Ice Conditions Improve on Brainerd Area Lakes, But Concerns Remain for Local Events

On Thursday, the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office went out to several Brainerd area lakes to check the thickness and quality of ice, the results of which have implications for upcoming events like the Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza. the ice conditions and what it means for the Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza.

The latest checkup on the ice conditions focused on three lakes in the Brainerd Lakes Area: Gull Lake, Round Lake, and North Long Lake. The results were positive.

“We set out to do some ice checks just to get a better understanding of what the ice conditions here in Crow Wing County are,” said Brad Thesing, Recreation Sergeant with the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office. “The ice conditions have improved considerably given the fact that we are just coming off – we are still in some extremely cold weather.”

Although conditions have improved, it is still important for those wanting to go on the ice to be cautious.

“Checking different locations in different spots, you know, the ice conditions are going from six inch, six-and-a-half inches in one area. We checked some other areas where, again, just [it’s] shy of 11 inches, so the ice conditions are improving from when we checked them a week ago,” said Thesing. “Yet we still obviously recommend, again, caution when you’re going out there. Check often and check multiple times and locations as you’re working your way out on the lakes.”

While ice conditions are improving on the lakes, ice thickness is not quite where that the sheriff’s office would like it to be at for the Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza.

“Well, ideally, we would like to see at least 16 inches of ice for the contest. We can make some exceptions if we have decent quality ice, but that comes with some restrictions on the event itself,” explained Thesing. “So if we can get close to that 14 inches of ice, we will impose those restrictions to let the contest go on. That mainly is just keeping some of the heavy equipment off and spacing out some of the different structures that are placed out there on the ice.”

While this year’s winter has been peculiar, worries regarding ice conditions for the Ice Fishing Extravaganza are something the Brainerd Jaycees have plenty of experience with, and they’re confident they will still reach their goal of holding the contest on time.

“We understand the concerns about the ice, but it’s a concern every single year,” said Katherine Thoennes, Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza Co-chair. “Every single year people are wondering about those ice conditions. And right now, with the weather forecast and the amount of ice that we are continually gaining each day in these freezing temps, our tournament is still set for Feb. 3.”

Another technique being used by the Jaycees is plowing areas of the ice. It’s a procedure that has been done in the past to help with the event.

“So we have committee members and other community volunteers that are out there as well, plowing out significant chunks of that area by plowing off strategically into specific areas. Because, again, this isn’t our first rodeo,” added Ice Fishing Extravaganza Co-chair Mike Kuck. “By plowing out some of those specific areas, that’s actually allowing the ice to build faster, deeper, and stronger. And then that also helps spread over into the contestants’ site.”

The Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office also said that the ice conditions will be checked more frequently leading up to the Ice Fishing Extravaganza. Per the rules listed on the Ice Fishing Extravaganza website, if the event has to be postponed, it will be moved to Feb. 17. But for now, all plans are to go ahead with the original date.