Ice-Out on Farm Lake, Ely MN - just outside of the BWCA

It's March 31st, with a high of 70 degrees, the wind is blowing 15mph SW and it looks like the ice will be off the lake today! This will be the earliest we've seen ice-out on Farm Lake since we moved here in 2002. Typically, we see the ice leave us around the 3rd week of April, but then in 2008 it did hang around until May 8th.

The picture above shows some open water by our main dock and you can see some large cracks in the ice heading out from our shore.


This picture was taken 20 minutes later. You can now see a large crack going from left to right in the picture. The wind has picked up and the crack is getting larger and larger by the minute. We can also see ice piling up on the shore across the lake.

We might be making a Easter Day paddle up the N Kawishiwi River on Sunday - that would be a first!

Reminder about deadline for March Photo Contest - Signs of Spring

The March Category is 'Signs of Spring'.

For us in northern Minnesota, our kids look forward to the month of March because it means it's typically sunny, mild temps and they can run around on the frozen lake with just their rainboots/rainpants (this day - no shirt or coat needed!). Here Gavin is out on the ice giving us a 7 year old's 'muscle' pose while we were ice-fishing last weekend up the Gunflint Trail.

Post your favorite photo and you could be the winner of a Moose Track Adventures t-shirt or ball cap!

Rules:

• You must be a fan of Moose Track Adventures

• You can only enter one photo per person per monthly contest. You can enter the same photo if it did not win in a previous month
• You must be the photographer of the photo
• Please describe in the message the location of the photo
• Judging will be done by owners of Moose Track Adventures
• A fan may win once per year
• Photos must be posted by 7pm on March 31, 2010

Thank you for participating!

Booth at the Great Waters Fly-Fishing Expo - Minneapollis, MN - March 26, 27 & 28

Moose Track Adventures Resort, Canoe Outfitter & Guide Service will have a booth once again at the Great Waters Fly-Fishing Expo held at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel - Minneapolis South - Friday, March 26, Saturday, March 27 & Sunday, March 28.

Stop by to chat with Jim or Joan regarding your Ely 2010 vacation - we have newly remodeled lakeside cabins, high end canoe outfitting gear packages for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and a proud to employ the best guide staff in the Ely Area.

In addition to booking your northwoods vacation at Moose Track Adventures at the show, the Great Waters Expo will feature education, adventure and conservation. There will be more than two dozen national and regional fly fishing and fly tying celebrities and over 40 free seminars and demonstrations.

FREE FLY CASTING LESSONS: Continuous one-on-one fly-casting instruction with expert casters and teachers from the Federation of Fly Fishers. Experience fly casters can refine their double-haul and spey casting techniques.

FLY TYING LESSONS FOR BEGINNERS: One on one and free, taught by the St. Paul Fly Tiers.

VERMILLION RIVER FIELD TRIP: The bus leaves at 7:30 a.m. Saturday March 27 for an on-site tour of the Vermilion River with DNR trout biologist Brian Nerbonne and Twin Cities TU members. Organized by the Fly Fishing Women of Minnesota. Call 952.920.9028 for reservations.

SPECIALTY TYERS: Dennis Potter and Jeff “Bear” Andrews lead a core of specialty tiers at the Fly Tying Theater and Fly Tiers Row. Don’t miss Dennis’ mini-fly tying classes at his station on the exhibit floor.

PRESENTATIONS: A legend in the Midwest and around the world and a columnist for Midwest Fly Fishing magazine, Gary Borger is back to anchor a list of celebrity anglers that’s truly impressive. On Expo weekend you’ll find adventure with Bill Sherer on muskies; Tim Holschlag on smallmouth fly techniques; Nate Sipple on Lake Michigan’s incredible brown trout fishery; Tim Landwehr on Wisconsin smallmouth rivers; Larry Gavin on carp in small streams; Andy Roth, Bill Sherck and Kip Veith together on close-to-home fly fishing destinations; Michigan’s Kevin Feenstra on Swinging Flies to Steelhead; Jeffery Skeate on Iowa trout streams; Jerry Darkes on Switch and Two-handed Rods; TU/Dare’s Jeff Hastings on the State of the Driftless Region; Scott Thorpe on Lake Superior Steelhead; Carl Haensel on North Shore streams and lakes.

DRESS TO FISH: Questions about layering for cold weather, or appropriate clothing for bright sunlight and hot days! Don’t miss our Fly Fishing Fashion show on Saturday, time to be announced. We’ll show you the latest in outdoor wear for fly fishing and help you decide what to wear on the water, including the latest info on environment-friendly wading boots.

ONE FLY ANGLER’S BLUES: Chicago blues guitarist Keith Scott will be on hand all weekend to lend his particular brand of blues to Great Waters festivities.

CONSERVATION FOR A SONG. Michael Osterholm reflects on lessons learned and the good work of restoring the stretch of Iowa’s Waterloo Creek on his Prairie Song Farm near Dorchester, Iowa, with that state’s DNR, TU and several other conservation partners. Fascinating.

ORGANIC COOKING demonstration by Joseph Meyer of Chicago’s One More Cast fly shop. Recipes and tasting.

FOR BEGINNERS; if you’re just getting started, this is a not-to-be-missed class on the fundamentals of fly fishing for all species with Jim Kojis and Mike Alwin.

