Lake Waconia Ice Update 12-27-12

Today we spent a good portion of the day venturing off to areas we haven't checked yet, as well as re-checking some of the ice we've covered.

We're seeing a range from 9 to 11 inches of ice most places.  A lot of it was 10 to 10.5 inches in areas where the ice was clear.  The lesser ice was found in drifts, which are spread out all over, but generally small.  The cold we've had over the holiday has really done wonders!

While the vast majority of the lake has some really good ice, we have continued to mark more springs.  If you remember the areas of bubbling open water last winter on the eastern half of the lake, expect to find those areas to be dangerous again, albeit a little smaller.  The deeper water between Cemetery and Anderson's reefs has 2 that we marked with flagging tape and lath board.  Also marked were some north and south of Red's reef, east of Keg's Reef in the deeper water, and as you head north toward Reinke's Bay.

Keep in mind, we look for the worst of the worst, so while we have to talk about it when we find bad areas, our general feeling is that the ice is in very good condition overall.  Remember, we cannot cover it all, so if you find anything that may be dangerous, please help us by marking it with branches, or anything that is noticeable.

Up until this point, we've been happy using ATV's on the ice.  We have not opened the access for car or truck traffic yet, although we are getting closer.  We're hoping to get just a tad more ice developing, since we're still seeing some with as little as 9 inches.  Having said that, keep checking here, as we might open it for small vehicle traffic in the coming days, or for parking on the ice (spread out, of course).

Also, don't forget, we RENT fish houses!  If you don't want to mess with dragging your portable out, or don't have a permanent or the time to put it on the lake, let us handle the dirty work.  We have fish houses that range from 7' x 8 up to 7' x 14'.  They are heated with propane stoves, and we pre-drill the holes for you!  You can also rent jig sticks, if you don't have any gear!  We currently have 3 of our fleet of 5 on the ice for rent.  Let us help you get fishing!  Call (952) 442-2096 to reserve.

Lake Waconia Ice Update 12-23-12

The cold weather has continued to help make ice!  We did a quick check on a few of our previously reported areas, and we've gained about 2 inches in the past few days.  Expect to find an average of 7 inches of ice where it's clean/clear ice.  While snow drifts are rare, you will find less ice (maybe an inch or so less) in those areas.  Continue to pay attention for springs, as nothing has changed with those.  All in all, we're very happy with how the ice is forming.  It's generally in very good shape!

Don't forget, our Free Ice and Dice contest has started!  Weigh in a qualifying Lake Waconia fish to shake the dice for a chance to win a prize.  Check out the rules and fish sizes needed to qualify by clicking the "Promotions" link at www.intownemarina.com

We're here on Christmas Eve from 7:30 to 4:30, and we will be closed on Christmas Day.  We hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!  We'll be ready with our normal hours after Christmas to accommodate the rush to the ice!  We hope to see you soon!

Lake Waconia Ice Update 12-20-12

We took to the ice for another round of checking today.  This time, we expanded out to Center Reef, Pillsbury Reef and Wagener's Bay.  We drilled a bunch of holes in these areas and found a consistent 5 to 5.5 inches, with a few areas up to 6 inches.  We also checked some more in Waconia Bay, which is a little thicker, yet more varied, and measured a lot of it in the 5 to 6.5 inch range, with some having a touch more.

We did mark close to 2-dozen springs that averaged 2 to 3-foot diameter in size, so watch out for those. Several of the springs were out from the Wagener's Bay access (similar area to last year).  Also, we marked a number of them in the deep hole of that bay.  We didn't see as much spring activity near Center Reef, although we can't cover it all. Waconia Bay has a couple of springs as well.  Continue to be attentive wherever you are fishing, and if you spot anything of concern, help mark it, so others can stay safe.

It's important to note that there is a lot of very good ice in the areas we've checked.

Visit us this weekend, as we've extended our hours to accommodate your needs!  Ice fishing season has begun!

