This Winter Just Doesn't Quit: 9 of Minnesota's Top 10 Walleye Fishing Lakes Might Be Frozen Over Opening Day

The (Minneapolis) StarTribune is reporting:

Henry Drewes, DNR regional fisheries manager in Bemidji, said 26 to 36 inches of ice covers Lake of the Woods, Upper Red, Leech and Cass lakes, which are in his region. What are the chances ice will be gone by May 11?

“I think it’s highly unlikely,’’ he said. “There’s still a foot of frozen slush and snow on top of that ice. It would take extraordinary circumstances for those basins to be ice-free by May 11.’’

The same situation exists on Winnibigoshish, Rainy, Kabetogama, Vermilion and Mille Lacs. And lakes in the northeast, though not in the top 10, also could be covered with ice on the opener.

Rick McKeever of Young’s Bay Resort at the Northwest Angle of Lake of the Woods said there’s not much hope the ice will be gone there in just two weeks.

“There’s 3 solid feet of ice out there yet,’’ he said Friday.

Last year, the resort had its boats in the water by early April. “We were golfing in March,’’ McKeever said.