SHOP AND GET THE SKINNY on 2010 fly fishing rods, reels, fly lines, flies, outdoors wear and watercraft. Fly tying materials and tools. Wildlife and sporting art and artists.

BOOK A TRP Lodges and outfitters from the Midwest, Alaska, Canada, the West and saltwater destinations. Travel presentations scheduled throughout the weekend.

STEWARDSHIP AND CONSERVATION: Programs on pressing environmental threats to our fly fishing waters, updates on the Great Lakes basin and Driftless Area fisheries. Stewardship discussion led by the Rev. Don Wisner.

LIVING RIVER BUG EXHIBIT. Entomologist and award-winning photographer Dean Hansen teaches why knowledge of aquatic entomology will make you a better angler.

WOMEN IN FLY FISHING. Reception. workshop and casting for women anglers.

CAMP FLY FISH FOR KIDS: Presented by MinnAQUA from the Minnesota DNR.

WRITERS WORKSHOP. An opportunity to pick the writing brains of several practicing outdoor novelists, magazine writers and poets. Bring your stories and poems to read.

ANGLING’S HISTORY. A special display of antique tackle and artifacts.

www.greatwatersflyfishingexpo.com

Early spring in Ely MN & the BWCA - 50's & mud season

With 50 degree temperatures lately, the lake ice is in transition, with shades of dark & light grey as the ice crystallizes from the top down. We went ice fishing on Gunflint Lake up the Gunflint Trail this past weekend. There was about 3-4' of ice, but the kids could just use their boots to kick up a nice pile of ice crystals. There was lots of sunshine during the day, which made for great weather on the ice, but on land it means that our 'mud season' has begun.

We do keep in mind that winter could be back in a blink of an eye before May. Two years ago we had a snowstorm mid April that brought with it 24" of snow in a 24 hour period and then our ice out on Farm Lake was pushed to just 3 days before fishing opener - May 7th! We will keep you updated on the 2010 Farm Lake ice out date which could be a record early ice out.

Echo's Ice Out Contest taking entries for 2010 - Ely MN

The ever-popular Ely Echo Shagawa Lake Ice Out Contest for 2010 has begun in Ely MN.

In 2009, April 28 was Shagawa Lake Ice Out Day, and the first entry received that was closest to ice out at 1:50 p.m. was Pat Ferderber of Ely. He beat out the other 48 people who chose the same day.

Competition is always fierce as family members and friends vie for the day, hour and the minute that the ice is finally gone from Shagawa Lake as determined by the venerable judges at Grand Ely Lodge.

The $100 prize from Grand Ely Lodge is based on when one could take a boat from the docks at Grand Ely Lodge and cross the lake, chunks of ice not withstanding.

Each entry MUST have a complete name, address and phone number as well as the date and time of day. Incomplete entries are thrown out.

What is at stake? Why, $100 in guest bucks from Grand Ely Lodge. Only one entry per person, no more than three entries per household application. All entries must be received by March 27 unless ice is out by then. In case of a tie the earliest entry wins.

You can enter via the internet by sending your best guess, name and mailing address with the email subject labeled "Ice out." Send to: thepub@elyecho.com.

Looking for a hint on the date? It's anybody's guess. In 2008 it was May 8, 2007 it was April 25 and in 2006 it was April 16.

In 2008 the area received 2-3" of snow on May 11 in time for fishing opener.

Article by Anne Swenson - The Ely Echo, Ely MN

(the photo above is Farm Lake - Ely MN : April 25, 2009)

Sun, 50 degrees temps & ice fishing - a beautiful day in Ely MN

Still, 3'+ of ice on the lakes, temperature this past weekend was high of 50 degrees and some nice fish are being caught through the ice.

With a mixture of tip-ups, live bait & handful of lures on a variety of rods, the past couple of days are reasons why we love northern Minnesota in March.

Justin catches a sunfish just outside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.


Jim was just dropping down a line for a tip-up for lake trout and this northern pike grabbed a hold of the live bait and was pulled up (released after the picture)

A pail full of crappies made for a nice fish dinner!

The elusive lake trout made an appearance through one lucky hole yesterday!

March Photo Contest - Signs of Spring

The March Category is 'Signs of Spring'.

For us in northern Minnesota, our kids look forward to the month of March because it means it's typically sunny, mild temps and they can run around on the frozen lake with just their snowpants/snowboots (no coat needed) and fly their kites. What better place to fly a kite - no trees or powerlines!

Post your favorite photo and you could be the winner of a Moose Track Adventures t-shirt or ball cap!

Rules:

• You must be a fan of Moose Track Adventures

• You can only enter one photo per person per monthly contest. You can enter the same photo if it did not win in a previous month
• You must be the photographer of the photo
• Please describe in the message the location of the photo
• Judging will be done by owners of Moose Track Adventures
• A fan may win once per year
• Photos must be posted by 7pm on March 31, 2010

Thank you for participating!

February Photo Contest Winner!

The winner of our February Sunset/Sunrise Photo Contest is Pam Shuey Sheriff. Congratulations Pam! Thanks for everyone's participation!

We will be announcing the March photo contest subject shortly. If you would like to submit a photo in our next contest, just become a fan of Moose Track Adventures on Facebook & click on the March Event.