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Ice houses on Lake Minnetonka despite warm weather
Many ice houses popped up on Lake Minnetonka even despite the warm weather, causing officials to warn about thin ice. FOX 9's Babs Santos has the latest.
MINNETONKA, Minn. (FOX 9) - Black Lake is known as a hidden gem on Lake Minnetonka, because year after year, the bay seems to defy Mother Nature.
"It’s a smaller body, protected from the wind, so the waves aren’t rushing across all day long," Jim Dau told FOX 9. "Plus it’s shallow, so typically they freeze quicker."
Many people tried their luck on the ice on Saturday, even on a warm December weekend. Anglers told FOX 9 they measured plenty of ice underfoot.
"It’s about 6 1/2 half inches," Dau said.
"I think it’s about 5 inches or so," John Nordquist said.
"It honestly hasn’t thinned up too much… as long as the ice holds up, I don’t mind the warmth… you kind of have to air on the side of caution. Use your bars and check the ice, don’t go near any channel where there’s going to be moving water, just be vigilant and keep an eye out for any pockets that might have not frozen as deeply," Nordquist continued.
Over the weekend, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office Water Patrol Unit told FOX 9, "Black Lake and Seton Lake are smaller bays that typically freeze first. While ice is never 100% safe, we recommend following the DNR guidelines for ice thickness."