Explore Minnesota Weekly Fishing Update - Dec. 21, 2018

Jarrid Houston and Melody Mitro enjoying a day out on the ice near Duluth; photo courtesy of Houston's Guide Service

Temperatures will remain slightly above average through the weekend with highs ranging from the low 20s to the low 30s. While conditions will be very pleasant for ice fishing, please remember that recent unseasonably warm temperatures have taken a toll on the ice on lakes throughout the state. Thawing and refreezing comprises the integrity of the ice creating saturated ice, contraction and expansion cracks, and many other issues.

Extreme caution must be used by ice anglers. Anyone planning to head out should first consult with a local bait shop, resort or guide service for the most current ice conditions.

The DNR encourages anglers to wear a life jacket out on the ice, especially under current conditions. Bring along some rope, ice picks, an ice chisel and tape measure, and always tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return. Once out on the ice, check ice conditions often.

Please take a moment to review the DNR's Ice Safety web page and Ice Thickness Guidelines web page.

For rules, regulations and other helpful information on fishing in Minnesota, consult the DNR's Fish Minnesota web page.

For fun ideas for your next ice fishing trip, check out Get Hooked on Minnesota Ice Fishing. And for information on winter trout fishing, visit Hot Tips for Cold Weather Trout Fishing in Minnesota's Driftless Area.

Happy Holidays and safe travels from Explore Minnesota!

[Northeast] [Northwest] [Minneapolis-St. Paul] [Central][Southern]

Northeast Minnesota

International Falls - Rainy Lake & the Rainy River

Some anglers are venturing out onto the ice with sleds or ATVs, and they need to be checking the ice depth frequently. Those heading onto Sand Bay are finding walleye in roughly 30 feet of water when using minnows and jigs. There are some light weight dark houses popping up in Black Bay, but no reports of successful spearing. Plow operators have not yet plowed out ice roads, but once they do, they will be limited to Rainy Lake. 800-325-5766; www.rainylake.org

Kabetogama

Snow depth on Lake Kabetogama is almost non-existent, making travel by foot and ATV quite easy.  Vehicle travel is discouraged on lakes throughout the area. Fishing remains very good. Anglers working the deeper break lines during morning and evening hours are doing well, with the deep, soft bottom areas producing well during the day. Staying mobile will also increase your chance of putting fish in the bucket. Jigging any type of spoon with a full or half minnow is best for one line, and a minnow and plain hook under a bobber is working well on the other line. Spear fishing is still on fire with quite a few large northern pike being taken.  Take advantage of the opportunity to explore the lakes easily. 800-524-9085; www.kabetogama.com

Ely Area Lakes & Streams

Spring like temperatures and high winds have stalled ice development. Ice thickness ranges from 6 to 11 inches. While 4-wheelers and snowmobiles have been more common, travel by foot remains best. Panfish anglers are taking nice sunfish when using small tungsten jigs tipped with a waxworm or soft plastic at the weed edges. White, brown and red colors seem to work best. Crappies have also been biting. During the day, anglers are finding fish in 20 to 30 feet of water when using pink, white or chartreuse jigs tipped with a waxworm, soft plastic or crappie minnow. The walleye bite has been tough until the last hour of daylight when quite a few 15 to 20 inch fish are being taken. Successful anglers are using glowing red jigs or spoons tipped with rainbows or chubs in 20 to 25 feet of water around the main lake humps. Large northern pike continue to bite.  For the most action, use an alewife or heavy sucker under a tip-up at the mouths of the shallow bays, weed edges and main lake weedy points. Spear anglers have also been reporting steady action when using large decoy suckers or red and white decoys. 800-777-7281; www.ely.org

Duluth - Lake Superior and inland waters

While some bodies of water are capable of supporting snowmobiles and ATVs, foot travel is best on most. Anyone planning to use a snowmobile or four-wheeler must be very cautious, and check in with an area bait shop, resort and/or guide before heading out. Ice fishing continues to be non-existent on Lake Superior, but some die-hard anglers are launching their boats and trolling for salmon and trout. Successful anglers are using stick baits and spoons. A few north shore landings are open. Some shore anglers are even reporting success when long-casting baits from shore. The St. Louis River is once again considered very dangerous. The warm spell, mixed with recent freighter and tugboat traffic has weakened the existing ice in many areas of the harbor. Many sections of shoreline have opened up and ice thickness varies greatly. The inland lakes are busy with ice anglers. Sunfish opportunities have been plentiful over shallow mud basin areas and vegetation. Jigging 1/32 ounce tungsten jigs tipped with soft plastics at the weeds has been good. Anglers are also having success with tip-ups in the shallows during low light periods. Northern pike and bass continue to bite during the day, and walleye seem to be most active during late afternoon and evening hours. A few crappies are coming through holes on crappie minnows under floats. 800-438-5884; www.visitduluth.com

