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Ice fishing Top SPECIES to fish for


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Posted

Ice season is upon us, whats your guys' top 3 species to fish for though the ice?

Posted

1st : Crappies

2nd : Bluegills

3rd : 3 way tie between Northern, Bass, & Channel Catfish

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders
Posted

1. Gills

2. Crappies

3. Trout

Posted

1) Eelpout

2) Lake trout

3) Northerns

Posted

1) Lake trout

2) Crappie

3) Walleye

Posted

Panfish....simply because one day they make you feel like a pro and on others the ultimate rookie....and the challenge is more than half the fun. Next, would be getting on a crazy tulllie bite. For landing the freight trains with under equipped .....equipment ....pout. Think the most fun I have ever had ice fishing, was, by pure luck, stumbling upon upon a smallie nest on Mille Lacs. Honorable mention for the coveted eyeballs is an old school early season upper red bite....

Posted

1 Perch

2 Crappie

3 Bluegill

Posted

walleye

stream trout

crappie

Posted

crappie

Gills... Big Gills

perch

Posted

1 Perch

2 Crappie

3 Walleye

Posted

Lake trout

Lake trout

Lake trout

Posted

1. Channel Cats

Numbers like pannies, but fight like walleyes

2. Crappies

Numbers can't be beat, and good tasting

3. Bluegills

Put up an awesome fight, pound for pound on super light gear.

Never fished lake trout because there's not really a fishable population near here.

As for walleyes - too slow of action for me and my 6 year old. For eating I'll go craps and for fighting I'll go channel cats.

Hoping to put sturgeon on that list next year. The action will definitely be slow, but the potential payoff there makes it worthwhile. Next year they're going to have open C&R season all year. I've incidentally caught one smaller 27 inch sturgeon while fishing channel cats on the St Croix in the winter, and it put up a better fight than anything else I've ever caught through the ice, hands down. I'll be bringing some big laker gear with a baitcaster out and drilling a larger hole out searching for Shamu's 77 incher when there's an official open season for them.

Posted

Lake Trout, or any trout specie for that matter; even small stocked steam trout put up a great battle

Walleye/Perch

Bull Bluegills

Would really like to try to land a big catfish or sturgeon through the ice sometime.

full-44147-51205-monsteronst.croixice(80

Posted

Crappies and then walleyes are a close second. I've always found it easier to catch crappies in the winter aside from in the spring when they are in the shallows.

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders
Posted

gills, craps, eyes, northerns. just cant go with 3...

Posted

Walleyes the majority of the time, crappies and bluegills a couple times a year.

Posted

1. Perch

2. Trout

3. Walleye

Posted

1. Crappies

2. Northern

3. Walleye

Posted

3 way tie for first. Crappie ,Walleye and jumbo perch.

Posted

1) crappie...convenience factor mostly, but put up a good tussle also.

2) lake trout

3) tullibee

northern pike are an honorable mention.

Posted

1. Bluegill

2. Catfish

3. Northerns

Posted

Would really like to try to land a big catfish or sturgeon through the ice sometime.

Tom how big was that sturgeon you posted above? Probably put up a great fight through the ice!

Posted

1. Trout

2. Perch

3. Crappies

Honorable mention to tulibees and 'pout.

Posted

1: Walleyes

2: Crappies

3: Northerns

Posted

1: crappies and gills on a noodle rod

2: pike and walleye on tip ups

3: channel cats

Posted

Walleye

Panfish

Big Pike

Posted

1. Crappies

2. Walleyes

3. Gills and Perch

Really there is nothing like an awesome perch or gill bite. action fast and fearious and they hold nothing back.

Posted

Lake trout

Lake trout

Lake trout

What he said. No other fish will even come close once you have your first laker try to rip the rod out of your hands! Perch, walleye, bluegill, and crappies all tie for 4th place!

Posted

Well, if I had to choose...

