Cook County and BWCA lakes experience early ice out as fishing opener nears
Spring and early ice-out conditions have arrived across much of the Arrowhead region.
Ice-out conditions look promising for many inland lakes, with two weeks until the fishing opener in northeastern Minnesota.
In recent weeks, many of the inland lakes in Cook County and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) have experienced ice-out conditions nearly a month earlier than the spring of 2023 and 2022.
As of April 17, Sawbill Lake was 90 percent open, with only a few floating ice chunks, according to owners Clare and Dan Shirley of Sawbill Canoe Outfitters.
In a Facebook post, Sawbill Canoe Outfitters said, “Ice is out on Sawbill!”
The mid-April ice-out date is a stark contrast to previous ice-out records. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources State Climatology Office, Sawbill Lake recorded an ice-out on May 14, 2022. The median ice-out date for Sawbill Lake is May 7.
While the April 17 date does not break the 2012 earliest ice-out record of March 27, it is certainly welcomed compared to previous years.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) defines lake ice out when a lake is 90 percent free of ice or when it is possible to navigate from point A to point B.
Other lakes across Cook County are also experiencing early ice-out conditions. At the end of the Gunflint Trail, Saganaga Lake recorded ice-out as of April 24. In 2023, the ice-out date for Saganaga was May 15.
While lakes on the Sawbill Trail and farther up the Gunflint Trail are experiencing early ice-out conditions, a few lakes in Cook County still hold onto a decent amount of ice.
As of April 24, there remains a significant amount of ice on Greenwood Lake near the boat landing. While there are small areas of open water along the shore, ice conditions appear to be a couple of inches thick in sections.
Greenwood Lake – April 24
In 2023, ice-out occurred on May 18. According to the Minnesota DNR State Climatology Office, the median ice-out date for Greenwood Lake is May 9.
Only one other lake in Cook County has reported ice-out conditions for 2024: Caribou Lake. According to the State Climatology Office, Caribou Lake’s ice-out occurred exactly one month ahead of the 2023 ice-out on April 12.
Every May, on the Saturday two weeks before Memorial Day, half a million Minnesotans take to their lakes, rivers, and streams to kick off the walleye, sauger, and northern pike seasons. Fishing opener is Saturday, May 11.
Kalli Hawkins April 27, 2024
