Implications Of An Early Ice Out By Craig Sandell © 2024 I am pretty sure that most of you have noticed that there is an abundance of ‘soft water’ out there. Indeed, many folks have commented that this is the earliest ice out in recent memory. So, what, if anything, does it mean for Musky fishing? In A Normal Year Normally, the ice will go out in the waning days of April. The water will then begin its warming cycle giving rise to the spawning of a progression of fish species. Musky will spawn after Northern Pike when the water temperature is in the high 40’s to mid-50’s. Also, weed growth will begin as the sun filters its way into the water column. The clearer the water the faster weeds will begin to become apparent. Rain during the period when there is still ice on the water will not be able to penetrate the ice and provides little or no oxygenation. Also, runoff will not have a pronounced effect on the turbidity of the water and the mixing of the water column. Early Ice Out With relatively few instances of early ice out events, there is very little in the way of actual observations and implications of an early ice out. The folks at the DNR will likely have some thoughts on the matter, however such thoughts will either not be backed
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