JUST FOR FUN: Ice-out speculations in the winter that just won’t quit

The featured photo was taken at Bemidji’s Library Park this morning by Larissa Donovan.

Some Minnesotans are concerned about how the wintry weather may affect the fishing opener.

A delayed fishing opener could possibly affect area businesses, such as lodges, gas stations, restaurants, and fishing guides.

Pike Bay on Cass Lake is reportedly covered in 22- to 26-inch-thick ice, leading some to fear the waters won’t be clear for boating in time.

Visit Bemidji’s Brady Laudon estimates that there are about 15 inches of ice yet on Lake Bemidji and told this author that he and local fishing guide Dick Beardsley have an ice-out prediction of May 11.

Twenty-one listeners in Paul Bunyan Broadcasting’s ice-out contest predicted an ice-out by next Friday, April 29.

For this contest, all participants submitted their guesses before the end of February.

In an informal ice-out prediction poll conducted by this author among on-air personality coworkers this morning:

• Dave Brooks: May 3
• “Coach” Tom Lucas: May 4
• Joel Hoover and Scott Williams: May 9
• Kev Jackson, riding the coattails of the experts, per usual: May 11
• Todd Haugen: May 15

The fishing opener is set for May 14.