Ice fishing on Lake Winona; photo courtesy of www.visitwinona.com
The cold temperatures last weekend caused the bite to slow a bit. The best bite was early in the morning and during the last hour before dark. This Saturday, Jan. 13 through Monday, Jan. 15 is Take a Kid Ice Fishing Weekend! Over the weekend, Minnesota residents age 16 or older can fish or dark-house spear without an angling or spearing license if they take a child younger than 16 fishing or spearing. The DNR offers some helpful tips at Taking Kids Ice Fishing.
Take time to review the DNR's Ice Safety Guidelines and General Ice Thickness Guidelines. For rules, regulations and other helpful information on fishing in Minnesota, consult the DNR's Fish Minnesota web page.
Northeast Minnesota
International Falls - Rainy Lake & the Rainy River
Sand Bay has been the most popular area to fish for walleye and sauger. Head out in the morning or later in the afternoon for the best bite. Jigging with a minnow in 25 feet of water has been working well. Anglers with portable gear heading out to the structure a bit off the roads have also been doing well in 25 feet of water. Black Bay is the hot spot for large northern pike. Access has improved, with the Park Service Ice Road plowed and open to the Black Bay ski trail and most lake surface trails staked and open. The snowmobile trails may be a bit rough in areas due to pressure ridges so riders need to use caution. 800-325-5766; www.rainylake.org
Duluth - Lake Superior, St. Louis River and inland waters
The inland lakes are giving up a decent number of fish, especially panfish. Crappies and bluegills are coming in on small forage jigs tipped with soft plastics, live spikes or waxworms. If the bite turns slow, try downsizing to a mini 1/32 size teardrop and small chewed up wax worm. Concentrate on areas away from other anglers. This time of year, as community holes grow, too much fishing pressure and all of the additional food sources can cause the bite to slow down. Anglers are doing well setting out some tip-ups for the northern pike, bass and occasional walleye. The ice measures from 12 to 19 on most inland waters, but anglers must still check for themselves instead of relying entirely on someone else’s report. Anglers fishing the St. Louis River report an inconsistent bite that seems to follow the recent changes in weather. A few fish continue to be pulled from dead stick holes set near jigging holes, and some nice walleye are coming in on tip-ups. The best bait has been a glow spoon tipped with a live minnow. Depths of 4 to 15 of water are giving up the most fish. Panfishing on the back bays has been slow. 800-438-5884; www.visitduluth.com
Grand Rapids
Ice conditions are very good, and anglers are out, moving from lake to lake. The opening of the winter inland lake trout season is this Saturday, Jan. 13. The Grand Rapids area has many good trout lakes for rainbow, brown and brook trout, and splake. Larson Lake in northern Itasca County the home of the state record splake. Please note that live minnows are not allowed on designated trout lakes and a trout stamp is required A few lakes to check include Moonshine, Kremer, Taylor, and Tioga Pit. Most often light line is key, especially when using small baits fished throughout the water column. Electronics can be a big help too since trout can be anywhere from the surface to the bottom. When using small spoons, #3 jigging raps, tingler spoons, add a couple waxworms or euro larvae to make them more noticeable – don’t forget to change to fresh bait often. These micro presentations are essential to success and staying mobile is also important. Trout are very nomadic in the winter so pay attention to your electronics and keep your bait above the fish. They fight great and are fun to catch! www.visitgrandrapids.com
Northwest Minnesota
Baudette - Lake of the Woods & the Rainy River
Fishing is good on Lake of the Woods and the fish cleaning houses are busy. Most ice roads are now permitting trucks and sleeper houses. Walleye are on the move and resorts and guides are moving deeper to stay with them. Dead sticks continue to work well for sauger in most areas, but walleye seem to prefer a jigging presentation. Spoons or lures with a rattles are always a good choice. Gold, glow, and pink colors are working best. Walleye anglers are finding the most fish in 15 to 18 feet of water during morning and evening hours, and in depths of 25 to 31 feet at midday. Auger extension may be necessary when not fishing in a resort fish house. Be sure to check out the Igloo Ice Bar in front of Zippel Bay. It offers great libations, big screen TV’s, and heated porta-potties that look like little igloos. At the Northwest Angle and Islands area, walleye and sauger fishing has been excellent with fish being caught all day long! Anglers report taking lots of 24 to 30 inch fish, with pails of walleye over 16 inch also being taken. Various methods are working well just off the structure at the bottom of the breaklines in 24 to 30 feet of water, including dead sticks, actively jigged buckshots, and rip’n raps. Glow red, gold and UV colors are ideal. Anglers are also reporting many “football-size” perch! 800-382-FISH; www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com
