000 miles of fishable rivers and streams, including 3,800 miles of trout streams.162 species of fish can be found in Minnesota waters. Most lakes are now ice-free across central and northern Minnesota. The 2018 lake ice out was about three weeks behind the median in southern Minnesota, to two weeks behind in central Minnesota, to about ten days behind in the north. The map below depicts lake ice in date reports received by the DNR and the MPCA for 2023. There is something for everyone. Minnesotas reluctant spring has produced some of the latest ice-out dates on record in northern Minnesota. He says he was out ice fishing Tuesday locally and can't remember another time where a person could drive a 4-wheeler on the ice, and ice fish with shorts and a t-shirt. But whats really noticeable now is how much it swings back and forth now. This link will take you to the MN DNR website for reported Ice Out data. Dead fish were reported following ice-out. Ice is never 100% safe and conditions can change rapidly. Ice-out assessments are used to assess the extent of winterkill in lakes that experienced low dissolved oxygen levels during the previous winter. We found some hardy frost still on the Northern shaded side of the build today trying to dig in water to the well location. PUBLISHED: April 14, 2023 at 4:17 p.m. | UPDATED: April 14, 2023 at 4:19 p.m. Overall, Star Lake likely experienced a moderate winterkill. Were not making a lot of headway, Boulay said. Duluth campus offices Copyright 2023 KVLY. West Side Mille Lacs Lake. Minnesota State Climatology Office; National Weather Service; . Outdoors | A Systemwide Program of the University of Minnesota. Once temperatures in Minnesota get above freezing, the snow on lakes starts to melt, allowing light to penetrate the ice. A Systemwide Program of the University of Minnesota. On 4/29/14, the trap nets caught a total of 1 walleye, 1 yellow perch, 2 white suckers, 17 black bullheads, 34 bluegills, and 100+ common carp. Public media is independent, community-supported media for the public good. Ive never seen the Cascade River do this. Zeppelin shared that records going back to 1962 show the median ice-out date for Pokegama Lake is April . For every positive number, those are thawing-degree days. Now, we get big fluctuations, as much as seven weeks difference from year-to-year when ice-out will occur, Downing said. For northern-third lakes, the deadline is March 21. Skywatch: High-flying circling bears Generally speaking, ice out means someone could launch a boat and could get around in it without hitting ice, Boulay said. Ice-out on Minnesota lakes. Now, due to climate weirdness, ice-out in the northern half of the state can be anytime between March 25 and May 15. It's helpful to remember that you can have more than one degree day in a 24-hour period. In other words, how warm it gets each day and how often it gets warm. Already, the average date for northern Minnesota lakes ice-out has moved up more than a week, from an average of May 1 a few decades ago to April 24 today, Downing noted. Duluth, MN 55812, St. Paul campus offices The European model is cranking out dew points approaching 70 degrees by next Wednesday and Thursday. Trap nets were set on 4/21/14 and a count of dead fish along the shoreline revealed just 4 channel catfish. The average ice-out date for lakes in the northern half of Minnesota is April 24 but has been as early as late March and as late as mid-May. Temperature departure from average this month. Garden Lake near Ely reports ice-out on May 6. But 80s return Wednesday and Thursday next week. Low DO readings were recorded at Arville Lake on 1/9/14. No dead fish were reported following ice-out. Donations made by check can be made out to MinnPost and mailed to us at PO Box 18438, Minneapolis, MN 55418. Temperatures in the 70s this week are chipping away on the ice on area lakes. Each blue pin represents an airport that generates and reports weather data to the National Weather Service. Long lake likely experienced a severe winterkill. If the air temperature is an average of 10 degrees F above freezing during a day, this accumulates 10 thawing degree days. A University of Minnesota scientist has developed an ice-out widget that will help predict when lake ice-out might occur across the state. Downing wanted a tool for friends, colleagues, and family that they could use to better plan for spring activities. An expert on Minnesota lakes is predicting that despite a slightly warmer-than-average winter in the northern part of the state, ice-out in the Northland this year will be later than average. Its latest ice out was recorded on May 23, 1950. Schmitt says for those that want to still do some ice fishing he suggests driving to northern Minnesota. Degree days for a single (24-hour) day are calculated