2018-2019 Ice Fishing Reports

[Chill62]

Been getting text messages all day from a buddy who has been out checking conditions in the area.  Lakes that have snow have spotting ice conditions  from 4" to 1" and a few have bigger cracks to be worried about.  He strongly suggested a spud bar especially if you find ANY snow because he's finding the thinnest ice is under snow.  Due to my work schedule I wont be able to make it out till Saturday but I'm hoping to find decent ice and have a report on Monday!  Bring on ice fishing!

[AlwaysFishing23]

I wish we didn’t have the warmer temps forecasted for the next week or so. If it was like it’s been the last few days with at night a few degrees below zero and in the low 20s during the day. But nope it’ll be sometime Before even the smaller bodies of water are “safe”. I really wanted to get out this Saturday but looks like that won’t happen. But maybe the saterday after thanksgiving I’m hoping may work out. I hate this time of year having to wait but that’s how it goes! 

[Chill62]

I got one or two buddies that are willing to go out with me on Saturday afternoon and possibly again on Sunday.  I wont touch the ice without a partner even with a floating suit.  Report last night I got were the crappies were aggressive with spoons and a minnow.  Hopefully I can get my chores done early and get out on the ice at a decent time because he had a great mid day bite.  Saturday after black friday I was hoping to get out that weekend and fish hard but its the girlfriends birthday and I guess we are hosting her birthday party....DANG there went that idea.

[Lotharski]

Saw two guys fishing Silver Lake yesterday.  Said they had 4" of ice.  Talked to another friend this morning and he said that he had 5" of ice on the small lake he was on.  

[Chill62]

Made it out on Saturday afternoon.  Got an extremely late start and was running 2 hours late getting onto the ice.  Fished a lake in central Becker County for blue gills and crappies.  Fished my gps spots from 8-11 feet of water and didn't mark a thing.  A buddy was out in 13 feet of water and was having fish come through almost instantly so I shifted out to his area and was graphing things and were not getting any bites.  Made 2 jig color changes and 3 soft plastic changes (Gas station didn't have wax worms) and finally I found what the fish wanted and they were inhaling the lure.  Most were coming through at 12.5 feet but when I would jig they were attacking the lure at 9 and 8 feet down.   Fishing was hot till 17:30 and nothing after that.  Kept some fish for the fry pan and ended up with 7 crappies between 11.75-13" and 2 blue gills 9.25-9.5 inches.  One 9.75" was released and a 10.25" was gill was was kept for the wall.  

[Prods]

Chill62 I live in the the Detroit lakes area and have fished a few times with little luck. Just wondering what lake you got the fish in the pictures on. 

[Chill62]

Prods, Thanks for becoming a recent member of this site.  I never give out that information online.  There are too many people who strictly fish a lake because someone said something on a facebook/online post and everyone hits the lake and destroys the lake.  I was fishing north of DL though on a very large lake that is relatively shallow.  Its a fun lake because not many people fish it but it has multiple public accesses on the lake.  Fishing has been relatively good on the lake and a buddy has been out there filming a few youtube videos also from there.  I plan on going out again on Friday earlier to see if they bite during the mid day.

 

I'll give you this information though its on a mid lake point fishing out from the weed line.  Its a muddy/silty bottom and the fish cruise the bottom and I'm assuming feeding on blood worms and that is why the soft plastic worked so well.  According to Navionic's there is a "hole" of 13-14 feet that isn't that big where our houses were set up.

[Chill62]

Made it out Friday to the same lake I was fishing last weekend.  Only about 40 people out there and it was extremely loud on top of the ice and I could only imagine what it's like under the ice.  Was approached by a person while out there that must have read my post and informed me that I need to be more broad with my posts because he knew where I was fishing off of that.  So I'll take his advice and broaden my descriptions of lakes going forward.  We caught a ton of small pike on Friday and less than 6 blue gills the whole time we were fishing.  Fished till 4 and finally said that is enough and went home since we had to be off the ice by 5 for dinner.  Fished Sunday closer to Frazee and put tip ups out and took a coworker and his son out fishing.  Put a camera down for him and he could see the fish as they bit the lines and he thought it was awesome watching that.  We had 3 tip ups out and only one pike but camera was showing walleye and pike swimming through but no takers.  Fish started middle of the water column and slowly worked their way down to bottom.  Around noon the fish were litterally laying on the mud bottom and not moving and the camera vouched for it.  Had a school of blue gills come in and they laid down in the mud and stayed for over a half hour and didn't move.  Hoping next weekend we don't get the storms they are thinking we will because I might head north and try a favorite lake of mine in the middle of no where. 

