North Idaho Ice

[baetis_elk]

Checked the north end of Cocolalla this afternoon. Only about an inch and a half at the sportsman's access. Clear ice but definitely wouldn't hold weight yet. There's still a pretty good open patch of water just a little south of the midpoint of the lake.

Checked Granite also. It is capped with slush that isn't frozen through yet. It was soft watery trash with virtually no clear ice yet.

[Idahoice77]

Below normal temps no days above freezing but yet ice isn’t just popping up every where…….this is like a bad dream come true

[aza10]

Below normal temps no days above freezing but yet ice isn’t just popping up every where…….this is like a bad dream come true

Everything that was capped got 15 inches of snow or so here in the Sagle area. Slush fest everywhere with little good ice. Cocolalla should have some fantastic conditions soon. I’ll be headed out tomorrow to wet some lines hopefully.

[RayneBidziil22]

Got a report from a friend that people are ice fishing upper twin on Friday  if so how thick is ice

[sihlms391]

Monday it was 2 inches clear 2 snow pack.   Pretty sure it has firmed up now.

[TOMINATER]

Im going to check out Blue Lake (north of PR) today, will report in the pm

[BlueDuck]

Checked upper Twin today.  2" of good ice and 2"+ of frozen slush.  4 guys fishing when I got there and several more drove up as I left.  Lower Twin was froze  over but only an inch or so at the dock and wet looking spots out from there.  Probably be ready by the weekend (maybe).

[Joe34]

Has anyone checked Mirror lake?

[Po Tader]

West end of fernan has 3" of cloudy ice. Measured near boat ramp.

[ForestGuy88]

Has anyone made it to the chain lakes yet? If I can I'm going to head down to cave lake tomorrow or Friday.

[TOMINATER]

Blue Lake had some layers. 2inches of clear ice on the bottom, an inch of slush and then 4 inches of white ice on top of it. Felt pretty good to walk on and felt like it held me well (I weigh probably 280 with all of the gear I had on). Only went out about 100 yards from the boat launch, but it seemed very consistent throughout.

Chase Lake had about 4 inches of snow on top of 2 inches of slush but there was about 6 inches of solid ice below that.

[TwoBucketBruce]

Has anyone made it to the chain lakes yet? If I can I'm going to head down to cave lake tomorrow or Friday.

@ ForestGuy88...I'd be interested in what you find in Cave L. I fish it in the Spring but have never ice-fished it, wouldn't even know where to start looking. Speaking of the chain lakes tho, a really good place to find huge crappie is under the RR trestle in Benewah lake. It is usually really good in late Fall but being too far away to fish it through the ice I've never done it. Have you or anyone else ice-fished Benewah?

[sihlms391]

Thanks for info.  People fishing upper twin.  They were all over the lake.

[RayneBidziil22]

Any word on how hauser lake is doing

[Vandal78]

Has anyone made it to the chain lakes yet? If I can I'm going to head down to cave lake tomorrow or Friday.

I checked Cave yesterday it had 3-3.5 inches of ice. Felt solid but I didn’t venture out very far. Not as much as I thought it would have been.

[Vandal78]

@ ForestGuy88...I'd be interested in what you find in Cave L. I fish it in the Spring but have never ice-fished it, wouldn't even know where to start looking. Speaking of the chain lakes tho, a really good place to find huge crappie is under the RR trestle in Benewah lake. It is usually really good in late Fall but being too far away to fish it through the ice I've never done it. Have you or anyone else ice-fished Benewah?

I use to fish the Benewah through the ice quite often, haven’t in a few years. The water is drawn down so far that there isn’t much water in there now. The tribe has also been gillnetting pike on the S end of the lake and they hit that area pretty hard. Also you are supposed to have the tribal permit to fish it, which I’m torn on buying. Would probably be worth a try, access can be a pain sometimes.

[ForestGuy88]

Thanks Vandal78! I would have figured there would be more ice than that too. I'm still going to check cave lake friday and see if there's any gain in ice. I'll be sure to report on here.

