At Leech Lake -- May 21, 2013

Today's weather can best be described as grey and wet. It was raining when I woke up this morning, and rained steadily until right up to sunset. The temperature hit maybe 65 degrees and the wind was variable from 8-15 mph out of the ENE.

Depsite the rain, Kathleen, Rick and I decided to take a hike back in our woods. We donned our rain gear and took a very long hike along the trails in our woods, and eventually down the road, across some very soggy land back to the old Indian cabin that sits on the shoreline of Second Duck Point.

Along the shore was a very large pile of ice, some of the only ice left from when it retreated from the lake on May 15.

About 3:00 p.m. in the afternoon my parents arrived for a 5-day stay. We spent about an hour chatting and catching up at the house before my dad and I made our way next door to the cabin where I helped him unload their luggage and got them set up in their respective rooms.

I grilled some chicken for dinner and then we all went to bed early.

No fishing today, and the boat lift and docks are still not in, but the word is that Shore Brothers will be out on Thursday to put in the docks for everyone along this stretch of Ottertail Peninsula.

Arrival At Leech Lake

I arrived at Leech Lake late on Thursday, May 16, just one day after the official "ice out" day on the lake. The all-time latest ice out on Leech Lake, at least in the past 78 years that they've been keeping records of it, is May 23. As a result, none of the docks or boat lifts along Ottertail Peninsula were in the water.

On Friday, my friend Rick and I drove into Bemidji for supplies and to pick up the boat. But with the lift not in the water, the boat was parked near the garage until a later date. The wind was out of the NE at 8-15 mph, the sky was overcast and grey and the temperature was in the high 60s. We grilled steak for dinner and had an early night since both of us were tired from getting in late the night before.

Saturday was supposed to bring thunderstorms and cooler temperatures, but all we got was rain, no big storms. By 9:00 a.m. we were on our way to St. Cloud to see Kathleen's mother, and to pick up Kathleen and bring her back to the lake. We spent the entire day in St. Cloud and didn't arrive back at the lake until after midnight.

All three of us spent most of Sunday outside working on variety of projects from replacing burned out light bulbs to rebuilding broken stairs to miscellaneous yard work. We had a nice seafood pasta dish for dinner, but couldn't watch the sunset because the sky was very overcast and grey. Although the rain did hold off and the temperature reached a high of 73 degrees.

On Monday, Rick and I borrowed John Newman's boat and went out fishing. We used jigs and fatheads and drifted in 11 feet of water, and then moved shallower into 8 feet of water. The water temperature was 47 degrees, the air temperature was 57 degrees, the wind was out of the NE at 8-12 mph and the sky was overcast and grey and a light rain was falling.

I hooked a few perch, no jumbos, but couldn't hook a walleye. The rain began to fall harder so we decided to go back on shore, dry off and warm up.

It's good to be back at the lake. Hopefully later this week Shore Brothers will be out to put the docks and boat lift in the water so I can get my boat readied for the open-water season.

MN Walleye Opener 2013

Today, Saturday, May 11, is Walleye Opener in Minnesota. Although there will probably be few, if any, boats on Leech Lake today because most of the lake is still covered in ice.

Average ice out for Leech Lake occurs on April 27. The earliest the ice was off the lake was April 2, 2012, just last year. The latest the ice has come off Leech Lake was May 23, 1950. This year may push close to the record.

The weather today is not ideal for fishing even if there was open water. The temperature at Federal Dam at 2:00 p.m. was 41 degrees, the wind was out of the NW at 17-25 mph, with gusts up near 35 mph and the sky was mostly cloudy and grey.

Looking northwest out over Sucker Bay from the Malay's cabin

I arrive in Minnesota on May 16 and will pick up my boat in Bemidji the following day. But with this much ice on the lake, my boat may be sitting at the top of my boat ramp for quite some time before I'm able to get it in the water. Absolutely crazy!

How The Ice Melts On Leech Lake

I would like to thank Ron Geppert, Secretary of the Ottertail Peninsula Township Association, for developing and/or borrowing the content of this post.
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As we anxiously await soft water again, here are some numbers to digest. The area of Leech Lake is approximately 161 square miles and ice thickness on the lake is about 32". Using basic math, this equates to almost 12 billion cubic feet of ice to be melted. One cubic foot of ice weighs about 56 pounds and one pound of ice requires 144 BTU of heat to melt. Therefore, for ice-out, a total of about 96 trillion BTUs of heat will be required to melt all of the ice, and may take awhile. To understand the process of lake ice melting, here is a quick explanation.

