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Ice season is almost here
dcso3009
Member Posts: 2,350 ✭✭✭✭✭
That's right! Bring it on! I do a lot more fishing on the ice than I do on open water. In fact I don't even have a 2013 Resident fishing license here in MN, since the previous year covers until May the next year.
December 6th - the 8th is the St Paul Ice Show. Awesome show for anyone in the area interested. I'll be there on the 6th.
December 6th - the 8th is the St Paul Ice Show. Awesome show for anyone in the area interested. I'll be there on the 6th.
Comments
I have a nice fishing boat but don't get out on open water all that much because I am always busy in good weather, carpenter.
Now that winter is here I have lots of time to hunt and fish so I sit on a frozen lake quite a lot with my Brittany in our pop up shack and Buddy heater. Fishing for trout on the ice is always slow but who cares? Much better that sitting home watching the tube.
I was out for the first 2 times of the year. Wednesday evening, and Thursday (Thanksgiving) for some early ice action. Wednesday we hit a small flood control pond. 3" of ice- enough, but minimal for me. Fishing was good. A fish/ minute for an hour until it got dark. Mixed catch of crappie & sunnies, but all on the small side.
Thanksgiving day we tried a few other ponds in the area. One pond had similar ice conditions, but just 1 crappie in an hour. We tried a few others, but found the access to them closed for various reasons. Back to the pond from the night before. Ice was now up to about 4 inches, and fishing was great! Ran out of bait, switched to plastics, and ran out of them. Fish where still on the small side, but much improved from last year.
Small ponds do ice up sooner but I go strictly for trout and walleye so it takes some patience before I venture out. Seems like every year I read about some one who went to early on unsafe ice.
Good luck and be safe.
Gary L
You are fortunate to get such early ice.
This is early for us to have ice here in SE MN. Normal years it is more common to be mid December before we are out.
I was out by waseca turkey day, a bit slow but we caught and released a few crappies. I might be at the ice show, if i make it I will send you my number.
Sounds good.
You live over by Waseca? I have a lake west of there I want to spend some time on. Madison Lake. Closer to Mankato. Looks like some good fish numbers there, and good size too on the DNR net surveys.