Fishing Reports News

The small lakes are ice-covered and there’s a good chance you’ll be able to fish them by this weekend or early next week. Lakes such as Reno and Mary would be likely first-ice options. The big lakes were still open earlier this week, and it may take a couple extra days for them to completely cap with ice.

ANNANDALE AREA

Earlier this week, a handful of anglers had begun “sneaking” on a couple of small lakes where three inches of ice was found. By this weekend, most small lakes and even the bays on the area’s larger lakes should have enough ice on which to walk.

BATTLE LAKE

Look to the small lakes by this weekend where one to two inches of ice had taken hold by Tuesday morning. The big lakes also skimmed with ice Monday night, but the small, wind-protected lakes should be your first option, maybe by this weekend.

BLACKDUCK AREA

Anglers started hitting the ice on Thanksgiving at several lakes. Four inches was common by Monday night, with as much as six inches in some areas. Walleyes and perch have been caught in shallow water on Blackduck Lake, where ATVs could be an option by this weekend.

BRAINERD-NISSWA AREA

Most small lakes and wind-protected bays were ice-covered earlier this week. With more cold weather expected throughout the week, there should be several spots to ice fish by this weekend. Look to the first weedline or the shoreline breaks of most small lakes to be holding panfish, walleyes, and northern pike.

CROSBY AREA

With the exception of a few larger bodies of water, ice is completely covering area lakes. Two to four inches is common on the small lakes and bays, and ice fishing is expected to be an option by this weekend.

DETROIT LAKES

The small lakes capped with ice last weekend, and the big lakes froze over on Monday night. Look for the bays and small lakes to be holding ice anglers late this week or for sure by this weekend.

DULUTH AREA

Most small lakes should have enough ice to walk on by this weekend. A few anglers were fishing on three inches of ice at Rice Lake and Fish Lake earlier this week. No reports have been offered as far as a bite, but the ice is in good shape.

ELY AREA

Some of the small lakes and ponds already had enough ice to walk on last weekend. Temperatures dipped below zero earlier this week so there should be plenty of ice-fishing options in this area by the weekend.

GRAND RAPIDS AREA

The ice looks good in this region. Some lakes north of the area have been ice-covered since early last week. Sylvan Bay on the Mississippi River is kicking out walleyes in 20 feet and crappies in 40 feet of water. Anglers also have started walking on Splithand Lake, and ATVs will be an option on the small lakes within days.

HACKENSACK AREA

There was still open water on the big lakes as of Tuesday morning, but the smaller bodies of water were ice-covered. Although there hadn’t been anyone fishing earlier this week, the small lakes are expected to have enough ice to walk on by this weekend.

LAKE KABETOGAMA

The shorelines have ice, and most shallow bays are completely ice-covered. If the cold weather sticks throughout the week, there’s a good chance spear houses will be in the bays by the opener.

LAKE MILLE LACS

While open water still exists on the main lake, the bays are ice-covered. If cold weather persists throughout this week, ice fishing could be an option in the bays and a few shoreline areas by this weekend.

LAKE MINNETONKA AREA

Ice had started to take shape until strong winds broke most small lakes open on Monday night. The key in this area will be light or no winds. If that happens and it stays cold, there’s a chance some of the bays and small lakes will see ice anglers by the weekend.

LAKE OF THE WOODS

The Rainy River was open as of Tuesday morning, but skim ice had formed in the bays, creeks, and along most shorelines. Look for the south shore to cap by midweek if the wind stays down and it remains cold.

LAKE OSAKIS

Anglers have begun fishing through the ice on several small lakes in this area. While the big portion of Osakis was still open Tuesday morning, the bays were locked up. Town Bay had three inches of ice by Tuesday afternoon. Look to the north end bay to offer walkable ice by the weekend, as well.

LAKE VERMILION

The small bays had about two inches of ice earlier this week, and the large bays offered shoreline ice extending about 50 yards out. Although there hasn’t been anyone fishing, it looks promising for next week.

LAKE WINNIBIGOSHISH

Despite strong winds on Monday night, most of the lake capped with ice. As far as the eye could see, ice had taken hold. Given the cold temperatures predicted for the rest of the week, ice fishing should be an option soon.

LEECH LAKE AREA

There’s a good layer of ice on the small, wind-protected lakes. Ice fishing should be an option on these lakes by this weekend. On Leech Lake, open water was still quite evident as of Tuesday morning. Steamboat Bay and Sucker Bay were ice-capped, but the rest of the lake had nothing more than skim ice earlier this week.

ORTONVILLE AREA

Big Stone Lake capped Monday night and most small lakes were covered with ice prior to that. There’s a good chance that this weekend should provide enough ice to walk on in this area. Look for the small lakes and shoreline areas to see some fishing pressure within days.

PARK RAPIDS AREA

The small lakes have been frozen for about one week, and the big lakes started to cap on Monday night. There’s a good chance the small lakes in this area will see some foot traffic within the next week. If it doesn’t get windy, look for some ice-fishing options possibly as soon as this weekend.

RAINY LAKE

Black Bay has a skim of ice, but the rest of the lake remained open earlier this week. A couple nights of cold, calm conditions could make fishing on walkable ice an option within the next week.

RED LAKE

Anglers starting fishing through the ice last weekend near the Tamarack River. A few walleyes and a couple of large pike have been caught along the first breakline in eight feet of water. Four to six inches of ice was reported in this area of the lake on Monday, and it was 10 below zero on Monday night.

RED WING AREA

Walleyes and sauger continue to be taken on hair jigs and minnows below the dam on the Mississippi River. While some fish have been caught close to shore, most of them are coming from 12 to 20 feet of water. The Baypoint Park area is worth noting for crappies, as well. Small jigs and minnows have worked best.

SAUK CENTRE AREA

A few anglers were on the ice as early as Monday, and if the cold remains throughout the week, there should be several lakes safe to walk on by this weekend. Lakes such as McCormick and Sauk should be worth hitting during the next few days, if the cold weather holds.

STARBUCK AREA

The small lakes have been ice-covered for several days, and even Lake Minnewaska capped with ice on Monday night. Everything looks promising for ice anglers by this weekend if it remains cold. Use some common sense and you should find a spot to fish through the ice within days.

TWIN CITIES

NORTHEAST METRO - Some anglers continue to fish open water on the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers. Ice has started to form on most small lakes, but fishing through it was not an option earlier this week. Look to the bays and small lakes to provide walkable ice very soon.

WEST METRO - The small lakes had one to two inches of ice earlier this week. Most of the big lakes remained open as of Tuesday morning, but with a few nights of cold, calm weather, they too should ice over.

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