1. In the late fall, the lake loses heat to the atmosphere, and then on a day or night when the wind is not blowing, ice forms. The ice gets thicker as long as the lake can continue to lose heat.
2. In most Januaries and Februaries, snow both reflects sunlight and insulates the lake. With a thick snow layer, the lake neither gains nor loses heat. The bottom sediment is actually heating the lake water slightly over the winter, from stored summer heat.
3. Around March, as the air warms and the sun gets more intense, the snow melts, allowing light to penetrate the ice. Because the ice acts like the glass in a greenhouse, the water beneath it begins to warm, and the ice begins to melt FROM THE BOTTOM.
4. When the ice thickness erodes to between 4 and 12 inches, it transforms into long vertical crystals called "candles." These conduct light even better, so the ice starts to look black, because it is not reflecting much sunlight.
5. Warming continues because the light energy is being transferred to the water below the ice. "Meltwater" fills in between the crystals, which begin breaking apart. The surface appears grayish as the ice reflects a bit more light than before.
6. The wind comes up, and breaks the surface apart. The candles will often be blown to one side of the lake, making a tinkling sound as they knock against one another, and piling up on the shore. In hours, or on a lake the size of Leech Lake days, a sparkling blue lake, once again!

 

Walleye Opener for 2013 in Minnesota is May 11. At last report, just a few days ago, there was still roughly 30 inches of ice on Leech Lake. Given the time it will take to melt the vast sheet of ice currently covering the lake, there may not be open water for this year's Op'ner. 

Remembering Open Water

I received a text from Lainy Malay the other day saying that there was 3-4 inches of ice on Leech Lake and that her husband Tom was preparing to go out onto the lake to cut a couple of holes to begin his favorite time of year -- ice fishing season.

It's been a number of years since I was on Leech Lake for some hard-water fishing, but maybe this will be the year I get back.

Anyway, thinking of ice on the lake got me thinking about being on the lake period. Here's a picture of me in my Lund 1800 Pro-V IFS Verado Limited Edition boat, complete with a 150-hp Mercury Verado motor, during the open-water season on the lake. These memories are going to have to do until I can again visit the northwoods of Minnesota.

Your author on Sucker Bay, Leech Lake

Another view of the author on Sucker Bay, Leech Lake

October 10, 2012 -- Leaving Leech Lake

This morning at 7:00 a.m. the sky was clear and just beginning to show light. The wind was 8-12 mph out of the west and the temperature was right at freezing, 32 degrees.

Leech Lake sunrise

Although I went to bed before midnight last night, I had trouble sleeping; I always do the night before traveling. And before first light I was wide awake in bed making mental lists of the tasks I need to complete before leaving later in the morning.

One thing I realized is that when I first came to Leech Lake several months ago the weather was warm and getting warmer, both in California and in northern Minnesota. As a result, I didn't bring a jacket or a sweatshirt with me, which would have been nice to have since the temperature won't hit 40 degrees until I'm already on a plane on my way to Minneapolis.

Oh well, it's not that bad, especially since the Bemidji airport now has jet ways in the terminal. Just a year ago portable stairs were still used to board the small, regional aircraft that fly in and out of Bemidji. But thanks to government stimulus money, the airport now allows passengers to board without ever having to step outside.

It's now 10:30 a.m. and I'm getting ready to shut down the computer, as well as the well pump. I've cleaned out the food from the drawers and refrigerator and have three bags full to give to the Malays. I've taken the garbage and recycling to the town hall trash center and then stored the truck in the garage for the long, cold winter.

All the buildings are locked, and the security systems armed. My neighbors on either side will be keeping a close eye on the place during my absence; in fact, Tom Malay will help John Newman store John's 14-foot boat in my garage.

The Malays will be here in the next 20 minutes or so, so it's time to sign off one last time from Leech Lake; at least until my next visit.

So long from Leech Lake.

October 9, 2012 -- At Leech Lake

Once again the weather this morning was cold, grey and wet. The temperature at 9:00 a.m. was 39 degrees on its way to a high of only 42 degrees. The sky was grey and it alternated between a light rain and a drizzle. The wind was out of the WNW between 8-15 mph. I didn't see a boat on the water all day.

And like yesterday, my day was devoted to cleaning the house. While enjoying a pot of coffee I did a load of laundry, washed the dishes and cleaned the counter tops. Then my cleaning took me from the TV room to the living room to the bedroom to at last the kitchen, where cleaning the floor is something I really didn't want to do.

Just before 4:00 p.m. I was done with most of the cleaning, with the exception of the master bath and the refrigerators. I took a break and got the ATV stored away for the winter by running the gas out of the carburetor and hooking the battery to a trickle charger. While I was outside the wind picked up and then with a 'whoosh' hail mixed with snow flurries began to fall. I continued my outside chores which included locking up the out buildings and turning off the harbor lights.

I still have to close up the cabin and out buildings over there, but I'll get to that tomorrow after I store the truck in the garage.

I got a call from Karen Newman earlier today and she has generously offered to cook dinner for me and the Malays (Tom and Lainy) this evening so I don't have to prepare any food for myself, plus she said that they wanted to say goodbye. It was a very nice gesture and one I graciously accepted. I wrapped up my cleaning by 5:30 p.m. in order to get cleaned up and over to the Newman's cabin by 6:00 p.m. for dinner.