Shop Hours Extended this Weekend!

Our current hours (9 am - 5:30 pm) will end after Friday. We will be extending our hours for the season this weekend! Starting Saturday 12/22, we will be open Saturday & Sunday from 6:30 am - 6 pm. Monday - Friday we will be open from 7:30 am - 6 pm. Christmas Eve we are here from 7:30 am - 4:30 pm. We will be closed on Christmas Day. We hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

Keep checking here for the latest ice report or stop on in to say hi!

Lake Waconia Ice Update 12-18-12

We've been making ice in the past few days and nights!  We just got off the ice out in front of the marina toward Waconia Bay and the walleye hole.  We've gained 1.5 to 2 inches since our first ice walk last Thursday!

Today, we measured ice ranging from 4 to 6.5 inches.  Most of the ice we checked was around the 4.5 to 5 inch range!  Keep in mind, we've done most of our sampling out where fishermen generally walk to for first ice fishing out from the marina. We have NOT done a check on the main lake yet.  Also, we have seen a few small active springs in some of the same areas as last year.  Keep your eyes peeled, as we will have to deal with those again in certain areas.

Get your portables out and your gear ready!  It's time to get out to the ice!

Quick Lake Waconia Ice Update 12-16-12

I took a quick walk out to Waconia Bay this morning to see what, if any affect the weekend storm had on the ice.  I was pleasantly surprised.  Thankfully, we had rain instead of snow!  With the cold night last night, I did not find any standing water on the ice.  Since Thursday's first walk, we've gained about a 1/2 inch.  So, where the clear ice is, you can expect to find about 3.5 inches.  Where the chunky ice is, you can find a lot of variance in the 4 to 4.5 inch range, with some up to 5 inches (please keep in mind, you will find 3.5 inch ice mixed near the chunky ice, and there is a lot less chunky ice than clear).

Again, it was a quick walk to guage where we are from 3 days ago, so continue to follow early ice safety measures, and pay close attention if it's your first time out.

Lake Waconia 1st Ice Report 12-13-12

We took our first walk on Lake Waconia ice today!  We did our checking with chisels, and measured numerous holes in Waconia Bay, Under the Wires (between the island and peninsula), south of the island, Cemetery Reef and the walleye hole near the marina. 

What we found was an average between 3 to 3.5 inches of ice.  Generally, anywhere we checked and the ice was clear, solid ice, we found at or just above 3 inches.  We found thicker ice (3.5 up to 4 inches in a few spots) where it had been chunked and refroze.   Keep in mind, if there was a rigid build-up of ice (causing an insulation factor), you could find a touch less than 3, so be aware of those areas.  There are some areas of clouded ice that were weaker than the solid, clear ice, although it too was around 3 inches as well.  Of the areas we checked, Waconia Bay was the one that averaged a little more ice than the other areas, due to more of those chunky spots, but also had some of the clouded weaker ice.

All in all, it was promising to see what we found.  Keep in mind, while we strive to look for the worst areas, and report whatever dangers we can find, we cannot cover every square inch, so take the necessary precautions when you're venturing onto the ice for the first time.  Bring a chisel to poke ahead of yourself and don't forget your ice safety picks.

We will be open starting tomorrow, from 9 am to 5:30 pm, so you stop in for the latest ice news, bait and tackle, or that Christmas stocking stuffer.  We look forward to seeing you!

Opening for the Season this Friday 12/14!

We are getting ready for the upcoming ice fishing season on Lake Waconia!  Our shop opens for the season on Friday Dec. 14th.  Our temporary hours are 9 am - 5:30 pm daily.  We will extend our hours when the ice thickens.

We will be checking ice conditions, and have a current report on Friday.  Give us a call at (952) 442-2096 for latest Lake Waconia Ice report.  We also will post our findings on this blog.  Keep your fingers crossed that we continue to get cold, ice-building weather!

We look forward to seeing you!