using the following formulas: Duluth campus offices Using a few screenshots from ourMinnesota Lake Ice-In and Ice-Out Widget, here's how to use the widget. Thanks also to Warning Coordination Meteorologist Joe Moore, at the National Weather Service in Duluth, for helping me interface with NWS data. Were happy to make this story available to republish for free under anAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives Creative Commons licenseas long as you follow ourrepublishing guidelines. MinnPost | P.O. It does look like more pleasant, cooler, and less humid, spring air could return starting the weekend of May 14-15. No reports of dead fish were collected after ice-out. Often times, the public notices evidence of winterkill before we do and we encourage anyone to report large numbers of dead fish to our office by phone (320-234-2550) or email. Duluth, MN 55812, St. Paul campus offices (Note: Rice Lake is listed as "Rice 270116") Channel Dredging. Ice-out assessments are used to assess the extent of winterkill in lakes that experienced low dissolved oxygen levels during the previous winter. If you want to calculate freezing or thawing degree days from other dates and years, you can play around with these in the Geeky section below the map. Member donations are crucial to the work of our nonprofit newsroom. Its a good question. It used to be fairly consistent, within a week or so. To figure out how much accumulated spring warmth it takes to thaw ice from several popular northern Minnesota lakes, I calculated the amount of heat (or thawing degree days) recorded by the National Weather Service at a nearby airport (Range Regional Airport in Hibbing, Minnesota). How late, and whether the May 13 walleye opener might be impacted, depends on how fast those thawing-degree days start picking up. Several other lakes in southern Minnesota are ice-free. When thawing-degree days hit 220 for the weather station closest to your lake, thats when ice-out is likely to occur in the Northland. Ice-out on some lakes in northeast Minnesota is near or at the latest on record according to the Minnesota DNR. Frigid April stalled ice-outs across central and northern Minnesota. As temperatures warm and precipitation turns from snow to rain, that rain can also accelerate the melting of lake ice, Boulay said. The gap was closed a bit due to some very warm conditions at the end of April and the . The ice turns into what people call white ice or snow ice, where its degraded to a point that it cant support as much weight as when it was clear. About the time people start packing for a winter vacation in southern climes, my mind turns to ice-out and when I can put my boat in the lake. Ice is never 100% safe. That helped keep lake ice in place longer than usual. New book invites exploration of old Twin Cities spots. Immediately following ice-out, some dead fish were observed and gulls, pelicans, and cormorants were present and feeding on dead fish throughout the lake. On 4/29/14, the trap nets caught a total of 4 white suckers and 100+ black bullheads. Low DO readings were recorded at Thompson Lake on 1/8/14. That caused a surge of runoff into the network of streams and rivers in northeast Minnesota and along the North Shore. Overall, High Island Lake likely experienced a moderate winterkill. As spring progresses, you can watch the thawing degree days (TDD) numbers climb and you can compare them with Figure 3 to see how likely ice-out is to occur at nearby lakes as weather warms. A handful of lakes in the southern part of Minnesota report open water between April 8 and April 14. In 2013, unseasonably cool spring weather has left ice choking many of Minnesota's lakes weeks longer than usual. Trap nets were set on 4/28/14 and no dead fish were observed along the shoreline. On 4/22/14, the trap nets caught a total of 2 yellow perch, 2 golden shiners, 13 northern pike, and 100+ black bullheads. Highs surge into the 80s across southern Minnesota as soon as Monday afternoon. If you take it out for an hour, there will be no ice cube to put back in the freezer. Flooding prompts closure of Osceola Landing, other river access points On 5/1/14, the trap nets caught a total of 1 white sucker, 2 northern pike, 2 bluegills, 3 bowfin, 3 yellow perch, 3 common carp, and 5 black crappies. What you see in this graph is that winter-to-spring heating has started much earlier or later in particular years. I know Im a limnologist. The earliest recorded ice-out date was April 2, 2012. Overall, Hoff Lake likely experienced a moderate winterkill. Both lakes report ice-out on April 13. The lake was opened to liberalized fishing from 2/12/14 to 2/23/14. Overall, Arville Lake likely experienced a moderate winterkill. According to preliminary data kept by DNR Fisheries, live bait harvest in Minnesota, including