Ice Off in Northern Alberta true or false reports?

[hockey1099]

I wonder how many people are posting misinformation on this site concerning ice off for may long?

I have seen threads about cold lake, calling, slave, pigeon and wab all being iffy for opening weekend. Yet my best friend sent me pics today of a completely ice free sturgeon lake near valley view alberta and a nearly ice free wab as of 2pm today.

Are people posting accurate reports?

Can ice come off in a matter of hours?

[JohninAB]

No one is posting false information.

Ice can come off fairly quickly. Overnight is not unusual if conditions are right. ie temperature and wind and weak ice.

Sturgeon Lake was reported as ice free 3 days ago or so.

As of last night Wabamun was about 1/8 to 1/4 clear but the remaining ice was very sketchy. Will be going for a drive to see it tonite.

[YeeHaw]

there was still a ton of ice on Wabamun last night, as of about 8:30 p.m. But with the major wind we had last night, maybe it cleared up a bit. Keep us posted on how it looks tonight please John.

[HuyFishin]

ice conditions can change quickly, i was fishing muir and u can see the ice melt

[JohninAB]

Wabby be 90% clear now. Sundance powerplant bay still iced up and out front of town half the bay is icey yet. Ice is not long for the world here.

[YeeHaw]

when I was out yesterday it was out about 50 feet from the dock in town, and moonlight Bay was still covered except for by the tressel. thank you for the report.

[FishHunterPro]

Mildred lake is full of ice up north lol

[Bound2Fish]

I heard Slave only has about 40 yards of open water off the shoreline but should start to break up pretty quick.

[jim summit]

And here i thought i could help you out, but those lakes are southern Alberta for me. :)

But just for the fact, Semo lake north of Fort Vermilion has had 75% ice on the 10th of June, and this year year prob even later.
But the mighty Peace opened up a couple days ago...:sHa_shakeshout:

[Shmag]

http://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/aa343/Shmag/DSCF1253.jpg (http://s1193.photobucket.com/user/Shmag/media/DSCF1253.jpg.html)

This is slave lk at 8:30 am. I doubt it will be a matter of hrs before ice is off,lol. I said it in the other thread as well...there will be lots and lots of ice on slave this may long wkend.

I could see smaller lakes around valleyview being ice free for may long...could even be ice free now. Most of those lakes had ice cover before they got all the snow so the ice wasn't very thick. Slave and some of the other HUGE lakes didn't have any ice cover yet when we got alot of snow. So slave had a good solid freeze before snow cover could effect it. I seen on here a truck broke through on snipe late in the winter, where we needed extentions on slave this year.

I think for the most part most info you are receiving is probably accurate

[Wild&Free]

http://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/aa343/Shmag/DSCF1253.jpg (http://s1193.photobucket.com/user/Shmag/media/DSCF1253.jpg.html)

This is slave lk at 8:30 am. I doubt it will be a matter of hrs before ice is off,lol. I said it in the other thread as well...there will be lots and lots of ice on slave this may long wkend.

I could see smaller lakes around valleyview being ice free for may long...could even be ice free now. Most of those lakes had ice cover before they got all the snow so the ice wasn't very thick. Slave and some of the other HUGE lakes didn't have any ice cover yet when we got alot of snow. So slave had a good solid freeze before snow cover could effect it. I seen on here a truck broke through on snipe late in the winter, where we needed extentions on slave this year.

I think for the most part most info you are receiving is probably accurate

I live north of GP and we got slammed with snow before any freezing occurred. I know for a fact that Snipe like didn't freeze before the snow hit, and it had a very slow freeze as well with ice being flooded well into November. When I went out with my dad in January, I hit 2 separate air pockets drilling holes, 3 layers of ice.

Me, I'm hoping Bischto is clear for the week after may long. Fingers are crossed... and arms, toes, feet, legs, eyes, and my ears if i could invert my head.

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

My sister was at Sylvan yesterday , she said probably about 100 yards or so of open water ( in town ) And there were people swimming in it on Monday . That would make for one cold swim .

[bearbait]

nice judging by the pic of slave it should be ice free by may long. warm temps and wind will take that off in no time. once shore opens up its not long. may have to watch for ice floating while running but that pic put my mind at ease. ill be in faust may long as always!

[Alwaysinrut]

sylvan was about half off this morning, its going quickly

[dale7637]

I live north of GP and we got slammed with snow before any freezing occurred. I know for a fact that Snipe like didn't freeze before the snow hit, and it had a very slow freeze as well with ice being flooded well into November. When I went out with my dad in January, I hit 2 separate air pockets drilling holes, 3 layers of ice.

Me, I'm hoping Bischto is clear for the week after may long. Fingers are crossed... and arms, toes, feet, legs, eyes, and my ears if i could invert my head.