Northwest Minnesota

Baudette - Lake of the Woods & the Rainy River

A strong bite continues on the main lake basin of Lake of the Woods. Walleye and sauger are starting to slide a bit deeper, coming from 23 to 29 feet of water during the day. During morning and evening hours, anglers report a shallow water bite in 13 to 18 foot depths. Gold and glow red remain the top colors.  Resorts have marked trails for ATV, UTV and snowmobile use, and some are transporting guests with light ice rigs.  The ice ranges from 11 to 16 inches thick where resorts are fishing. Please note that there is a big crack 8 miles off of Pine Island stretching to Long Point.  Snowmobile trail staked from 4 Mile Bay up to NW angle.  Please stay on marked trails, don't go off on your own and exercise safety precautions as ice thickness varies.  Unsafe ice and open water are reported for some sections of the Rainy River due to heavier than normal current.  Some walleye action is occurring in Four Mile Bay early and late in day, and there are reports of northern pike action in some of the bays.  An ice road is open from Young's Bay to Flag Island up at the Northwest Angle. Other areas still need more time to build ice before vehicle traffic is allowed. A snowmobile trail from 4 Mile Bay and Pine Island across the lake to The Angle is marked and open – always stay on marked trails! As always, neck down and other areas with current are discouraged. While the fishing reports are very good with nice numbers of walleye being taken, always work through a resort and stay on staked resort ice trails. 800-382-FISH; www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com

Bena - Lake Winnibigoshish

Ice depths have improved a bit since last week with 12 inches being common where anglers are setting houses. There has also been more activity on portions of the main lake as it becomes more accessible due to improving ice conditions. While there hasn’t been a lot of walleye activity, the perch and northern pike action remains very good along the shoreline breaks and points in 8 to 12 feet of water. www.lakewinnie.net

Central Region

Otter Tail Area Lakes

There seems to be an upswing in fish activity, with good numbers of fish being reported. Please note that female walleye have pronounced bellies since they are full of eggs – please release these fish so they can spawn in April and May. Panfish are also biting well throughout Otter Trail Lakes Country. Anglers are having the most success near the weeds and weeds flats. Move quickly from hole to hole, and if you don’t get a good bite within a minute or two, keep on walking. Anglers must watch for cracks in the ice. The sunny, warm days cause the ice to expand. When the sun sets and the temperatures drop at night the ice shrinks which creates cracks. Most mornings there are new cracks that are impassable. The damaged areas are often near the shorelines. 800-423-4571; www.ottertailcountry.com

Isle/Onamia - Lake Mille Lacs

On the southeast edge of Lake Milles near Isle the ice measures roughly 13 inches in the bays and near Doe Island Reef, but ice thickness varies greatly in many locations. To the south, towards Onamia, anglers have measured 12 to 14 inches of ice. No vehicles will be allowed out on some resort ice roads. 888-350-2692; www.millelacs.com 

Willmar

Following recent warm temperatures, ice thickness now varies greatly on lakes throughout the area. Some lakes have only have 4 inches of ice while other have roughly 1 foot. And, even though a lake might have 12 inches of ice in one area, the ice can be considerably thinner in another area. In fact, Eagle Lake has opened up on the west side. Anglers must be extremely cautious when heading out onto the lakes. There have been a few reports of vehicles going through the ice on Kandiyohi County this last week – cars, trucks and heavy fish houses are highly discouraged at this time. Anglers that are venturing out by foot, snowmobile or ATV report nice perch and walleye coming from Big Kandiyohi and Lillian lakes. Some walleye have also been pulled from Minnetaga, Kasota, Willmar and Foot lakes. 800-845-8747; www.willmarlakesarea.com

Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

On Jan. 6, attend an Ice Fishing Clinic! What's more Minnesotan than fishing on ice? Try your luck on Lake Auburn, learn the basics and make a jigging stick at Lowry Nature Center within Carver Park Reserve in Victoria. Everyone attending this program must pre-register. 763-694-7650

Southern Minnesota

Lanesboro/Preston - Southeast Bluff Country trout streams

As of Wednesday, Dec. 12, no shelf ice had been observed. The weekend forecast called for unseasonably warm temperatures, and fisheries staff encouraged anglers to watch for midge hatches and try their hand catching a trout on a dry fly in the winter. An item of blaze orange clothing was advised since the small game hunting season was open. It was also noted that a 2018 special CWD deer hunt was scheduled for the weekends of December 21 to 23 and December 28 to 30 in area that included Forestville State Park, Preston, Lanesboro and Chatfield. Learn more at the DNR’s Trout Streams web page. Check out the "Area Highlights" section on the Lanesboro Area Fisheries web page for stream maps for areas currently open to catch-and-release trout fishing. 800-944-2670; www.lanesboro.com

Subscribe here to receive any or all of Explore Minnesota Tourism's updates by email.

Be sure to visit the Deals section of ExploreMinnesota.com to learn of the latest discounts and specials!

Have something else in mind?
Our expert travel counselors can help!