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Posted

I live near the lake and thought I would warn folks that the ice is doing strange things this year.  There were several large areas of open water earlier this week.  Now they look like they might be closed but it is hard to tell.  The areas are very dark in color and I suspect that if there is ice it is very thing and mushy.  Of note is a large area just north of the island and another in the northern part of the lake near the long arm of rocks where there is often a lot of ice fishing.  Also the house on the island has been getting a lot of work and the crews have broken several trails out to the house.  Be very careful if you go out.  I haven't seen anyone out fishing yet.

Posted

thanks for the report

good to see you back

Posted

About 5-6 years ago I had been fishing first ice with a friend from cigar island west towards the shoreline. It was about 0 degrees, there was no snow on the ice and it seemed like there was 6 inches of ice everywhere. You could easily see how thick the ice was in any given spot by looking at the cracks. I think we saw some 4 wheelers out. 

 

Anyhow after dark we started walking back to the public access. He was carrying an unlit lantern and I was pulling the sled about 5 feet behind him. I had my headlamp on but he had turned his off. We were chatting and not really paying attention but all of a sudden my eye caught the glimmer of light on water and I yelled “stop!” He stopped dead. There was open water about 3 inches in front of his boot that extended 50 feet or so. He said “that’s just water on the ice” (which doesn’t really make sense given the temperature and no fishing activity in this spot) and he lowered the lantern into the water to show me. Well needless to say the lantern went in to the glass and he jumped and scrambled about 25 feet behind me before you could blink.  

 

If I remember correctly we were still maybe 200-400 yards from the gap between the reed island and shore. And we were maybe 150  yards from shore ourselves. It was the weirdest thing. We had both been on the ice on that lake probably 50+ times and had never seen anything like it.  We very carefully made our way to the shoreline and hugged it back to the access.

Posted

A friend reported 8 inches and some walleye yesterday.  i don't know where he was on Bald Eagle.  Another friend posted a picture of some ice boaters out today (Saturday).  I could well be wrong about the risks but I'm not going to be the one to find out.

  • Thumbs Up 1
Posted

December 4 and still no one out on the main lake.  I haven't checked to see if anyone has gone out from the launch.

Posted

Tom- any more reports from Bald Eagle?  Hoping to go out tomorrow afternoon for some walleyes.  Thank you

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • SkunkedAgain
      If you fished with me more often, you'd never have to make this statement...   38" of ice - love it. I'm really going to have to dig around for my auger extension. I don't think that I've needed it in over a decade.   Too bad nobody has a locomotive chugging across the ice to do some logging, like the good old days.
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the South Shore...  Ice fishing remains strong across the south shore of Lake of the Woods out on Big Traverse Bay.  Resorts and outfitters on some parts of the lake have ice roads extending over 16 miles staying on nice schools of walleyes and saugers.  Many fish houses are over deep mud.  Some are on structure.  It is always fishing of course, but overall, February has been very productive for most anglers.   Extensions are being used on ice augers as the ice continues to thicken.  The thick ice this year will be good for the extended ice fishing season Lake of the Woods enjoys with fish houses out through March 31st, walleyes and saugers open through April 14th and a pike season that never closes. Most fishing activity is taking place in 26-32 feet of water.  Anglers are finding a healthy mix of walleyes and saugers, with a good number of jumbo perch in the mix this year.  Some big eelpout are also showing up.  Anglers are reporting plenty of fish for fresh fish frys and usually extra fish to bring home.   The one-two punch of a jigging line and deadstick is the way to go.  On the jigging line, jigging spoons with rattles tipped with a minnow head have been consistent.  Lipless crankbaits and jigging rap style lures also doing well.     Lures with a light have been working well in the stained water.  Please remember, in MN, lures with a light or water activated light can be used as long as the battery is mercury free and the hook is attached directly to the lure and not as a dropper line.     On the deadstick, a plain hook or a small jig with a live minnow 6 inches to a foot off of the bottom.    Some days, mornings are better, other days, it's the afternoons.  There is no distinct pattern, they could come through at any time. On the Rainy River...  The start of the day and end of the day have been best for those targeting walleyes on the river. A jig and minnow or a jigging spoon tipped with a minnow head is also producing some fish. Some big sturgeon being iced by ice anglers targeting them.  It is a catch-and-release sturgeon season currently.   Although ice conditions on the river are good, they can vary significantly due to the current, so anglers should always consult local resorts or outfitters for the most up-to-date safety information and fishing advice. Up at the NW Angle...  Ice fishing has been strong in the islands area of Lake of the Woods. Resorts continue to move their fish houses around, staying on the best schools of walleyes.     Anglers are catching a nice mix of walleyes, saugers, and jumbo perch with an occasional pike or tullibee as well.     Big crappies are still being caught just over the border.  Fish houses are available, check with a NW Angle resort for info on crappie fishing.   Lake of the Woods enjoys an extended ice fishing season with fish houses on the ice through March 31st and walleye and sauger seasons open through April 14th. Perch, crappie, and pike seasons remain open year-round.    
    • leech~~
      Maybe you should put rattle wheels down, if your going to sleep for 6hrs! 🤭 😆
    • JerkinLips
      Monday was my worst day of winter fishing on Vermilion in the last 4 years.  Caught only one 14" walleye in nearly 8 hours of fishing.  Missed two other bites and was marking very few fish.  Maybe the fish were taking Monday off after a big weekend.   No more water came up on the ice under my house.  Think it was because I haven't banked snow around it for a couple of weeks so the bare ice around the house is getting very thick.  I measured 38" of ice under my house and the Ion barely made it through even with the extension installed.  Needless to say I banked around the house this time.  Another lesson I learned today is don't drill holes if ice is frozen on your blades.  I did that on one hole and it didn't center properly and drilled at an angle on the edge of the opening.  Hope I can correct the location and angle on my next trip up.   Not much change in the surface lake surface conditions.  The drifts may be a little higher and are definitely harder.  There are still a few bare ice spots on the lake.  Very little activity on the lake today.  There are about 3 dozen houses from McKinley Park out to Birch Island.  Another person pulled there house off today, and I am sure many more will pull theirs off this coming weekend.  Only 13 days left of walleye season.    
    • leech~~
      A good start for never picking up a bow!   IMG_1910.mp4
    • leech~~
      Um, #metoo   leech~~ Author 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders Posted January 26 My whole goal for the rest of this season.  Is to watch KC lose and Taylor cry!  🥳
    • smurfy
    • Wanderer
      Smurfy is happy.
    • Dash 1
      Great looking food. So far not much of a game and I thought the halftime show was worse I've seen. 
    • leech~~
      Oh is there a Superbowl game? 😋😋
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