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Mink Islander · 12-08-2008, 02:09 PM

Fatlazyless usually offers occasional ice condition reports for that area. I'd be surprised if the ice were safe though before mid January. I define "safe" as 7" of black ice.

Typically, that is one of the later areas to lock in -- particularly due to the aggressive use of ice-eaters by a number of mainland lakefront property owners along that shoreline. Open water can press out several hundred feet from shore through there even in the middle of the winter. I always take a wide arc away from the mainland when starting out from the parking lot. Two years ago in February I had to portage over parts of Bear and Dolly to get around the open water at Cattle Landing on my 2 mile trek out to Mink Island. Now that was an unusually warm winter.... Still, without a doubt one of the less predictable/more potentially dangerous areas of the lake that I cover on foot in the winter.

My first time through I bring along a manual ice auger to test frequently until I'm well past the narrows there. I also have a life jacket on and my ice awls handy. I'd wait until you see ample evidence of snowmobile traffic and ice fishing before heading through there....

12-08-2008, 02:09 PM	#2
Mink Islander Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 753 Thanks: 59 Thanked 271 Times in 129 Posts	Ice-in at Cattle Landing Fatlazyless usually offers occasional ice condition reports for that area. I'd be surprised if the ice were safe though before mid January. I define "safe" as 7" of black ice. Typically, that is one of the later areas to lock in -- particularly due to the aggressive use of ice-eaters by a number of mainland lakefront property owners along that shoreline. Open water can press out several hundred feet from shore through there even in the middle of the winter. I always take a wide arc away from the mainland when starting out from the parking lot. Two years ago in February I had to portage over parts of Bear and Dolly to get around the open water at Cattle Landing on my 2 mile trek out to Mink Island. Now that was an unusually warm winter.... Still, without a doubt one of the less predictable/more potentially dangerous areas of the lake that I cover on foot in the winter. My first time through I bring along a manual ice auger to test frequently until I'm well past the narrows there. I also have a life jacket on and my ice awls handy. I'd wait until you see ample evidence of snowmobile traffic and ice fishing before heading through there....