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!