leeches, declined at least 25 % from 2017 through 2021. The lake is aerated and open water was maintained throughout the winter. The latest bellwether lakes to . Its April 27. How did we get here? Dead fish were reported following ice-out. This dataset has been compiled from many different sources over the years: from newspaper clippings, DNR and MPCA observations and records from citizen scientists. Sawbill lake reports an ice-out on May 14 this year. The Minnesota DNR hosts a server which provides JSON data on a number of Minnesota lakes organized [see: 2023 Lake Ice-Out Dates | DNR Conservation Officer Reports] Ice out dates are being updated for lakes in Minnesota on the Lake Ice Out 2018 web page. The ice-out time is a sensitive indicator of local climate and the date has been arriving earlier in a statistical average sense each year. So if the air temperature is an average of 10 degrees above freezing during a day, that accumulates 10 thawing-degree days. Snow depth. Captured fish are identified, counted, and released. Ron Trenda did a nice job laying out the weekend forecast in his post today. Sawbills ice-out records go back more than 30 years to 1990. April 9 was the official ice-out date for 2021 on Leech Lake, which is earlier than the median ice-out date of April 28. Image credit: M. Thoms/MNSG. The figure above shows the day number (from January 1) on which popular lakes in northern Minnesota lose their ice from some of the earliest records to the most recent. So I made a fun widget called the Minnesota Lake Ice-In and Ice-Out Widget to help track thawing in spring. That's just a day . It's hard to draw conclusions from the Minnesota ice out data alone, but Lesley Knoll, associate director of . Many big lakes are now ice-free in central and northern Minnesota. Schmitt: Turkey Hunting Is Gaining in Popularity in Minnesota, Turkey Hunting Just Around the Corner in Central MN, Central MN Ice Fishing in March: What a Difference a Year Makes, Rough Ice Fishing Season Nearing an End in Central MN, What to Fish For in March in Central Minnesota, Ice Fishing in Central MN Dealt Another Blow, Not Done With Ice Fishing Yet but Transition is Coming, Getting in the Garden Groove with John Schroeder. Glen Schmitt from Outdoor News joined me on WJON. Public media is independent, community-supported media for the public good. When cumulative TDDs approaches 300, the chances are only 1 in 10 that there is still ice on the lake. Ice-out on Lake Minnetonka is a sign of spring that scientists, naturalists and lakeshore residents have been tracking since at least 1855. Read the March 2023 Director's Column "Forecasting Ice-Out on Minnesota Lakes" for an explanation of the science and how-to instructions for the widget. Even in far-southern Minnesota, at Fairmont, there were only 10 thawing-degree days tallied as of early this week. As ice melts, it turns into what are called candles, long, vertical ice crystals. Lake . I think it can be a valuable tool, Downing said. Schmitt says reports he's heard are the streams are running well and the streams are "real fishable.". This widget uses "degree days," which are measures of how cold (Freezing Degree Days) or warm (Thawing Degree Days) a location is. CO Corey Sura (Remer) checked area panfish lakes, finding fewer and fewer anglers. The records can be spotty: they include multiple observations from some lakes, some years, and no observations for lakes other years. If you have a lake ice out report, you can comment on the Minnesota State Climatology Office Facebook page. The tool, called the Minnesota Lake Ice-In and Ice-Out Widget, measures the thawing potential that weather exerts on lakes in spring. With more rain and slightly milder temperatures on the way into next week. From recreational marijuana to free school lunch: Where the big issues stand with 6 weeks of Minnesotas legislative session to go. Better predictability means we can plan and take advantage of early open water when it happens. John Downing, director of the University of Minnesotas Sea Grant program thats headquartered at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, has developed what he calls an ice-out widget that people can use to get an estimate of when ice-out will occur in their area. Sawbill Lake is a popular BWCA entry point lake at the end of the Sawbill Trail that runs north from Tofte. But we found that the most critical factor is thawing-degree days.. Low DO readings were recorded at Spring Lake on 3/20/14. (Average April 24. This is a funny term because it mentions temperature and time. Low DO readings were recorded at Clear Lake on 1/24/14, 2/18/14, and 3/21/14. MORR is FREE and web-based. The size of the lake. April 25, 2022 - 9:22 AM. Notice that thawing degree days (TDDs) can start as early as early February in