 

First lake we fished had close to 9 inches of ice and second lake had MAYBE 5 inches.  Please check ice before venturing out!

[tmoose78]

I've been hitting the ice around the Pelican Rapids area the past 2 weeks. Great panfish bites on area lakes, especially on the usual suspects such as North and South Lida. If anyone gets upset at me for saying that, oh well, because I don't think there's any secret regarding Lida's panfish population. The lakes 11 inch minimum does a great job at protecting the crappie population as well. I haven't found a body of water with less than 4 inches on it yet, but outside of Lida I've been sticking to some of the smaller lakes. An interesting thing I've noticed is that the lakes Wst of town have been producing much smaller crappies than the ones East of town though that may be simply coincidence and anecdotal evidence as opposed to definitive proof of poor size structure in the lakes to the West. The bite is definitely better at Sunrise and Sunset for the crappies, with most of the action turning to bluegills starting around 10-11 AM. You can snag a couple crappies during the day still but it's a much more mixed bag. Looking to start pursuing walleyes now that I'm a little more confident about getting further from shore, but to be honest I've always struggled to get more than a couple above the ice each day in the winter.

[Chill62]

Made it out Friday afternoon/evening for a few hours before dark.  Fished south of DL and found a few but nothing really active.  Only things active were 4-6 inch blue gills and we were chasing big gills and crappies.

Saturday I took off solo since all my friends were busy and headed north to try a lake I fish.  It's 1.5 miles from the access to the spot I know I'll find fish so I tried checking spots along the way zig zagging as I went and sadly struck out and had to end up at the spot I know I'll find stuff.  Started fishing and instantly had a huge fish on and here it was a 28" pike.  Put up one heck of a fight on 4 pound test and a tungsten jig.  About an hour into searching the area a buddy decided to join me and started hoping around and we ended up finding some gills.  Schools were hit and miss and when I went deeper (19 fow) I stayed there for the rest of the day.  I spent 3.5 hours on one hole catching blue gills and crappies.  Average size was between 7.5-8 inches with a few being 8.5-9.5 inches for gills and 10-11.5 for crappies.  They wanted a glow jig with a bloodworm plastic.  All fish were hugging tight to bottom and rarely catch anything more than 4 feet off of bottom.  I estimate I brought at least 150 fish top side in the 5 hours I was in that spot.  Was an amazing time and best part was I only had to worry about cleaning the pike since everything was released to swim another day!

Sunday morning we tried a different lake since my body was not ready for another 1.5 mile hike hauling my gear across the lake again.  Fished a deep clear lake and in one hole we found a ton of fish suspended.  I switched to a Baby Shad jig with the blood worm plastic tipped with a wax worm and that was enough to talk the big gills and crappies into biting.  Landed an easy 75+ sunfish and two dozen crappies out of the hole.  Buddy was using a red jig that glowed green (experimental color pattern) and he was on fire with that jig.  Fishing died around noon but moment we got to the lake the fish were active and aggressive!  Biggest sunfish was a 9.75" blue gill and I got a 13.75" crappie.  Average size was probably 7.5-8.25" with a lot of 9-9.5" fish being released.  Was a total blast out there catching those big bulls.

 

***WARNING***ACORN LAKE***  Friends posted pictures of a pickup that drove onto the ice at the access and broke through, they didn't make it far from shore so it'll make it dangerous for EVERYONE getting on and off the lake this winter.  The hole is NOT marked and hopefully with the cold weather coming help freeze up quickly.

[Chill62]

Quick update.  Please be careful out on the ice, I was seeing a ton of guys driving on and parking near shore and I wouldn't have driven my vehicle on the ice yet.  One person decided to block the access and park directly on the ice in front of the access...one thing I had to laugh was the right rear tire was directly over the hole where a pickup had fallen through 8 days prior.

