The Northern United States has numerous lakes for wintertime ice fishing enjoyment. Ice fishing is an extremely popular winter outdoor sport in the colder northern states, particularly in the lake-rich regions of Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Wisconsin and Michigan. Many of the larger lakes shares a border with Canada. There are options for anglers of all experience levels, from independent fishing to fully guided trips and full service resorts. For the angler new to these areas, particularly in the larger lake regions, hiring a local guide service can help find the best fishing quickly. These all five lakes provide great locations for ice fishing excitement. so here are top 5 lakes to ice fish in us Lake of the Woods, Minnesota: Lake of the Woods is the seventh largest lake in ... [ Read More ]
Don’t Leave Home Without One…
Here’s some advice on how to use one piece of equipment to double or triple your ice fishing success. Flashers can make a cold day on the ice turn red-hot! With the hard water season in full swing I wanted to touch on my favorite piece of gear for the ice, a piece of equipment that I never leave home without…the flasher. When it comes to ice-fishing, a flasher is one of the most important pieces of equipment in an angler’s arsenal. It can open up a whole new exciting world of fishing for you, not to mention double your triple your success overnight. Flashers are electronics that are easy to use, compact, rugged, and built to withstand the harshest elements of winter. Flashers can quickly tell you the depth of water you’re fishing, if there is any structure or baitfish present, ... [ Read More ]
The Spirit of Fishing
The best place to be is on the ice. What draws us to the ice or to the water is tough to answer in a nutshell. There are far too many good answers to that question, and most of us will answer it differently. Even though we grew up differently, in different areas, and in some cases, different eras, we can all unite on the water in its two most popular forms, ice and water, my favorite form being the hard water version. I have spent a lot of time on the ice over the years, developing patterns, tweaking gear, perfecting the nuances of my fish house, wondering where that school of fished just went, smiling while gazing into the eyes of a big bull bluegill or gripping the lip on a slab crappie. The complexity of trying to describe an ice fishing trip is overwhelming at times and often gets ... [ Read More ]
Raising meat rabbits on the homestead
Each year on our farm, I try to add one more thing of value. It can either be another big item on our road to self-sufficiency (I bought a fourwheeler one year), a commitment to spend a set amount throughout the year on stored food for our prepping box (rice, flour etc) or an additional animal type to bring in to the farm (such as the Angora goats we bought a couple of years ago for fiber). This year is the year of the rabbit. I don’t mean the two fuzzy Angora rabbits that I keep for fiber to spin with my mohair, and I don’t mean the (financially unproductive but fun) Dutch bunnies that I raise to show. I mean meat rabbits. Some places I hang out, I don’t openly admit that I raise rabbits for meat. These days, it seems to be an invitation for animal rights activists and House Rabbit ... [ Read More ]
Catching Fish during a Tough Bite.
Catching Fish during a Tough Bite Cold temps have kicked-in all across the Midwest and lots of lakes are averaging 20+ inches of ice. February can be a challenging month for Hardwater anglers because of: cold temps, snow drifts on lakes, ice thickness and low oxygen levels in water. When the bite slows down and fish appear on your Vexilar but don't bite, it's commonly called "Negative Fish." Over the last couple weeks, I've been chasing Walleyes/Jumbo Perch/Crappies in Minnesota, North Dakota & South Dakota; below are a couple tactics that helped during my Ice Fishing adventures. Go Deep - Last weekend I was at the Minneapolis Boat Show talking fishing @ the Alumacraft booth (anxiously waiting to test drive their new Tourney Pro Sport 185) and the most common ... [ Read More ]
Clam Truckload Sale at Cabelas – Rogers, MN Feb. 14-17th
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Pinpointing Lake Superior Brown Trout.
Pinpointing Lake Superior Brown Trout For Lake Superior brown trout, splake, and rainbows near shore, it’s important to point out that these fish are “swimmers” and constantly cruising. This means they are always on the move, feeding with the current, and always on the look for the next easy meal. Lake Superior brown trout are a schooling fish, which basically means they will sometimes cruise, and feed, in schools. I have had mornings that have been slow and then suddenly a handful of “JawJackers” pop up and your rod almost gets torn from your hand, a sign that hungry Lake Superior brown trout are passing through the area. These fish move with the current. Sometimes you will find that you get all of your bites when the current is on either an inward or outward flow, moving in ... [ Read More ]
Second state-record fish caught this month!
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) confirmed the catch of a new state-record white perch on Friday, Jan. 24. This is the second state record caught in the month of January. The white perch was caught by Aaron Slagh of Holland, Mich., on Tuesday, Jan. 21, on Muskegon Lake in Muskegon County, MI at 11 a.m. The fish weighed 1.93 pounds and measured 13.25 inches. Slagh was ice fishing with a spoon when he landed the record fish. The record was verified by Rich O’Neal, a DNR fisheries biologist, at the Muskegon field office. The previous state-record white perch was caught by Kyle Ryan of Reese on Lake Huron in Tuscola County on July 13, 2002. That fish weighed 1.88 pounds and measured 13.25 inches. “It was just another normal day on the ice for me, as I get out as much as I ... [ Read More ]
Fort Peck Walleyes “The Final Frontier for Fishing”
Fort Peck walleyes - "The Final Frontier for Fishing" By Carl Madison Today’s anglers are more mobile than ever before. Destination fisheries off the beaten path are enticing the curiosity of more and more anglers and this is true for ice anglers as well. Have rod, will travel. Anglers are exploring remote lakes on the Canadian Shield and driving considerable distances to reach water that has incredible fishing potential with light fishing pressure. Such a destination fishery that continues to attract attention for big fish potential is Fort Peck walleyes in the Reservoir in eastern Montana. Fort Peck Walleyes It is a massive impediment on the Missouri River that is noted for producing huge walleyes, northern pike and lake trout for ice anglers. Walleyes over twelve pounds are ... [ Read More ]
Ice Fishing With My Baby Girl – Take a kid fishing!
What can we do to better the experience for our kids out on the lake? Seems like an easy question to answer, but I have my doubts as to whether or not they are actually enjoying themselves out there unless they are pulling up a fish every minute! "DAD, how come they aren't biting". "Dad, when is my bobber going to go down?". "Dad, do we have any more chips and cookies?" "Can I play with the minnows?" I sit here and smile as I write this, thinking of my and Jewel's fishing adventure this weekend. Her eyes were sparkling when I first told her about the "Fishing Competition" out on the lake that day. "Are we going out there? Really???" The excitement in her voice really showed her enthusiasm. I hoped it would last all day, but who am I kidding? She is only 5 lol. It was a cold and ... [ Read More ]