Went out today and checked the ice after the rain we got looks as if we have about 5 inches of good ice left.. Alot of slop on the top now.. We are going to need some really cold weather now before we are going to have a good ice to fish from.. The way things look this year wont be any vehicles on the ice besides atv’s and sleds unless we get a good week of cold come thru..
Thats not good. How has the fishing been befor and after the storm???
Well I was out on Clearwater lastnight with my 11 year old, the bite was rather slow we were sitting on some structure that was excellent. 15 F.O.W. in the left hole and 20 F.O.W. in the right hole cousin was sitting in about 25 F.O.W. The crappie bite was slow but they were there using (minnows)! One walleye nothing in size. Ice was 5 inches thick. Not a strong 5 either it was a soft 2 inches and a hard 3 inches. Ice was being very vocal,hopefully after lastnights chill she stiffened up a bit. Getting ready to head out as I type to try again. Had withdrawls from the site crash yesterday 
Will give an update later today on how the lake and bite is today. 
Just got off the lake and the ice seems a bit stiffer today after lastnights cooler temps. Trying to get back out there this evening found a nice spot in 21 F.O.W. catching alot of perch so thinking tonight may bring some Walleyes… 
To the west of us it goes straight up from 20 to 5 F.O.W. east of us it drops all the way to 50 F.O.W. Kinda hoping to catch the Walleyes in route for there evening meal.. 
5″ of ice? 
So that rain really screwed up the ice that much?
I was out there with my wheeler last Wednesday, and there was 9″. The fishing was OK, got some sunfish, but most were really small.
I was thinking on trying this weekend again, maybe I will be walking. Have you seen any wheelers or sleds out there after the rain?
Ok had a little more time today to scout around. Yes there are wheelers running around out there,yet to see any sleds. But after punching holes and hopping around we did find that the other days ice may have been the thin areas. Today we found greater thickness in the ice. We punched holes finding ice from 5 inches to almost 12 inches. The hole we fished today sorta north of BJ’s was 12 inches now same area but in towards the weedlines or shallows we found 5 inches. Ice was very vocal again today alotta snap crackle and popping this morning as the sun came blistering down reaking its havoc once again upon the ice. It stayed cold enough to not let the top get sloppy so a couple more colder nights should stiffen her up some. I have yet to use McBrides landing to enter the lake,although some have but seems the better ice is in front of BJ’s, this could be my opinion but with the weather we have had including the rain and McBrides being near the mouth of the river (flowing water),the culvert to turtles bay still open water I would assume the ice may not be to safe.No real big houses out from what I have seen mainly everyone is sticking to the portables or else using little 4 by 6’s. One house about 6 by 8 is not looking to good out to the north of BJ’s froze in pretty good and is not level what so ever! Dont know what happened out there, but someone was trying awefully hard on it with all the sloppy frozen tracks left behind. Guess she is just really stuck in there good. 
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the culvert to turtles bay still open water I would assume the ice may not be to safe.
I went on to the north thru the opening in the trees.
The channel area did not look good at all.
I sure hope we get some colder temps soon.
Thanks for the reports! 
You are very welcome happy to have helped. 
Will update again tomorrow 04Jan2007
Ok had a situation at work sorry for the delay,but cousin was out yesterday slow biting ice is about 11 inches he said. He spent 10 hours on the ice with alot of pesky perch and only three crappies.
I am going to try and get out tomorrow morning and see if I can get on top of the fish and offer them a few other options for there diets… 
Ok was out this morning between 11 and 13 inches of ice where I tapped the ice,27 F.O.W.. Used the mini merts for awhile and was getting alot of perch on them but this lake produces nothing big when it comes to perch. Switched over to my Go-Devils tipped with a minnow head and caught a couple crappies. Nothing real big.
The weather we are having has to be playing a BIG role in the bite cause it has slowed way down. Wondering if the pressure is changing and causing the fish to move deeper for there comfort zone.The fish maybe as confused as we are with the weather. I will be tapping tomorrow out in the 50 F.O.W. zone and seeing what happens there in the deeper. I will not give up on this lake and I am going to continue mapping,plotting and learning this lakes structure. Been fishing it for near 30 years. Man if I would have focused on fishing it in my younger days as I do today I would not be having the problems finding these fish today as I am..
thanks for the report!!
Will add another tomorrow morning, then of coarse friday morning one of the IDA members are planning on hooking up with me for a day on the lake scouting it out and trying to nail some nice walleyes..So friday will have a good report planning on spending a bit more time out on friday..
Ok rough night lastnight did not make it out this morning…
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