 

Due to the Ice Fishing Expo I only got out on Sunday morning.  Fish were still in deep basins swimming around.  Nothing huge like last weekend but fish were still actively biting.  Buddies with kept enough for a meal for the family and they were in heaven for fresh fish.  Small jigs and plastics were still the key and I still had to tip with a wax worm when bites became tougher.  Light rods were especially key because a lot of the bites were very very light.  

 

This upcoming weekend I'll be out a lot more.  Saturday taking a group of guys up to the Red Lake Indian Reservation chasing trout.  Should be a fun trip especially with the temps forecasted for above freezing!  If ice is thick enough our perm house will get put out and hopefully we can get into the crappies.  The girlfriend is entered into a crappie tournament starting January 1st.  Good luck to all!

[Lotharski]

This last Saturday I fished Rush Lake south of Perham.  I could not believe the amount of vehicles and large icehouses on the lake.  When I did check the ice thickness it was 14.5", so more than I would have guessed.  On Sunday I drove past Big C and did not see one wheelhouse out there.  Does anyone know the ice thickness on Big C.?  Also, the west access has a huge heave so I doubt any truck traffic will be going that way without a lot of work.  

[huntnfish]

Big C is normally one of the last to freeze in the area but catches up eventually. I went by there after deer season when most other lakes were completely froze over and it was still wide open as far as I could see from the north access.  I haven't been out this year yet so I can't tell you the thickness out there but I do appreciate everyone that gives the reports. Unfortunately with the kids schedule I don't think I'll be out until January.  I want to say that the west access heaves pretty regular out there though. I'd bet that someone goes out and takes care of it if it's on shore. 

[bbfenatic]

Went out the other day real early and got into some real nice slabs....let a couple 14" plus go, kept a few of the smaller ones (if you want to call then small) for the wife and I to eat.  Threw everything at them but all they wanted was a little 1/32oz jig that I tipped with half of a northand 1.5" fry minnow plastic...anything bigger and they just looked at it. Pic of a couple:

[IceHawk]

Was up in that same area today and scored on some huge craps my self with a limit of nice gills. for a gd fish fry. U guys up that way r very fortunate to have the fishing opportunity u have it's a dream area

[slammer]

How much snow on DL area lakes after the big blow?

[Wanderer]

The last 72 hours.

 

[lawnbuilder]

They were biting good and shredded the plastics. 

[slammer]

Quote

 

Lawn,  could you still get around on atv?

[Chill62]

Lakes are hit and miss with the snow fall.  I was closer to Perham but we received close to 16 inches of snow and the drifts are big BUT it was a fluffy snow and no moisture content.  People have been able to drive around and been out plowing roads on some lakes and I hope with the 5 day forecast it will allow for a lot of this FLUFFY snow to melt down and compact.  I have relatively low profile vehicle and I don't want to be breaking out the 3/4 ton yet with ice conditions.  

[lawnbuilder]

We were able to drive a pickup everywhere we went last weekend and fishing was slower for us. Brother has wheelers I have snowmobiles so no matter what comes we will get out. Good luck

[Prody]

Has anyone been doing any spearing? I have been out a few times around the dent area, been getting a few  3-5 pounders here and there but overall not to much.

[tmoose78]

I've never been spearing so I don't have much intel for you there. For everything else though I've found a pretty aggressive bite lately. Have caught well over 100 crappies and have been able to grab a couple walleyes each evening in the Pelican Rapids area over the past 2 weeks. I've caught quite a few northerns out in 25+ feet so maybe a majority of them have slid a little deeper which might account for the spotty action you've experienced. Hard to tell though, as I'm sure a good portion of northerns never leave the weedy shallows.

[Chill62]

I see a ton of spear houses out on Big Pine and hearing they are getting some.  I haven't targeted pike down in your neck of the woods but I was north by Richwood in a finger of a lake that is very flat and had a great day but we were in 15-19 fow.

[Chill62]

Anyone else tired of the cold yet because I sure am!!!  Friday night got down to the cabin l went out and got holes drilled and heater running. Fished an hour between 9 and 10 we landed 3 or 4 crappies, they were either 8 inches or 13 inches. Fished Saturday morning didn't catch a thing. Moved house and started fishing for evening bite and landed about a dozen crappies and we found them either small or huge no middle ground. Sunday morning no fish. Sunday evening landed 8 and they were 10 inches or over 13 again. During then later hours ended up a 21 inch eye on a rattle reel. 

