Doubt about the ice thickness ahead of the 2020 Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza proved unwarranted Thursday, Jan. 16 when Crow Wing County Sheriff Scott Goddard found the ice to be up to 18 inches thick in the contest area. Thickness varied slightly in other areas, however, not below the minimum for Goddard to issue the permit for the event.
The Extravaganza is scheduled for Jan. 25 at Hole in the Day Bay as with past years. This is the 30th anniversary of the event which is expected to host over 10,000 people once again, so ice conditions are very important.
The safety of many local lakes has been notoriously compromised by an early, but slight freeze followed by a large insulating snow layer, freezing rain and warm temperatures. Cass and Crow Wing County Sheriff Departments even went so far as to recently warn against driving vehicles on area lakes, however, Gull appears to be one of the few local lakes with optimal ice conditions.
