When will Diamond Lake be free of ice?

[Fat Head]

Any idea? I was hoping to head over at the end of this month. I really need to get out of town for a few days, unless they re-open the Columbia for springers :D... Thanks.

[Eagleclaw]

end of the month that would be my guess...

[spottedhawk36]

guarenteed should be totally free of ice by memorial day weekend, i have been there over numerous memorial days and it has always been free of ice. my guess would be as early as may 17th weekend.

[Jedcraft]

We should start a derby like the "break-up" on the Yukon!:wink:

[spottedhawk36]

jedcraft whats that?

[McBaine]

I was just up there this morning fishing. Me and my friend caught a limit, did let two go back that were smaller than what we wanted to keep. The ones we did keep were in the 16" to 19" range. Right now you have 3 layers on top of the water. You have a farely thick ice. The main ice being anywhere from 6 to 8 inches. Then you have about a foot worth of slush and water and another 6" or so of snow.

In the morning after a good freeze you can generally walk on top of the snow crust without breaking through to the main ice. But once noon comes around, pretty much plan on breaking through to the knee. You wont go through the ice by any means, unless you step in a hole that was covered over lol. I will say it was quite a work out and glad I wore my bogs boots and river west pants so I never got wet.

The current pool at the marina has Diamond being ice free around May 20th or so, but this greatly depends on how cold it gets during the night. Two days ago they got 4" of fresh snow which froze last night and the night before. They hope to ice fish for half days for another week to 2 weeks! The snow up there is huge right now, anywhere from 6 to 12 feet deep.

[Eagleclaw]

my daughter and i are heading up there next weekend

[Dullhook]

The resort's website below does a great job of updating current conditions and fishing reports. By the looks of the pic taken yesterday it'll be a while before the lake is ice free. Diamond will definitely be worth the wait this year and campspots will be a lot harder to get than the fish! :wink:

Diamond Lake Conditions (http://www.diamondlake.net/fishingreport.html)

[spottedhawk36]

yep now the words out on my favorite trout lake LOL, hope everyone has fun who goes there its beautiful and the fishing is great, im glad they started over.

[Eagleclaw]

I was just up there this morning fishing. Me and my friend caught a limit, did let two go back that were smaller than what we wanted to keep. The ones we did keep were in the 16" to 19" range. Right now you have 3 layers on top of the water. You have a farely thick ice. The main ice being anywhere from 6 to 8 inches. Then you have about a foot worth of slush and water and another 6" or so of snow.

In the morning after a good freeze you can generally walk on top of the snow crust without breaking through to the main ice. But once noon comes around, pretty much plan on breaking through to the knee. You wont go through the ice by any means, unless you step in a hole that was covered over lol. I will say it was quite a work out and glad I wore my bogs boots and river west pants so I never got wet.

The current pool at the marina has Diamond being ice free around May 20th or so, but this greatly depends on how cold it gets during the night. Two days ago they got 4" of fresh snow which froze last night and the night before. They hope to ice fish for half days for another week to 2 weeks! The snow up there is huge right now, anywhere from 6 to 12 feet deep.

McBaine,

I have to drop my step daughter off in KF next friday for a visit with her father and my daughter and I are thinking about hitting Diamond on saturday. Would you recomend taking a 10 year old out on the ice or would it be to much work for her to get out and back?

Thanks

[McBaine]

If they get a good freeze, your ten year old would probably have a lot easier time than you. I would call the resort 541-793-3333 and talk with the marina the day before you leave. When you get there the Marnia opens up at 8am. I would suggest getting off the ice by no later than noon. I would definitely have her wear waders if she has any. Bring snow shoes if you have them too, they would help prevent you from breaking through to the slush layer.

If they don't get a good freeze, then I would head for one of the creeks that goes into the lake. There you should find a little open water to fish. We were getting our fish on Power Bait with about a 2-3 foot leader. It seamed like the fish were suspended so I was fishing about 5 feet off the bottom. They were hitting very very lightly though.

[Eagleclaw]

If they get a good freeze, your ten year old would probably have a lot easier time than you. I would call the resort 541-793-3333 and talk with the marina the day before you leave. When you get there the Marnia opens up at 8am. I would suggest getting off the ice by no later than noon. I would definitely have her wear waders if she has any. Bring snow shoes if you have them too, they would help prevent you from breaking through to the slush layer.

If they don't get a good freeze, then I would head for one of the creeks that goes into the lake. There you should find a little open water to fish. We were getting our fish on Power Bait with about a 2-3 foot leader. It seamed like the fish were suspended so I was fishing about 5 feet off the bottom. They were hitting very very lightly though.

I plan on calling friday before we leave. My daughter wants to stay up at the resort so i have to call anyway to see if we can get a room. Thanks for your imput. I'll post some pics if we are lucky enough to catch some.

[Deluxe]

I plan on calling friday before we leave. My daughter wants to stay up at the resort so i have to call anyway to see if we can get a room. Thanks for your imput. I'll post some pics if we are lucky enough to catch some.

I'm heading up next friday, and was wondering about the campgrounds? Are they open? I've done a lot of snow camping and survival camping so I have no problem, but can we access those areas? I went last year and it was an absolute blast, and I can't pass up the opportunity to ice fish diamond. Can anyone remember the last time ice fishing was allowed on the lake? Does the resort have augers we can borrow or should we bring our own? Thanks

D

[Eagleclaw]

I'm heading up next friday, and was wondering about the campgrounds? Are they open? I've done a lot of snow camping and survival camping so I have no problem, but can we access those areas? I went last year and it was an absolute blast, and I can't pass up the opportunity to ice fish diamond. Can anyone remember the last time ice fishing was allowed on the lake? Does the resort have augers we can borrow or should we bring our own? Thanks


The resort has Augers. call the resort and ask them about the campgrounds.


D

[Deluxe]

thanks, will do.

[Eagleclaw]

thanks, will do.

I'll be up there friday afternoon with one of my daughters. Maybe we'll see you up there if you haven't limited out.

[McBaine]

None of the forest service camp grounds are open, much less the road to them. They only have the road to the resort opened up. Even the horse coral is under several feet of snow. I'm pretty sure it's just going to be the rooms that will be open. If you really want to camp, then I'd head over to Lemolo Lake. It's a good 1000 feet below Diamond Lake. Here are some pictures:

One of the cabins:
http://a285.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/116/l_20d721910fcf01499a151d44c04508fc.jpg

http://a966.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/120/l_35dbea3ee2a6a4bb702e4967ae7a6b9d.jpg

http://a500.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/96/l_c491efec3106de262e334c1d55fce7d3.jpg


Here is what I caught. The smallest is 16" the largest 19".
http://a786.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/69/l_cbd75df09f9f50cc97664343cb75ed19.jpg


Snow at the gas station:
http://a595.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/107/l_d341910bc447600950f6e32746732d8a.jpg

[Jedcraft]

Fished Diamond today and it's melting fast. I'd say it settled at least a foot today and Sunday is supposed to be alot warmer. I sank in up past my knee a few times and the water gushed up out of the hole. It gets real in the afternoons. Fishing was fairly slow. My brother & I were the first ones out and no one limited.