It’s April 17th and We’ve Still Got Three Feet of Ice in the Bay
Every spring, our inbox starts lighting up with the same question:
“When’s the ice going out?”
Guides are asking. Guests planning opener trips are asking. Our neighbors down the shoreline are asking.
Even our kids are asking, because they want to catch the crawfish down by the dock again.
This year, we are having an ICE OUT CONTEST on Facebook — and that’s exactly why we wanted to write this post
As of today, there’s still serious ice on Lake of the Woods. In some areas near us, locals are reporting somewhere around five feet of it. That’s not a typo. Five feet of ice, in mid-April, on a lake that usually opens up by the end of the month.
So what’s going on?
Is this panic-worthy?
Is opener in trouble?
Should you reschedule?
Short answer: no. But there’s a real story underneath this, and if you’re coming up to fish with us this spring, it’s worth understanding.
What “Normal” Actually Looks Like on Lake of the Woods
Here’s the thing most people don’t realize: Lake of the Woods is one of the slowest lakes in the region to give up its ice. It’s huge, it’s deep, and the sheer volume of water takes longer to warm than almost any other lake around us.
The historical average ice-out date sits around April 29. But the range is wide — ice has cleared as early as April 8 (back in 2000 and again in 2012), and as late as May 16 (1996).
That’s over five weeks of variability in the record books.
Just last year, in 2025, ice-out wasn’t officially called until around May 9. So when people say 2026 is “crazy late,” we gently remind them: last year was late too. The year before that was closer to April 28.
The lake runs on its own schedule.
The Rainy River, right near us, usually opens up two or three weeks before the main body of the lake because of the current moving through it. That’s already started loosening up.
But the bay and the main lake? They’re still locked up tight.
Why 2026 Is Dragging Its Feet
A few things stacked up this year:
The spring stayed cold. Water temperatures around us have been hovering in the mid-30s°F well into April. Ice doesn’t really go anywhere until you get consistent warm days stacked with mild nights. We haven’t had that stretch yet.
Winter was inconsistent but brutal in January. December was milder than usual, so the ice formed slower at first. Then January hit with temperatures as low as -34°C — cold enough to build thick, durable ice even after a soft start. That’s part of why the thickness is so stubborn right now.
Big lakes just move slower. Smaller lakes around Sunset Country will likely clear a week or two before we do. That’s typical. When Lake of the Woods runs late, it really runs late, because there’s so much water to warm up.
What Actually Happens Next (And Why Nobody Should Panic)
ICE OUT CONTEST 
Here’s what Andrew keeps telling folks who call asking about their trip:
Ice-out doesn’t happen gradually on a lake this size. It happens in a window.
You get three or four warm windy days in a row, maybe a soaking rain, and suddenly the whole picture changes.
One week the bay looks frozen solid. The next week there’s open water from shore to the middle of the lake. That’s just how it works out here.
We’ve seen ice years go from “we might be in trouble” to “fully open water” in under a week.
So while today it looks stuck, we’re one weather shift away from a completely different report.
Walleye opener is mid-May.
Even in our latest years on record, the lake has been open by then.
We expect this year to be the same — though the margin might be tighter than usual.
What This Means If You’re Booked With Us This Spring
A few practical things:
Opener week: we’re watching it carefully. If you’ve booked a fishing cabin for the first week of the season, we’ll keep you updated on ice conditions. In a normal year the lake is wide open for opener. In 2026, we’ll send an email to confirm before you drive up.
Early spring fishing can actually be excellent after a late ice-out. When the ice leaves later, fish compress their early-season movement patterns into a shorter window. That can mean more predictable shallow action — and fewer boats on the water with you, since some folks cancel when they hear “late ice.”
Shoulder-season bookings are wide open. If you’ve been thinking about a late-May or June trip, we still have cabins available, and those trips are going to land right in the sweet spot for walleye, smallmouth, and the first good musky activity.
Water will be cold to start. Plan accordingly. Dress warm, bring extra layers, and know that fish will be a little sluggish until the water gets up into the high 50s.
What Andrew’s Thinking About for Opening Week
Andrew’s been watching the forecasts and thinking about where the fish will set up first. His take:
“When the ice finally goes, the first warm pockets are going to fire. Shallow north-facing bays that get the most sun, current areas around the north west corner of islands, and anywhere the ice pulled away first. We’ll be chasing those spots hard in the first ten days after opening. Cold water, big fish, few boats — that’s a good combination if you’re willing to dress for it.”
We’ll post more as the melt picks up.
Between now and then, if you’ve got questions about your trip, your cabin, or whether to bring an extra jacket, just call 1 (807) 631-9169 or email us directly.
We’re here, the coffee’s on, and we’re as ready for open water as you are.
The Bigger Picture
Every spring teaches us something about the lake. This one’s a reminder that the lake runs on its own time, and that weird conditions usually create opportunities for the people who stay patient and pay attention.
We’re not panicking.
The ice will go.
The boats will launch.
The walleye will bite.
And at some point in the next few weeks, we’ll be standing on our dock watching open water instead of white ice — and it’ll feel like it happened overnight.
Until then, we’re watching the wind, checking the forecasts, and getting the lodge ready for another season.
See you on the water soon.
— Meagan and Andrew Saarela’s Moonlite Bay Lodge
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