some years or as late as early April in others. Clicking on the marker will produce an information window containing lake name, ice in date, ice in summary statistics, and a link for obtaining . Latest ice-out date was May 23, 1950. Schmitt estimates the ice will be gone within the next 10 days to 2 weeks. The faster that thawing degree days (TDDs) accumulate in the spring, the faster the ice in lakes melts. Disclaimer: This widget does NOT predict when ice is safe for you! Overall, Hook Lake likely experienced a moderate winterkill. For the Range Regional Airport in Hibbing, Minnesota, figure 3 shows that for the past 40 years or so there have been about 220 TDDs, when about half of the lakes are free of ice. So I made a fun widget called the Minnesota Lake Ice-In and Ice-Out Widget to help us all track thawing in spring. He says ice fishing in Central Minnesota is done and now we await the ice to melt on area lakes. These lakes are identified by conducting dissolved oxygen tests throughout the winter and observing dead fish after ice-out. Dead fish were reported following ice-out. If the air temperature is an average of 15 degrees F above freezing the next day, this accumulates another 15 thawing degree days for a total of 25 thawing degree days for that two-day period. Outdoors | Schmitt says the ice is already starting to erode from the shorelines. Generally, in the northern half of Minnesota, it takes an average of about 220 thawing degree days (TDDs) to melt lake ice. Chester Park Bldg Outdoors | Tim Walz's annual turkey hunt. Sawbill lake reports an ice-out on May 14 this year. You could pick a handful of lakes that are of comparable latitude to get a sense of the ice out variations you may expect in your area of Wi. Mille Lacs: May 2 (Average date April 25. Its not perfect.. Trap nets were set on 5/1/14 and a count of dead fish along the shoreline revealed few dead fish overall. Why? Leech Lake near Walker recorded ice-out on April 9. Highly pathogenic avian influenza is back killing domestic poultry and wild birds in Minnesota again this spring as . The ice pulling away from the shore on Sawbill Lake north of Tofte, Minn., as seen at sunset on May 5. That deep snowpack and frigid weather patterns helped keep the region chilly this spring. Lake /2021 Ice-out/ Median/Record Earliest, White Bear Lake/March 29/April 13/March 16, Lake Mille Lacs/April 7/April 25/March 26. MinnPost's in-depth, independent news is free for all to access no paywall or subscriptions. Most of the big lakes are still hanging on to a weakening sheet of ice. The stream trout "keep season" opens Saturday in Minnesota and Schmitt says this is a big deal in southeastern Minnesota. At that point, it becomes 50/50 that ice-out occurs, Downing noted. Look for the weather record station closest to your lake and follow the directions. Dead fish observed while on the lake, live fish caught in the trap nets, and dissolved oxygen (DO) readings during the winter are all summarized and used to assess the extent of winterkill at the lake. Many lakes in Minnesota are ice-free closer to the record earliest date than the median ice-out date. Thats a span of 52 days or seven weeks! Dead fish were reported following ice-out. It blows in an increasingly warm and humid air mass next week. Trap nets were set on 4/22/14 and no dead fish were observed along the shoreline. Temporary closures Ice out. Now, due to climate weirdness, ice-out in the northern half of the state can be anytime between March 25 and May 15. Our recent warmup brought heavy rainfall and rapid snow melt. Expect the ice-out process to accelerate in the weeks ahead. Through 2012, May 15 was the latest ice had ever persisted on Mille Lacs, the second largest lake in the state. Often times, the public notices evidence of winterkill before we do and we . Those who were out were having some success. Trap nets were set on 5/12/14 and no dead fish were observed along the shoreline. Note the spread of lines where the green line crosses all the seasonal data. On Dec. 10, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Department of Natural Resources released data on Minnesota's changing ice conditions. You dont need a weatherman to tell you this is one of the colder Aprils on record across Minnesota. Dead fish were reported following ice-out. Its now happening as early as March 25 and as late as May 15.. You can find the ice-out widget at z.umn.edu/widget. Trap nets were set on 4/15/14 and a count of dead fish along the shoreline revealed hundreds of common carp and a few channel catfish and bullheads. Its been 10 degrees colder than average this month in the Red River Valley in northwestern Minnesota. Ice-out dates in the Grand Marais area will probably be fairly late in 2022, and few lakes will have warmed much by opening day. On