I am betting that Bistcho still has ice week after may long. It certainly has not been spring like here. But, as was said, with the right temp and wind, it can happen fast.

[Bound2Fish]

sylvan was about half off this morning, its going quickly

Theres another thread with pictures that shows Sylvan this morning ice free.

[Kim473]

A couple of hot sunny days with 20 k winds and ice can go in no time at all. Have seen Hastings Lake ice be completely gone from full covered to no ice at all in 4 days. Ice on lakes north by Calling lake may still be there the May long but unlikely, still 8 more days.

[Gordoats26]

Not sure if it counts as northern or not but gull lake is open minus a few little ice chunks floating around

[Jamie Black R/T]

I said it in the other thread as well...there will be lots and lots of ice on slave this may long wkend

bet ya a case of brews otherwise :)

[baptiste_moose]

Baptiste is off

[Shmag]

bet ya a case of brews otherwise :)

If you're talking about the east basin where the ice leaves down river i'd take that bet...

[FishHunterPro]

Mildred lake is full of ice up north lol

Ice is off this lake as of yesterday . Big wind storm did the trick

[Wild&Free]

I think it's cute on how people are reporting on Sylvan Lake ice in a post about northern lakes.

[IHUNT]

Drove my quad on gregoir lake lastnight soooo not sure if it will be open by next weekend. But ya never no!!!

[Jamie Black R/T]

If you're talking about the east basin where the ice leaves down river i'd take that bet...

you said "lots and lots"....a few chunks bunched up at the river head dont count LOL

there will be hundreds of boated walleye over may long weekend from lesser slave.

[Shmag]

http://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/aa343/Shmag/DSCF1254.jpg (http://s1193.photobucket.com/user/Shmag/media/DSCF1254.jpg.html)

This is taken 2 days later at the same spot as the first pic. 8:45am Today (Friday) .

To be honest R/T, I don't watch the west end much as I barely fish it, but I am talking the east basin in general. The pic is in front of my house in the widewater area. I've been out a lot of may long weekends with big ice packs still floating and even in those years I have never seen this much ice a week prior. From driving to town yesterday I still have not seen any places where the ice pack is starting to separate or break away, with the exception of a few cracks around dog island. On wed I still didn't see any ice coming down the river and from what I can see from the pic the main ice pack still hasn't moved east/west any.

Although after 2 days there is a bit more water showing on the shoreline, I cant see 25 miles by 10 miles of ice going down a 100yrd wide river in a weeks time.

I could be wrong (It happened one other time)....but I will say there will be lots and lots of ice in the EAST Basin this may long weekend... and it wont bother me one bit because im working may long this yr...lol

[bearbait]

carson was fully iced up yesterday morning over half open by last nite!

[Jamie Black R/T]

its really amazing how fast it can ice off....lac ste anne had about 80 yards of open shoreline 3 nights ago...today its wide open cant even see an ice berg.

im also just bench racing as im working the long weekend too :sHa_sarcasticlol:

[Northern Yaker]

Moose lake by Bonnyville is ice free. Cold lake will be hard going to be ice free by May Long weekend. Looked at both this morning...

[YeeHaw]

does anyone have new reports on how Wabamun is doing? I am hoping to go out on Sunday to do a test and tune on the boat, so that it is ready for Wednesday.

[Mayhem]

does anyone have new reports on how Wabamun is doing? I am hoping to go out on Sunday to do a test and tune on the boat, so that it is ready for Wednesday.

Drove back from Edson yesterday and from the highway it looked like it was all clear, maybe a bit of ice pushed up against the south shore with that wind but all I saw was open water. Maybe someone else can confirm?

[YeeHaw]

Drove back from Edson yesterday and from the highway it looked like it was all clear, maybe a bit of ice pushed up against the south shore with that wind but all I saw was open water. Maybe someone else can confirm?

Yessssss!!!!!! thank you very much for the report:) sir.

[captain_k]

its really amazing how fast it can ice off....lac ste anne had about 80 yards of open shoreline 3 nights ago...today its wide open cant even see an ice berg.

im also just bench racing as im working the long weekend too :sHa_sarcasticlol:


Thats because most of the ice is in alberta beach in everyones backyards....

*****ty for all of those people...

[bigdeer91]

does anyone have new reports on how Wabamun is doing? I am hoping to go out on Sunday to do a test and tune on the boat, so that it is ready for Wednesday.

What time you going out I'm goin there about noon to give mine a try at the pp as its wide open.

[bearbait]

need an update on slave.. hows it looking guys? faust open yet?

carson is now ice free

[CK Angler]

Word is Christina lake broke Saturday, that's north near Conklin.

[CK Angler]

Just saw Winefred lake lodge update and the lake broke last night, sweet news! A group of us are booked in there this coming weekend!