I arrived at the Newman's just after 6:00 p.m. and had a nice conversation with Karen prior Tom and Lainy joining us. At one point I happened to look outside and saw a very interesting sunset. I excused myself and walked out to the end of the Newman's dock to get a better look, after all it'll be the final Leech Lake sunset I'll see this year.

Another beautiful Leech Lake sunset

We enjoyed a bountiful meal of pulled-pork sandwiches and a fantastic bean dish that Karen made. Lainy provided a tasty cherry crisp for dessert. It was nice to spend some time with friendly neighbors on my final night at the lake. Knowing that they're right here keeping an eye on my place during my absence gives me peace of mind.

Once home I did another load of laundry, continued the cleaning of the kitchen and made sure that my bags were packed. Then it was another check around the house to make sure all was in order for tomorrow's departure. Tom and Lainy are picking me up at 11:00 a.m. and then it's on my way to the Bemidji airport.

Good night from Leech Lake, one last time.

One day and counting.

October 8, 2012, At Leech Lake

This morning at 9:00 a.m. the temperature was 39 degrees, the sky was grey and overcast and a light rain was falling. In fact, a light rain fell all morning long. It was definitely a cold, wet Autumn day on the shores of Leech Lake.

The weather cooperated with my plans for the day -- which was to stay inside and clean the house in preparation for my departure midweek. My procrastination for cleaning the gutters yesterday delayed the start of that project until 1:30 p.m., and today was a repeat performance as I was faced with the unpleasant task of cleaning the bathrooms and kitchen.

The rain continued to fall as I finally began cleaning at 1:30 p.m. By 3:30 p.m. I'd cleaned two of the bathrooms, cleaned the hallway by the garage and polished much of the woodwork in those areas. At that point it was time for a lunch break.

After lunch I did some more house cleaning before cleaning up myself. Tomorrow I'll clean the kitchen, bedroom and living room (including the fireplace). Since there will be no fire for me tomorrow night, I went out to the wood pile in the late afternoon, during a break in the rain, to gather some firewood. While outside I was graced with the presence of two magnificent bald eagles that were riding the air currents above me. I watched them soar off into the distance without so much as one beat of their wings. Spectacular. And just another of the beautiful sights I regularly see here at Leech Lake that I will not see in San Jose.

With a night's supply of firewood neatly stored in the garage, I went out onto the end of the dock and watched the lake for a while. There appeared to be a storm approaching from the southwest most likely bringing with it more rain or some snow flurries.

A distant storm moving north on Leech Lake

As it turned out, it neither rained nor snowed. It did cool off to around 38 degrees from a high during the day of 45 degrees. The wind continued to blow hard from the SW.

I ate some of the left over walleye for dinner -- I like making fish sandwiches out of the precooked fillets -- and then settled in to watch the fire and listen to some music. Tomorrow will be another hectic day of cleaning, in addition to other tasks, such as storing the ATV for the winter, etc.

It's hard to believe that in 48 hours I'll be in California. Good night from Leech Lake.

Two days and counting.

Strong Walleye Population in Leech Lake, but Perch Decline

Here's a report from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources regarding the walleye population in Leech Lake.


 Leech Lake test netting results show a strong walleye population
The results of recent fall test netting on Leech Lake conducted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) show the walleye population remains strong and anglers who visit the lake should continue to expect quality fishing. According to the results, the walleye catch rates remain above the long-term average for the sixth consecutive year.

“September gill nets showed good numbers of both juvenile and adult walleye,” said Matt Ward, large lake specialist in Walker. “It is encouraging to have a balanced walleye population within and outside the protected slot limit of 18 and 26 inches.”

Strong 2010 and 2011 year-classes are present and the DNR expects these year-classes will start providing harvest opportunities this coming winter. Additionally, 35 percent of walleye sampled were within the slot limit, which will provide anglers the opportunity to catch a large fish.

The number of young-of-the-year walleye (those hatched during the spring of 2012) sampled with both trawling and electrofishing were above the long-term average for each gear type. The average size for this year-class was good, at 6.1 inches during the mid-September electrofishing assessment. Larger sizes in the fall usually translate to higher winter survival.

Other game fish species targeted with test nets include yellow perch and northern pike. Yellow perch abundance declined for the fifth consecutive year, while northern pike abundance continues to remain stable. The primary species of nongame fish assessed with the test nets is cisco. Despite a minor cisco summer kill caused by warm temperatures in 2012, fall test netting indicated adequate numbers of cisco continue to be present.

Lake-wide, walleye counts in DNR test nets averaged 9.42 walleye per net lift, which was similar to results from the past four years and was above the long-term average of 7.7 walleye per net lift. Walleye numbers indicate that management actions implemented under the 2011-2015 Management Plan are succeeding. Key elements of the plan include special fishing regulations, walleye fry stocking, cormorant management and an increased emphasis on aquatic habitat protection.

For more information, contact matt.ward@state.mn.us.