Bemidji
Lake Bemidji continues to provide good walleye action, especially during low light periods. The shoreline breaks are still producing fish but the mid-lake humps and bars in 12 to 35 foot depths are now giving up fish as well. Jigging spoons with minnow heads have been working well. Many of the walleye spots are also producing perch. Lake Plantagenet is kicking out walleye and perch in 18 to 27 feet of water. Northern pike action is good off the deeper weeds on Big Bass Lake. Look to Midge, Gull and Wolf lakes for crappies and bluegills. 877-250-5959; www.visitbemidji.com
Detroit Lakes
Ice measures 16 to 24 inches thick on most lakes in the Detroit Lakes area. The walleye bite has slowed now that fish are holding in deeper waters -- look in 18 to 26 feet of water on most area lakes. The best bite is early in the morning and during the last hour before dark. Crappies are active, and can be found suspended over the soft bottom areas in 20 to 35 feet of water. Sunfish are active in depths of 8 to 15 feet. A cold front has moved in and this may slow the bite. If you're in the area, check out the Detroit Lakes Ice Harvest on Little Detroit Lake, Jan. 11 & 12. 800-542-3992; www.visitdetroitlakes.com
Central Region
Alexandria Area Lakes
The ice is thick, and so are the fish! Most area lakes now have 18 inches of ice or more with wheel houses and trucks visible on most lakes. Some of the lakes have established ice roads. Anglers should still check the ice often. The crappie action continues to be very good, and there have been numerous reports of limits being caught during the day and after dark. In fact, there are an unusually high number 14 to 16 inch crappies being caught and released. If we continue to release these large fish, there will be more 16-plus inch crappies in the future. The largest crappies have been coming in after dark on suspended crappie minnows -- get a quick picture and send them back down the hole. The walleye action has been fairly good despite the cold snap. Reports of limits are coming in, along with some large fish. The low light time periods near weeds or steep breaks have been best. Try a plain #4 hook and shiner under a bobber or a 1/8 ounce jigging spoon bounced off the bottom. 800-245-2539; www.explorealex.com
Isle/Onamia - Lake Mille Lacs
On the southeast edge of Lake Mille Lacs, the walleye bite has been sporadic, but fish are being taken. The best action has been in 14 to 20 feet of water. A jumbo, 14 inch perch was pulled from 26 feet of water earlier this week. Late last week, on the southwest side of the lake, fishing was good at first and last light and throughout the night. During these periods, a deadstick, rattle reel and tip-up was best, especially with a subtle, simple glow jig or plain hook tipped with a shiner or small sucker. Most of the fish came from depths of 22 to 25 feet of water. 888-350-2692; www.millelacs.com
Minneapolis-St. Paul Area
Hastings - St. Croix & Mississippi Rivers
The Carpenter Nature Center will host numerous ice fishing programs and adventures for all ages, and they’re free! Just some of the upcoming programs include Advanced Ice Fishing on Jan. 20, and Family Ice Fishing Day on Jan. 27 & Feb. 10. Please call ahead to reserve your spot at 651-437-4359. 651-437-6775; www.visithastingsmn.org
Southern Minnesota
Lanesboro - Southeast Bluff Country trout streams
As of Monday, Jan. 8, fisheries staff reported that most area streams and rivers were clear with a normal water flow. Midges were hatching and walking around on two inches or so of snow. There was a report of a blue-winged olive flying upstream on Sunday. Cold was expected to arrive by the weekend. As of Jan. 10, the ice surrounding the banks was making it nearly impossible to fish. Even if a fish was caught, the line could easily snag on the ice shelf. It is unknown how temperatures in the 40s affected the ice shelves. Learn more at Hot Tips for Cold Weather Trout Fishing in Minnesota’s Driftless Area. 800-944-2670; www.lanesboro.com
Anglers may obtain fishing licenses 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by dialing 1-888-665-4236, or accessing DNR License Sales.
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