Outdoors Weekly Fish Tales Archive

BATTLE LAKE
- Ben's Bait & Tackle
Bennet or Craig Stich, Junction of Hwy 78 and 210 (218-864-5596)

1-4-12 - Ice conditions ranging from 10-14 inches. Walleye action is best on West Battle in 30-35 feet and on Ottertail 18-24 feet. Sunnies and crappies hitting on East Turtle and East Lost. A few crappies and sunnies starting to bite on West Battle. Pike are biting on North and South Turtle and Clitheral. Work the weedlines with sucker minnows.

BEMIDJI
- Bluewater Bait & Sports - www.bluewater-bait.com
Mark Cook, 136 Peaceful Meadows Ln., Hwy 197 South on the Hwy 2 Junction, (218-444-2248)

1-4-12- Work the shallow bays on Bemidji. Try fishing in 16-22 feet of water for walleyes and perch. The south end has been good. Plantangenet for walleyes, and the middle hump for walleyes or perch in 16-22 feet have also been producing fish. Minnows, rainbows, shiners best. Little Turtle or Grant Lake are good crappie lakes this time of season. Wolfe, Cass and Andrusia are also great walleye options for ice fishing.

11-23-11-As of Nov. 23 still a few muskie anglers out on the north end of Bemidji. Also some walleye anglers using rainbows on Bemidji and Plantangenet. Most are waiting for ice to form. There's a skim of ice on the shorelines. Anglers should call or check online for updates. Deer season numbers seem down, but it should be a great muzzleloader season.

BLACKDUCK AREA
- Timberline Sport & Tackle
Carl Adams, Junction of Hwy 71 and Blackduck Lake Rd. (218-835-4636)

1-4-12 - Ice conditions are good, most anglers are driving on the lakes. Blackduck has about 12-14 inches. We have been very busy with the traffic going go Red Lake, which has been good for walleye action! Jigging spoons best with a jig minnow head. Blackduck perch biting, shallower than normal, 7-10 feet of water, should start to move deeper now. Rabideau or Gull are good for panfish action, try shallow water, 10-15 feet of water.

11-23-11-Lakes are freezing with reports from 6 inches on Red to as little as an inch on area lakes. Please call us anytime for an ice update! Deer hunting was down, but muzzleloader hunters seem very excited about the season! A few hunters are also out grouse hunting with success.

CHISAGO CITY
- Frankie's Live Bait and Marine - www.frankies.net
Brad, Corner of Hwy 8 and CR 77 (651-257-6334)

1-4-12 - Area fishing is great, panfish hitting in shallow water. South Center around Pancake Island and Whispering Bay have been good for panfish action. Try Chisago in front of Lake Street Boat Access for crappies. The channel in Chisago is producing some sunnies during the day. Try the south end of Chisago in front of the A Frame in 5-6 feet of water. For walleyes, your best bet is South Lindstrom in front of the hospital. Crappies will also bite there.

11-23-11-Anglers are trolling the channel between Chisago and South Lindtrsom and are catching some very nice walleyes. Most, however, are waiting for ice to form.

CROSBY
- Oars-N-Mine Bait and Tackle - www.oarsnmine.com
Jesse Williams, 22640 Hwy 6 N (218-546-6912)

12-19-11- A good bunch of permanent houses have started to move out on area lakes the last few days, with most lakes having around 8" of ice or more. Walleyes are being caught on Pelican and Rabbit in 18 - 24 FOW with the evening bite being best for numbers. There are also some walleyes coming from Serpent, Nokay and Farm Island in 16 - 20 FOW. Lindy Darters, Frostee Spoons and Gem-n-eyes are all producing fish as well as setlines with either a shiner or a rainbow chub. Crappie reports throughout the area have been fairly good, with mostly smaller lakes giving out the best bite but Cedar and Nokay have produced a few as well in 28 – 32 FOW. Look for these fish to be suspended about 5’ off bottom. Pike are a safe bet on tipups with sucker minnows set along the weeds on Serpent, Adney and Lower Mission throughout the day. Look to Milford for an all-day sunfish bite in 15 – 22 FOW.

12-5-11-Ice fishermen started pouring in over the weekend and continue to hit the lakes, although some of the larger lakes still have pockets kept open by the high winds and some have just formed ice so we urge anglers to use extreme caution while heading out. Ice reports have ranged from 3” – 5” on many of the smaller lakes. No word on where the hottest bite is taking place but we are hearing great reports from most groups with crappies and pike taking most of the attention but even had a couple good walleye reports with one 8 lb fish caught Saturday on an area lake. These cold temps will surely help, we’re hoping the ice takes a good hold before the snow really hits.

11-21-11-With firearms season wrapped up there is some buzz surrounding the upcoming muzzleloader season, and hunters putting in time scouting have reported a fair amount of deer activity in the woods. Grouse and a few diehard duck hunters have hit it hard this last week and both have reported fair-good success; duck hunters able to find open water are finding a large variety of birds including geese, mallards and lots of divers including some redheads and canvasbacks. Very little fishing activity but there are some walleyes being caught on the Mississippi River downstream of Riverton. Ice has formed on most lakes and many of the smaller lakes are completely locked up and will continue to gain ice so it won’t be long!

