Looks like things are back on the freeze this morning. Things looked to have started well earlier in Nov but this is the third time I’ve seen my local lake lock up. Not such an early start after all. I’m guessing this time it’s going to stick.
We’ll see 
It’s looking positive! Curious what your local lake is?? PM if you’re willing. Always looking for first ice near home. 
I expect to see/read about people on the ice in the metro by this weekend
It’s just the lake in town that splits N. Hudson & Hudson proper. It’s a good “barometer” for ice conditions because it tends to be the first lake in the area to freeze and the first lake in the area to start opening up at the end of the ice season. BTW… On Dec 6 it was completely wide open.
As for fishing it… Dicey body of water due to springs and current. You’ll see a few people off the boat ramp but that’s about it. If I want to take a winter swim I’ll check out one of the Polar Plunges.
Have a pond outside the office that’s also a good barometer. Pretty consistent that it’s a week ahead for both freeze up and melt on smaller lakes.
Tuesday: 0% covered
Wednesday: 60% covered
This morning: 100% covered
Now I’m motivated to spend the weekend getting gear ready for the following saturday
I got out on November 11th in the metro for a brief bit. Looks like I’ll be rolling back out there this weekend. With the forecast, this time around it’s shaping up to be the official ice-up for this year.
tegg- I know the one you’re talking about. I didn’t think that lake got any deeper than about 5ft. 
Never had any interest in fishing it. I usually head across the river to the MN side or north up towards Star Prairie and Amery. I need to hire a young kid with his DL and free time to drive around and scout for ice for me.
Just saw on Facebook that Bald Eagle Lake in White Bear Lake froze over this morning.
I have a question for you guys, I’m not as experienced on how ice formation works. I know that high winds keep it from freezing but what about after a lake locks up? Do high winds still affect ice formation or do they help? Sorry if it’s a dumb question!
Thanks!
once a lake is locked up the wind will have less of an effect. I do believe it can still have an effect but not as much as when its open water. Just a quick glance at the thermometer has us at 16 degrees here in Minnetonka right now. Check that against my chart for ice making and at 15 degrees you are making roughly 2 inches of skim ice in a 24 hour period. Of course all conditions are relative and are not equal so don’t assume that because a chart says there should be 2 inches tomorrow that there will be
In Princeton part of the lake was open Tuesday with waves looks froze up today.
Anyone venturing out soon be cautious plenty of time to get out
I expect to see/read about people on the ice in the metro by this weekend
You mean “through” the ice. In trucks.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>crappie55369 wrote:</div>
I expect to see/read about people on the ice in the metro by this weekendYou mean “through” the ice. In trucks.
I certainly hope not but you can’t fix stupid
Just saw on Facebook that Bald Eagle Lake in White Bear Lake froze over this morning.
I have a question for you guys, I’m not as experienced on how ice formation works. I know that high winds keep it from freezing but what about after a lake locks up? Do high winds still affect ice formation or do they help? Sorry if it’s a dumb question!
Thanks!
Once a lake locks up, the wind will have little or no effect. It just blows across the ice with colder temps being our friend to continue building ice. Our absolute worst enemy would be a heavy wet snowfall. Heavy and wet will stick to the ice and not blow off. It would be like putting a blanket on it and the ice making comes to slowdown and to make matters worse that heavy snow only encourages more cracks and then water seeps back up through the cracks further saturating the snow with more water and then the cycle can repeat itself. Worst case scenario, but in some areas, entire ice fishing seasons have been lost.
But, no worries…that won’t happen this year. 
It’s just the lake in town that splits N. Hudson & Hudson proper. It’s a good “barometer” for ice conditions because it tends to be the first lake in the area to freeze and the first lake in the area to start opening up at the end of the ice season. BTW… On Dec 6 it was completely wide open.
As for fishing it… Dicey body of water due to springs and current. You’ll see a few people off the boat ramp but that’s about it. If I want to take a winter swim I’ll check out one of the Polar Plunges.