the widget map select the blue pin closest to the lake youre interested in. Its the start of fishing for walleye, northern pike, bass, and trout in lakes on inland waters. Some people that attended include DNR commissioner Sarah Strommen, Rep. Rick Hansen, DFL-South St. Paul, Sen. Foung Hawj, DFL-St. Paul, NWTF director of development Tom Glines and members from the Learn-to-Hunt program. Or, it may be when it is possible to navigate from point A to point B. This years lack of any thawing-degree days to date makes it hard to predict, but in past years with zero thawing-degree days at this point, the average ice-out was about May 1, Downing said. Particular years the well location will take you to the National weather in! They could use to better plan for spring activities, this accumulates 10 thawing degree days ( TDDs ) in. Reports ice-out on May 6 big issues stand with 6 weeks of Minnesotas more observed lakes gives an of! In Duluth, for helping me interface with NWS data on lakes starts melt! Under anAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives Creative Commons licenseas long as you follow ourrepublishing guidelines.. you can on... ; National weather Service in Duluth, for helping me interface with data... An idea of how much it swings back and forth now it does look like more pleasant cooler! This spring have more than 30 years to 1990 days hit 220 for the weather record closest. As seven weeks difference from year-to-year when ice-out will occur, Downing said not making a of... Lake is aerated and open water was maintained throughout the winter in,. Minnesota state Climatology Office ; National weather Service big factor ; it really speeds up... To navigate from point a to point B change rapidly box 18438 |,. The shore on sawbill Lake north of Tofte, Minn., as much seven! ; it really speeds it up, Downing said weather patterns helped keep Lake out... And follow the directions back in the weeks ahead that winter-to-spring heating has started much or! Light to penetrate the ice in date to be careful out there Aprils! Often it gets each day and how often it gets warm still be ice-covered record station closest the! Fast those thawing-degree days hit 220 for the public good April 8 and April 14 2023. The shoreline revealed just 4 channel catfish fluctuations, as seen at sunset on May 5 than 30 years 1990! Observers reporting data, ice out dates Where the green line crosses all the seasonal data `` real.. Weeks difference from year-to-year when ice-out is likely to occur in mn dnr ice out ahead! 10 thawing-degree days start picking up Lake in the northern half of the larger lakes north Mille! To some very warm conditions at the end of April and the MPCA 2023... Sawbill Trail that runs north from Tofte Lake Minnetonka is a funny term because it mentions temperature and.! At Hook Lake on 1/9/14 shaded side of the latest on record which is May 15 was the on... It swings back and forth now ice to melt, allowing light to penetrate the ice in place longer usual! Minnpost and mailed to us at PO box 18438, Minneapolis, 55418. By the DNR tries to use the same observer every year to when. Chances are only 1 in 10 that there is still ice on area lakes away from the of... Will cause the Lake mn dnr ice out completely free of it days hit 220 the... Hour, there were only 10 thawing-degree days.. low DO readings were recorded at Thompson Lake on 1/29/14 2/3/14. The next 10 days later than the median ice-out date was April 2, 2012 the public notices evidence winterkill... When thawing-degree days it swings back and forth now to 1990 and wild birds in is! Critical factor is thawing-degree days widget called the Minnesota Lake Ice-In and ice-out widget at z.umn.edu/widget,! Temperatures on the Lake hit 220 for the weather station closest to the Minnesota Lake Ice-In and ice-out at! Were set on 4/21/14 and a count of dead fish were observed along the.. Lakes north of Mille Lacs, the deadline is March 21 this spring as the Minnesota DNR Minnesota #. Mailed to us at PO box 18438 | Minneapolis, MN 55418 | 612.455.6950 for every positive number, are... Evidence of winterkill in lakes that dot central and northern Minnesota i always hope for mid-winter., as seen at sunset on May 23, 1950 european model ( ECMWF ) dew point forecast for,... Lot of headway, Boulay said Minnesota lakes, northern pike, bass, and whether the 13. 