11-14-11-The little fishing that is happening right now is taking place on Rabbit and the Mississippi River for walleyes, of which they are catching a few on ¼ - 3/8 oz jigs tipped with shiners or fatheads. Most of the talk is revolving around ducks and the firearms deer season; lots of divers are moving through the area and hunters have reported fair success while deer hunters have had mixed results.

DULUTH
- Marine General - www.marinegeneral.com
1501 London Road, on the edge of Lake Superior (218-724-8833)

1-4-12-Fish Lake has been good for walleyes and crappies. Bright colors are your best option, try red or chartruese. Fish Lake crappies hitting out by the dam. Small tinsel jigs with some flash should do the trick. Boulder Lake has also been good, mainly walleyes, also bright colors working well.

ELY
- Babe's Bait and Tackle - www.babesbait.com
500 Kawishiwi Trail, Ely, MN, first business on the left as you are entering town of Ely from the west on Hwy 169 (218-365-6930)

1-24-12-The trout season continues to satisfy most anglers who are targeting the species. A good number of lake trout are being captured on Snowbank and Burntside Lakes. Dead sticking ciscoes on the bottom seems to be most successful for most anglers, but those who search for them in a more aggressive fashion are finding that steady jigging of airplane jigs, bucktails and Chubby Darters are working well, especially when tipped with a minnow or minnow head. Most lakers are coming out of 45-55 feet of water. Rainbow trout are picking off small dark colored jigs tipped with wax worms on both Tofte and Miners Lake. Near shore waters of less than twenty feet seems to be the target zone to stick with. Best bite for these rainbows comes early in the morning.

1-16-12-The trout opener was a success for many anglers this past weekend. Several parties reported good catches of lake trout on the North Arm of Burntside lake as well as the main lake drop-offs in forty-five to fifty-five feet of water. Fishing ciscoes on the bottom was the preferred method there, but good number of lakers came from aggressive jigging of jigs and spoons along the edges of deeper water. Smitty's on Snowbank also reported some folks doing well with ciscoes fished on the bottom as well as those jigging for trout. Many of the fish were on the small side with two to six pound lakers coming in.

1-8-12- The walleye bite has slowed a bit in the past few days, but for diligent anglers there are some fish to be caught. The best bite periods are late in the day between four and seven with an additional bite between eight and nine o'clock. Some nice walleyes are also taken at first light, but there are few anglers venturing out then. Best way to connect is using one "dead" stick or tip-up with a minnow and actively jigging an additional line with either a small jig and minnow or Buckshot spoon by Northland Tackle with a minnow head.

1-1-12-With the exceptional ice conditions, anglers are traveling all over area lakes to seek out fish in areas that have been inaccessible in previous ice fishing seasons, and those travels have been really paying off. Good numbers of walleyes and pike have been coming from Fall, Birch and Shagawa Lakes. The walleyes are responding well to Buckshot spoons and Lindy Slick Jigs tipped with minnow heads and fished along breaks in water about twenty feet deep. Pike are smashing live suckers and ciscoes hung under tip-ups.

Big pike are being taken both by spearers and anglers using suckers on Birch lake. Crappie action on Birch is just now starting to pick up along the North shore near the Forest Service campground access. Small jig and tubes and crappie minnows working well there. White and white/pink seems to be the colors taking their share of the fish.

12-19-11-With great ice conditions, anglers are connecting with walleyes on many lakes in the Ely area, but the heaviest traffic is on Shagawa right on the outskirts of town. Lindy's Slick jigs and Northlands Buckshot spoons are the preferred baits when tipped with a small minnow or just a minnow head. Chubby Darters by Salmo are picking up some of the larger "eyes" up to seven pounds. Try fishing the drop offs in ten to twenty-two feet of water. Big pike are coming out of the holes both for those spearing and bait fishermen using ciscoes or suckers. Many of the largest fish are being taken on Basswood, Birch, and Shagawa lakes. For all of your ice fishing bait and tackle needs, stop in at Babe's, "the best little bait shop in Ely".

GLENWOOD
- Fish On Bait & Sport www.habitatnow.com
Kyle, 201 S Franklin St, 2 blocks south of stoplights in Glenwood (320-634-3667)

12-8-11-LAKE MINNEWASKA...reports of 4 inches of ice or so and with the cold temps should be making an inch a day. "No ice is safe ice" as they say so take it easy. Seeing more portables out each day and looks like one smaller fish house. Should be a great walleye bite on Minnewaska this year and the crappies should be excellent with a bumper year class coming up. Sunfish are always great on Minnewaska. Stop in for updated information and fishing reports. Two blocks south of the stop lights in down town Glenwood, MN. Fish On Bait & Sport (320) 634-3667 or info@HabitatNOW.com