 

Crappies wanted glow jigs in 4 mm or 3 mm tipped with soft plastics with wax worms. Few did end up taking large crappie minnows. Had mixed bag of minnows and shiners, rainbows and fat heads never got bit. Weird. 

 

Hearing good reports of panfish being very active especially if you stay mobile. Guys fishing shallow are finding fish in the weeds.  Also hearing the elusive winter bass are starting to put the feed bags on. They are cruising the edges of weeds. Haven't heard any reports of walleye even with the full moon we just had. 

 

Attached are two different fish from the weekend put back into the lakes. 

[Chill62]

Well weather didn't look friendly so we didn't fish today. Yesterday we attempted to fish Star, drifts weren't friendly to getting off the plowed paths. Tried and ultimately switched lakes. Fished a little bay and caught a mixed bag of bass, blue gills and crappies. Group next to us caught a 21 inch walleye using a spoon. Was steady for small gills but moved to a deeper hole and the girlfriend was on fire. 14, 13.25, 12.75, 12.5 were her big ones. Fish were aggressive and glow was key. Bite was steady for over 4 hours. Heres pictures of her big one which is a WAM master angler. All fish were released 

 

[Lotharski]

I was able to get out on Saturday in the afternoon on a local lake.  Wanted to get away from the crowd, but that might have been a mistake.  Got stuck twice trying to blaze a trail.  Man are those drifts hard!  Because of the amount of snow and the difficulty of travel, I didn't drill as many holes as I wanted to search for fish.   Set up in the first place I marked them.  Didn't get anything for the first hour and a half, but caught about a dozen from 4:30 to 6:30 with just 5 in the 10"-11" range.  Was marking them but had trouble getting them to bite.  Tried all kinds of different presentations.  Best luck was actually on a whole small crappie minnow.  

With the snow on Sunday and more on Wednesday, it might be back to smowmobile traffic.....

[IceHawk]

Its very tough going up there, been fishing up that direction a lot this winter. Been stuck a few times unfortunately. More snow will definitely create some problems. Plus side is the fishing has been great. 

[Chill62]

Good to hear others give a report from the area, I was starting to think I was the only one out fishing willing to post a report on here.  We got out down by Pelican this weekend and the big pig crappies were still biting but not till after 5 pm.  Yes you can hole hop and cover LOTS of water to try and find them but best activity has been after 5 pm.  Glow tungsten's with wax worms jigging suspended has been best luck.  Bobber rods picked up with a vertical jig tipped with a fat head.  The bigger crappies wanted the bigger fatheads and a buddy was using small shiners and having better luck with them on his bobber rod.  I'm hoping to get out this weekend but it might involve hiring a plow truck to plow paths for me to get around because we are bottoming out the pickkup.  I haven't tried a morning bite due to not making it home till after the news is on but I'd expect a low light morning bite also.  I'm going to hopefully get out and stay LATE this weekend.  Tournament for the girlfriend is getting tighter and she's currently sitting in 3rd place.  We will be local this weekend, off to SD next weekend, then home for the last weekend of the month.  Then it's coming to be tulibee season IF we can get around on the lakes.

[Lotharski]

Man is there a lot of snow out there!!  I went out a couple of Saturdays ago, got stuck twice, but at least I caught some fish.  Went out this last Saturday and just used the snowmobile.  I bet there was nearly 18"-24" of snow on the lake.  Had 3-4" of water on the ice once I shoveled out a spot and drilled the holes for the portable.  I'm not sure if it was because of the cold weather earlier in the week, but none of the panfish I caught were bigger than 6" and they were very finicky.  Might have been laziness, but I didn't want to hole hop with all that snow. 

 

I had plans to go to Mille Lacs, but that got canceled b/c of the snow/slush.  Does anyone know of a lake that I can still pull a sleeper house out on?  I was thinking maybe Lida might plow a road since they have the ice bar on the lake??  I wanted to take the kids out for the weekend, but it's not looking promising.....