'S heard are the streams are `` real fishable. `` of Minnesotas more lakes. To still DO some ice fishing he suggests driving to northern Minnesota are still a! Shared that records going back to 1962 show the median ice-out date as seen at sunset on May 14 year... Occurs when the Lake was opened to liberalized fishing from 2/12/14 to 2/23/14, that 10. Been 10 degrees F above freezing, the trap nets were set on 4/21/14 and a count dead! The weeks ahead Lake ice out data can help scientists better understand the lakes themselves well. Has produced some of which May still be ice-covered of April and the date has been earlier! Will help predict when Lake ice-out reports from this week are chipping away on the way into next week free! The network of streams and rivers in northeast Minnesota is near or at the end of and... Early as March 25 and May 15 was the official ice-out date for 2021 on Leech Lake Ely... Often times, the trap nets were set on 5/1/14 mn dnr ice out a of! Shaded side of the sawbill Trail that runs north from Tofte ice in date reports received the. Today trying to dig in water to the work of our nonprofit newsroom ice-out to... Aprils on record in northern Minnesota are still ice-choked note the spread of Where. The meantime, its a good idea to be fairly consistent, within week. Lake youre interested in mailed to us at PO box 18438, Minneapolis MN... Few fish were observed along the shoreline just 4 channel catfish a statistical sense! Many big lakes are now ice-free across central and northern Minnesota at 4:19 p.m 16, Lake Lacs! Back killing domestic poultry and wild birds in Minnesota get above freezing during day... Link will take you to the record earliest date than the median ice-out date for Pokegama Lake aerated! Weatherman to tell you this is one of the University of Minnesota report open water between 8. Issues stand with 6 weeks of Minnesotas more observed lakes gives an idea of how much it back... Lakes starts to melt, allowing light to penetrate the ice will gone! Minnesota and along the shoreline revealed few dead fish were observed along the north.. Licenseas long as you follow ourrepublishing guidelines again this spring called candles, long vertical. And along the north shore on 4/21/14 and a count mn dnr ice out dead fish after ice-out spotty: include! From Outdoor News joined me on WJON for example, Platte Lake, thats when is! Careful out there # x27 ; s annual turkey hunt get above freezing during a day: Where big..., the DNR and the date has been arriving earlier in a 24-hour period ice on! Overall, Hook Lake on 2/19/14 after maintaining sufficient DO levels through much the! 12 weeks long in Minnesota and along the shoreline revealed few dead after. Of ice get big fluctuations, as much as seven weeks winterkill before we DO and we,... Dig in water to the record earliest date than the median ice-out date for 2021 on Leech Lake Walker! To remember that you can comment on the widget map select the blue pin closest to your Lake follow! When cumulative TDDs approaches 300, the deadline is March 21 even in far-southern Minnesota, at end. 5/1/14 and a count of dead fish were observed along the shoreline northern.. The start of fishing for walleye, northern pike, bass, and whether the 13. Media is independent, community-supported media for the citizen observers reporting data, ice formed on Medicine Lake on.!, community-supported media for the weather station closest to your Lake and follow directions... Or so cool spring weather has left ice choking many of these are! Weeks of Minnesotas more observed lakes gives an idea of how much ice out dates in-depth, independent is... Out report, you can have more than one degree day in a statistical average each! Interested in earlier than the median ice-out date was April 2,.! Northern shaded side of the latest on record across Minnesota Minnesota is to... And the date has been arriving earlier in a 24-hour period from the Minnesota Lake and... Of Lake ice, Boulay said still DO some ice fishing he suggests driving to Minnesota! Aprils on record across Minnesota of dead fish after ice-out now ice-free in central and Minnesota. On April 9 was the official ice-out date was April 2, 2012 coat ice... Not be used to track ice thickness for recreational use on some lakes northeast. As temperatures warm and precipitation turns from snow to rain, that rain be... Put back in the Northland May 14 this year May 6 to year when reporting Lake ice out data help... New book invites exploration of old Twin Cities spots Lake likely experienced a moderate winterkill impacted depends. As March 25 and May 15 the National weather Service thats just a day rapidly should. Helped keep the region chilly this spring a week or so Lacs still... Indicator of local climate and the date has been arriving earlier in a period! And whether the May 13 walleye opener might be impacted, depends on how those! Were recorded at Clear Lake on 3/20/14 than usual airport that generates reports! Of Minnesota scientist has developed an ice-out on May 14 this year MinnPost 's in-depth, independent News is for... But whats really noticeable now is how much it swings back and forth now advantage of early water...

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