[RayneBidziil22]

Well upper twin lake had about 5" of ice/snow packed  fishing is hella slow and the perch seems to be the only thing biting

[baetis_elk]

Cocollala has 3"+ of solid clear ice with about an inch of light snow on top. Drilled about 8 holes or so ranging out to about 50 yards straight off the boat launch. Last hole was just beyond the wind blown ice and the ice was still 3"+ out to that point. Just a few other folks out this evening.

[DEER4DINNER]

Has anyone been to Blue Lake or Freeman near Priest River?  I'm planning to head that way either Saturday or Sunday, maybe both. I'm sure the ice is fine now.  Any fish reports?   Possibly Gamble too.  Any reports there?  Thank you!

[TwoBucketBruce]

I use to fish the Benewah through the ice quite often, haven’t in a few years. The water is drawn down so far that there isn’t much water in there now. The tribe has also been gillnetting pike on the S end of the lake and they hit that area pretty hard. Also you are supposed to have the tribal permit to fish it, which I’m torn on buying. Would probably be worth a try, access can be a pain sometimes.

Even though the water is quite low I think that area under the RR trestle is about the deepest part of the lake. Seems like the crappie should be in there at this time of year, but you're right access could be really difficult with all the snow. Regarding a tribal permit, that's a very confusing issue. My brother and I called IDFG on two separate occasions and got two totally different answers whether a tribal permit was required for that area of Benewah. I still don't know!

[aza10]

Has anyone been to Blue Lake or Freeman near Priest River?  I'm planning to head that way either Saturday or Sunday, maybe both. I'm sure the ice is fine now.  Any fish reports?   Possibly Gamble too.  Any reports there?  Thank you!

Gamble fished decent today. 

Looks like most of Sagle area lakes are fishable, the only one I’m not sure of is mirror.  I will swing by mirror tomorrow afternoon after my morning fish at gamble.

[TOMINATER]

Has anyone been to Blue Lake or Freeman near Priest River?  I'm planning to head that way either Saturday or Sunday, maybe both. I'm sure the ice is fine now.  Any fish reports?   Possibly Gamble too.  Any reports there?  Thank you!

Went to Blue Lake on Wednesday and it was 6 inches with 2 inches of solid ice on the bottom an inch of slush and then 4 inches of white ice. Top of the lake was very nice no snow and solid. That middle lauer of slush should be firmed up by tomorrow.

Heard Freeman had 6 inches but with ankle deep slush all over the lake.

[houlzhouse]

AZA10-how much ice was on Gamble?  Thinking of taking the kids on Sun

[aza10]

Gambles got 4-5 some spots in layers with slush. Lots of folks on it this weeek.

If anyone’s looking for maggots Sagle ConocoPhillips just got some in.

[ForestGuy88]

Cave lake had about 3.5 to 4 inches with maybe 2of those inches clear ice. A couple inches of slush on top and a few inches of snow. I went a hundred or so feet off the shore but I really don't like not having more clear ice, I don't trust the cloudy stuff. Can't believe there isn't more ice with this weather

[Vandal78]

Cave lake had about 3.5 to 4 inches with maybe 2of those inches clear ice. A couple inches of slush on top and a few inches of snow. I went a hundred or so feet off the shore but I really don't like not having more clear ice, I don't trust the cloudy stuff. Can't believe there isn't more ice with this weather

Yeah hasn’t changed much from the other day. I heard Rose has 5”, but I’m not sure if I believe that. Rose can be finicky and often less ice than other chain lakes most of the time.

[stjoemitch]

Any report for Fernan ice? Thompson is not shaping up at all. 4” of snow 1” of slush 2” of cloudy soft ice.

[ForestGuy88]

Yeah hasn’t changed much from the other day. I heard Rose has 5”, but I’m not sure if I believe that. Rose can be finicky and often less ice than other chain lakes most of the time.

I was looking to go out there Sunday but I'm not sure now. Water looks low from the dry summer, figure I'd have to go out further than normal.

[ForestGuy88]

Any reports from upper twin lake??