I'm getting lots of phone calls inquiring about ice conditions. Here is what I know and what I suspect will happen. I drilled numerous holes near the Cedar Bay Launch yesterday, all through 10-12 inches of clear, hard ice. Overcast conditions prevented further erosion or softening yesterday. The next few days we will have fishable ice conditions on Merritt. From others I have heard that ice conditions on the Valentine Refuge are already unsafe. With the forecast up to 70* Thursday the ice conditions will be deteriorating, especially the edges. I am going to guess that there will be fishable ice on Merritt for the next few days, hopefully going through the weekend. Boardman Creek will have the best conditions. Given the long range forecast, I expect this will be the end of the hard water season after this weekend. If you want to make reservations to get one last weekend on the ice I will accept your reservation now, and also accept cancelations at no charge if conditions deteriorate too rapidly before you arrive or while you are here.
If you decide to venture out, please be safe and have the standard safety equipment to check ice (a spud bar) and get yourself or others out of trouble. Ice safety picks carried on your person, a stout safety rope of about 50' with a throwable floatation cushion attached and personal floatation device (life jacket) are items you should have along anytime you are on hard water, but especially important during first and last ice conditions. Be safe, have fun, catch fish.