We called it Malle-poo when I was a kid. Jumped off that bridge about a zillion times just the same.
We called it Malle-poo when I was a kid.
I’ve only lived in Hudson 2 years, but that’s kinda how I’ve always felt about it.
Just saw on Facebook that Bald Eagle Lake in White Bear Lake froze over this morning.
I have a question for you guys, I’m not as experienced on how ice formation works. I know that high winds keep it from freezing but what about after a lake locks up? Do high winds still affect ice formation or do they help? Sorry if it’s a dumb question!
Thanks!
Just an update on White Bear, I live about 1/4 mile from the lake and drove by it on my way home from work this morning. I was frozen over except out from the Mahtomedi side about 50 yds out. By the afternoon the lake was open again. Ice shifted and broke up. I suspect with the lower winds it will be locked up tomorrow morning again, hopefully for good.
Anyone that plans on fishing it, just a warning. The western half of the lake freezes quicker as its shallower. Be EXTREMELY careful about the east side (Ramsey Co and Mahtomedi side) as it takes much longer to reach safe thickness because it’s the deep side. Each year my fire dept responds to people and vehicles going through on the Mahtomedi side because they don’t understand this freezing pattern.
1 fisherman on lake in Princeton. Will investigate ice tomorrow
Took the spud out on Tonka a few hours ago. Spud took 3 whacks in an area that always freezes early. Suspect around 2 inches there. Went to another spot and the spud went through easily with one wack right by shore. Will be at least a few days before some areas are good to go
Im going to check some smaller lakes around the forest lake area tomorrow too see if any have something walkable. went out about 20ft off of shore on a shallow bay of forest lake and could only get the ice to crack by jumping. (had ice picks etc.) shouldnt be too long! 
Lots of open water and sketchy ice on the lakes we checked today. Seemed like wind has been a major factor as you could see lots of areas where the ice had been pushed around. Ice thickness we checked was between 1.5″ and 6″.
Drove by O’Dowd in Shakopee yesterday afternoon. There was a guy about 50 yards out. I’d be surprised if there was more than 2 inches.
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I’m in Woodbury and just checked a small pond behind my house with a spud. About 3 inches, but this is very small water. Better give it a few more days around here.
went out about 20ft off of shore on a shallow bay of forest lake and could only get the ice to crack by jumping. (had ice picks etc.) shouldnt be too long!
Picks would have helped you pull yourself out, but that would have been a self imposed frigid experience 
I went out on island lake in shoreview. The whole lake is fishable with 2.5-3 inches of fresh ice. Going to check out lake Johanna also in shoreview here shortly.
I checked various lakes in Polk County wi today. Not as much ice as I would have liked and many lakes with open areas still. Most were 1.5-2 inches found one where I fished with 2.5 -3. Be careful. Spud is a necessity
ozzy-
Thanks for the report! That’s kinda the direction I typically head from Hudson to get out and I was really hoping to hear there was more ice after this week. Bummer.
Fingers crossed it looks better middle-end of next week!
ended up fishing the channel between lindstrom lake and chisago lake. Was a zoo out there with people. around 5 inches of decent ice! Just checked forest this morning on third lake by my parents house and had about 2 inches of good ice. I heard from the bait shop that people were finding around 3 inches on willow point
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Carter Johnson wrote:</div>
went out about 20ft off of shore on a shallow bay of forest lake and could only get the ice to crack by jumping. (had ice picks etc.) shouldnt be too long!
Picks would have helped you pull yourself out, but that would have been a self imposed frigid experience
Yeah it would have been a cold experience but it was only around 3 feet deep where i was at 
2.5-3.5″ and fisherman on the four lakes I checked in Chaska. Also about half a dozen people ice skating on round lake right next to the Eden Prairie high school so I would guess good ice there too.
Waking up to 2 inches of wet heavy snow all over the ice. Not good
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