Ice Out Lake Kipawa Contest

[crackers42]

I don think the lake is going to see a Spring Puckster.

Looks like cooler weather then if June holds true right into low to mid 20's

There will be some ice chunks floating around for the opener for sure.

[puckster_guy]

 It could well happen Cracker. However they are calling for double digit weather next week. Anything above freezing is good. I can always put on a sweater. Sure beats the big city.

[T-Bone]

Image as of this past Saturday...still appears to be locked-up pretty good. I see Lake of the Woods is starting to get quite soft...black...water on top in areas.

I guess my April 28th guess is out the window....which brings up the question. If the day you selected passes, can you resubmit a new date that hasn't been selected yet? 

[Greg]

Wow T-bone... seeing it look like it is February... that is kinda sad   

[crackers42]

The ice is still solid and 16 inches.

Will need some rain and wind to break it up.

I am guessing ice will be off possibly week before opener maybe later.

Still down to zero or less at night.

[Canuckbass]

Do they wait for ice to clear before raising water levels on Kip?

Will be last minute to get lake levels up for opener.

[crackers42]

Generally yes but lake is always a couple feet down on opener.

[Fort Wisers]

I thing @SgtCrabby is going to be the winner (May 6th)......
Still decent snow in the bush.

[crackers42]

I would say we are still two weeks out from 100% ice free or more.

[SgtCrabby]

Is the ice melting that fast?

Last I heard it was still 16 inches thick.

[puckster_guy]

I'm making my first trip on May 7th. I'll make a dockside report...

[crackers42]

ditto will take some pics and show everyone how much the lake will be down week prior to opener.

[Captain Hali]

I'm making my first trip on May 7th. I'll make a dockside report...

Good luck Puckster, I just checked the Algonquin Park web site for ice conditions on Lake Opeongo, which is some 80 miles South of Kipawa, as the crow flies, and the picture shown ( Apr. 28 ) shows no sign of any of rotting ice. My guess, having fished there many years, is that it will be at least 10 to 14 days before there will be any open water.

[Hodgey1]

Not living anywhere near Kipawa, what is a typical ice out date? I guess more to the point, is this years projected ice out unusually late? Just curious.

[puckster_guy]

Ice is usually out by the first week of May. The ice should be pulling away frpom shore now. Yet we still have almost 2 feet of solid ice. We have temps reaching the low 60's this week. So that will melt the snowpack on the roads and start deteriorating the ice on the lake. I figure about 2 weeks before ice out. Just in time for the opener on the 18th.