Walleye Challenge Update

After riding AROUND THE LAKE and checking conditions just about everywhere, Saturday, Sunday and today (Monday).

The most ice I have seen is 7 inches in the bay by Lakeside Tavern also known as muscles harbor, down to a mile of open water from northeast of Sinclair point to I-Go-Inn.

Most of the bays have between 4 and 5 inches of ice, but much of the main lake from Beacon Island, north and east, for miles has only an inch or two with some open patches still.

Looking forward at the forecast for the next ten days i do not see cold enough weather to feel confident that the lake will make significant enough ice EVERYWHERE by the 30 of January.

In the best interest of everyone's safety and the future of the Walleye Challenge, it will be cancelled. It will become a raffle at Lanzi's on the Lake starting at noon Saturday the 30.

This does not mean the entire lake will be unsafe or that by the 30th we won't have another 4 to 6 inches of ice.

What it does mean due to the nature of this contest which requires atv, snowmobile,and side by sides to be used across the entire lake to transport fish to the weigh stations, I feel they will not be able to safely do that.

January 14th, 2016

Water Temperature:

Freezing

Ice Report:

The main Lake STILL has open water!

The crazy winds from earlier this week created white caps and broke up some of the the ice that had formed.

Sinclair Point is Open

The Bays have about 4 inches of ice on them though.

From the Campgrounds to Sport island has ice

Gordons and surrounding area has ice

Scout Island to Lakeside has ice.

The water is up a couple fo feet - so watch the edges as some of the ice is breaking away from the shoreline a bit.

If the cold weather keeps up we should have more ice by the weekend. BUT use caution!!! 

Again - I want to emphasize that the winds have caused some of the ice to break apart, so use your common sense and PAY ATTENTION.

Fishing:

is average

Northerns are good Walleye are average.

Tip of the Week:

Pray for Ice & Snow!!!!!

January 5th, 2016

Photo by Ony Antonucci

Water Temperature 

Freezing - about 32 degrees (down from 38 degrees last week)

Ice Report

I just took a ride around the lake, because things were much different yesterday.

The little Lake at Mayfield is frozen over.

It is Frozen from Sport Island Pub down to the Bridge.

All the Bays are frozen over - even the larger ones like sunset bay have a thin coat of ice.

There is still steam coming off the main lake though which means it is NOT frozen over yet.

IF we have optimum conditions of no wind and no snow the big lake may freeze over; However there is snow in the forecast for the weekend.

Fishing

No one is fishing right now, but if they were we predict it would be Great!

I do NOT recommend ice fishing right now.

If you MUST try ice fishing this weekend, go on the smaller lakes - Northville or Mayfield. My best guess is that they have maybe 2 inches of ice.

We will be making a final decision on the Walleye Challenge on Monday the 18th of January. IF there is NOT enough ice then rule #23 applies.

Rule 23 states that if there is NOT enough ICE that all the prizes will be randomly drawn for by tag number at Lanzi's on the Lake at noon. ( YES - THIS INCLUDES THE PRIZE MONEY!)

Tip of the Week

Be SMART - Stay SAFE!