1. Pike, no question

2. Perch

3. Crappie

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • monstermoose78
      Ok the ice was 15-16 inches and less than 2 inches of snow. It’s was -15 this morning and the weekend looks to be cold again. The fish were there but not biting with change in weather. 
    • Dash 1
      I guess the vikings are a lot like fishing.  Very entertaining but frustrating at times. I've probably been cheering the vikings for 50 plus years  that i can remember and once again it's all about (there's always next year).  
    • Dash 1
      I remember Jeno's boxed pizza years ago.  Mom made it every Saturday night while dad and I watched All Star Wrestling.  
    • smurfy
      Chef boyardee box pizza. Good stuff 
    • smurfy
    • leech~~
      Smurf, still trying to get his lure jigging down when using the camera!  🤭   https://www.facebook.com/reel/517510734635573
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the South Shore... Ice fishing is going great on the south shore of Lake of the Woods, with resorts and outfitters reporting thickening ice conditions with two feet of ice in some areas.  Many ice roads are now open to 1 ton vehicles pulling a wheelhouse.  Every road has different weight limits, check with each resort for details before traveling up and out on the ice.      Some good fishing this past week.  As a rule, fishing activity is happening in 28 - 32 feet of water.  Resorts do just about everything they can to get customers on fish and this past week, some resorts made some long runs, resetting fish houses in new areas miles off shore.  Most are reporting good fishing as a rule.     It is common to sort through some small walleyes and saugers to get your keepers on LOW.  Naturally, some big fish are showing up, especially in deeper water.  In addition, this has been a very good year for jumbo perch with good numbers being caught.  Other fish in the mix are eelpout (burbot), pike, tullibees and an occasional sturgeon.      Anglers are using the one-two punch of jigging in one hole and deadsticking the second hole. In the jigging hole, a jigging spoon tipped with a minnow head or tail in gold / pink, gold / glow red, glow white / pink, or Wonder Bread have worked well.     Especially in the deeper water, some anglers are finding success on rippin raps or using jigging spoons with a rattle as well.     On the deadstick, a small jig with a live minnow hooked behind the dorsal fin set 6 inches - a foot off of the bottom is working well.  One day the jigging line catches most of the fish, the other day a deadstick is hot.     Electronics are very helpful to see suspended fish, know when fish are coming through and adjust your presentation to the mood of each fish.  Most resorts, outfitters and bait shops in the area rent electronics by the day.   On the Rainy River... The Rainy River is still producing some nice walleyes and saugers, primarily in the mornings and evenings.  A jig and minnow working well.   Catch-and-release sturgeon fishing continues to be good for those targeting them.  An oversized hole, or three holes drilled together, with nightcrawlers or frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig fished on the bottom are what anglers are using.     Ice conditions on the river can vary significantly due to the current. To stay safe and maximize success, always work with a local resort or outfitter familiar with river conditions.    Up at the NW Angle... Ice fishing continues to be very good up at the Northwest Angle. Resorts have fish houses set up on various pieces of structure as well as adjacent to structure in deep mud.  A consistent mix of walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, pike and tullibees in the mix.     Shallow structure is best right away in the morning and as the sun starts going down in the late afternoon.  Mud is more of a slower bite but all day.   The ice road from Jerry's on the mainland (Angle Inlet, MN) to island resorts (as of this past week) was open to 1 ton vehicles.  Guests drive right to their island resort after picking up a road pass at Jerry's or Point North Services.  Venmo is also available at all resorts.  Work through your resort for specifics.   Ice fishing is in full swing across Lake of the Woods and there are openings for lodging, fish house rentals, sleeper fish house rentals and meal plans across the area.  Ice fishing is extended on LOW with fish houses allowed on the ice through March 31st, walleye / sauger season open through April 14th and a pike season that never closes.  
    • Brianf.
      From your fingertips to God's ears...  Finally got some snow!   Several inches of new snow fell before and during the weekend.  Sunday eve when we left, the high winds had already begun to create some drifting on the lake.  It was fun riding for sure.  Lots of folks on the lake this past weekend too.  We fueled up the sleds at Shamrock and saw as many people fishing in that area as I've ever seen in the Winter on Lake Vermilion.     Our weekend results were decent.  Jeff and I and a buddy caught probably 50 walleyes between the three of us, mostly fishing a jig/plastics with our three biggest being 24", 25", and 25.5".  We also got one large pike of unknown length.  During the midday on Sunday, we targeted whitefish and Jeff managed one big one.  We released all of our fish, except for three small walleyes that our buddy wanted to bring home for a meal.  Definitely a fun weekend on Lake V!   
    • leech~~
      The Vikings are the Vikings so it's nothing new.  It is kind of sad that Darnold's off season stock is now going to drop like a rock after these last two games. It kind of shows he's not a big game guy.  🤔
    • smurfy
      I'm blaming leech... his food selection has been lacking game days recently  🤣
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