...how many are heading out for hardwater fishing?

[h2ofwlr]

So with all the cold weather ...how many are heading out for hardwater fishing?

Lots of the DNR waterfowl location reports said even the deep water lakes froze over this week.

I'd bet many have packed in the duck hunting gear and are breaking out the ice fishing equipment.

Photos please.

[greatwhitehunter3!]

C'mon fowler, everyone knows it isn't "hardwater".

Plenty of geese around yet to be too fixated on ice fishing. Soon.

[maplelakeduckslayer]

I don't care to walk out to ice fish...I'll wait til there's at least 8" and I can take a wheeler

[greatwhitehunter3!]

Buddy sent me picture last night of some jumbos he caught. I'll probably make it out this weekend and if not for sure over Thanksgiving.

[h2ofwlr]

I know from past experience on lake Mtka that once the wheelers and sleds hit the ice the 'eyes get spooky. The best fishing has always been when you have to walk out and know one is scaring the crap out of them with the traffic. Often I am fishing less than 15' on early ice, so sound does make a difference.

With temps near zero for several days here in S MN, that'll make some serious ice.

I heard that Lake Waconia was partially frozen over on Sat.

[greatwhitehunter3!]

Often I am fishing less than 15' on early ice, so sound does make a difference.

Heck I might fish 12' or deeper twice an ice fishing season.

[tornadochaser]

Sound "can" make a difference. Not always though. I can think of numerous times I've popped perch and walleye while a buddy was punching holes right next to me.

[maplelakeduckslayer]

I usually fish crappies suspended in 32' of water on a non pressured lake haha. Sound isn't much of an issue.

I did see a wheeler out on a lake in Chicago city yesterday

[h2ofwlr]

Yesterday I noticed that the MS river at I-94 Mpls and Mn river at I-35W Burnsville was frozen over with snow on top. Kind of surprised me. I just do not recall them ever freezing up that early except maybe in '91. So the ice on the smaller/medium sized lakes a person should be be able to safely walk on by now.

[Goldfish]

Yesterday I noticed that the MS river at I-94 Mpls and Mn river at I-35W Burnsville was frozen over with snow on top. Kind of surprised me. I just do not recall them ever freezing up that early except maybe in '91. So the ice on the smaller/medium sized lakes a person should be be able to safely walk on by now.

You know these guys are going to rip into that saying "Fowler told me I'd be ok and I fell thru" or some other thing like that