Lake Report 2-4-11
 

We came up to the island camp after work today (Friday). We made our way from Glendale to Welch Island in a Polaris ranger with tracks. There is a LOT of snow on the lake and not many packed down trails yet from snowmobiles. Leave your wheeled ATV's home as there is no way your getting out here with one. If your walking you better have snowshoes or you will tire in no time walking through the snow.

I will be cutting holes early tomorrow morning for fishing and expect to find a foot of ice but will report back some time late tomorrow afternoon.

Have fun and be safe!!

Dan

Cattle to South Bear
 

we also made it up today, came over from Cattle Landing to Bear on snowmobile, made fresh tracks with a good 16" of powder and a few inches of slush.

I made several trips to pack a trail as my wife insisted on bringing the dogs, they arrived a few hours after I did and made the trek over on foot, not bad, about a 25 minute walk over to the island from Cattle.

the dogs are bushed, they haven't moved in hours.

Ice Thickness
 

Ice thickness around Welch island is 11". I did see a couple of wheeled ATV's out and about yesterday, it looked slow going but they were making it!

The freezing sleet and rain we got last night should tighten things up a little and make it easier to get around on the lake.

Dan

Another report
 

Hiked out with a group of 14 Scouts and Dads on Saturday from Cattle Landing. Met Bear Island South at the docks! Pretty sloppy over by the Cattle Landing docks, though the cold weather should lock that up soon enough. There's a good 14" of ice north of Mink. 4-5" is slush ice, the rest is solid black. No worries.

Be aware that my neighbor to the East (Northeast corner of the island) has an active aquatherm that creates open water/thin ice for as much as 100 yds out from shore.

I'll be back on Thursday for the derby. If you see a lone ice fisherman north of and around Mark/Mink, it's probably me!