11-28-11-GREAT BITE ON MINNEWASKA!! The walleyes has been active on Minnewaska this fall, although there has not been many out fishing. Most have put there boats away and exchanged them for shotguns or rigging up the ice gear. But if you still have an itch for some late season eyes, Minnewaska is a good destination. The ice season is shortly upon us and many are anxiously waiting. The early walleye bite is always very popular and you will see ice houses off the Glenwood Beach as well as Crappie Town and other destinations. The panfish bite looks to be another great one on Minnewaska especially with the rebounding crappie population. Stop by or email us for access and lake conditions. We also have the "Habitat Outlet Store" well stocked with some of the most diverse and high quality food plot and native prairie seeds for habitat development. Also visit the Habitat Outlet on line at www.HabitatNOW.com for all your spring and fall habitat needs. Fish On! Kyle

HACKENSACK
Swanson's Bait & Tackle - www.swansonsbait.com
Jim Tuller, Hwy 371 on the north end of Hackensack (218-675-6176)

12-28-11- Just when we finally started getting some ice made, things warmed up again for a day or two, but it's starting to cool back down again. We heard of a few ice houses going through the ice, so things certainly aren't great all over. Foot traffic most everywhere is safe, but anything the size of a wheeler or bigger is still iff'y in some places. Ask around for specific ice reports before you come out. One lake may be great, but the next lake may have thin spots. Despite the up and down ice conditions, there are many people getting out on the lakes. Walleye have been biting on Leech, Woman, and a few on Birch. Panfish have been a little hit-or-miss, but they are finding some here and there. Mostly the smaller lakes have been producing the panfish, but they've found them on Leech and Woman as well. Sounds like the northerns have been providing some good fishing for the tip-up guys, and spearers. We haven't heard of any monsters yet this year, but we always do. We suspect that overall the bite is going to keep getting better here for a while. Once we get a little snow cover on the ice things should get better pretty fast; the fish are a little spooky at the moment with the clean ice.

12-20-11- After a longer run of warm weather than we needed, things finally cooled things down enough to make things a little bit safer at least. Overall, most of the lakes are pretty safe for foot traffic, but be careful with the 4-wheelers! We should be in good shape for any planned fishing trips over the holidays. The fishing had been hit or miss, mostly due to the poor ice conditions for a while there. However, things seem to be turning around now. We have been getting reports of walleye on some of the area lakes - particularly Leech. Shiners have been the ticket, and jigging spoons like the Northland Forage Minnow have been working well. Start at 12 foot of water and go from there. The panfish have been good on some lakes and not as good on others. Birch, Five Point, and Mule have been doing well for sunnies and a few crappies mixed in. Leech has been doing okay as well in the standard areas such as Shingobee and Steamboat. Stick with the waxies until you get into a patch of crappies, then make the switch to the crappie minnows. Currently the biggest deer of the year is 212 lbs! We run our big buck contest through the end of the year so if you shoot a nice buck, bring it in and get it weighed. We will also get a picture of your trophy on the website. Check out all the bucks we've had in so far here.

12-4-11- The ice fishermen have hit the ice! Finally we've had enough calm and cool weather to lock in most of the medium to smaller lakes in the area. Fishermen have been hitting the smaller lakes for panfish, and they have been doing very well! We haven't been hearing much for walleye, but that is mostly due to the deeper waters not being frozen yet. We should see more walleye floppin' on the ice in the next week. Waxworms have been the bait of choice for most everyone, though Berkley Gulp grubs have been a high choice as well. The Gulp tends to last longer on the hook, and with aggressive fish they have been working fantastic. Minnows for the crappie, but we haven't received too many reports on crappie as of yet. We'll update as soon as we get a little more info. There seems to be fewer muzzleloader hunters out this year than previous years, perhaps the lack of snow has made a few hunters hang it up for the year. There are still deer running around though, and muzzleloader hunters are being successful. It looks like the main rut is long over, but we might be getting some late rut activity happening now as well. Currently the biggest deer of the year is 212 lbs! We run our big buck contest through the end of the year so if you shoot a nice buck, bring it in and get it weighed. We will also get a picture of your trophy on the website. Check out all the bucks we've had in so far here.

11-18-11- We have a dusting of snow on the ground now, with a promise of more on the way. Many of the smaller ponds are frozen over, and the edges of the smaller lakes have frozen as well. We are going to be looking at ice on all the lakes in a short time if the temps drop. Most of the fishermen have packed it in for the time being, and are getting set up with their ice fishing gear for early ice. As always, the early ice is usually the best fishing! The firearm season thusfar has been decent. Overall the numbers seem to be down from previous years, but they still shot many nice deer. The weather hasn't been kind to the hunters, but with the fresh falling snow the last weekend should be a good one! Muzzleloader season is right around the corner, and it should be a classic season as always. Snow on the ground, and cool temps should keep the deer moving, and provide some great hunting. Currently the biggest deer of the year is 212 lbs! We run our big buck contest through the end of the year so if you shoot a nice buck, bring it in and get it weighed. We will also get a picture of your trophy on the website. Check out all the bucks we've had in so far here.

11-3-11- The weather up around Hackensack has been pretty mild in the big picture, and as a result, the walleye fisherman have still been hitting it pretty hard. The bite is still going strong on most lakes such as Leech, Winne, and the area lakes. Also, on some of the lakes in the area that have been slow to heat up this fall, the bites are starting to pick up finally. Overall, the walleye fishing has been great! Don't be afraid to move around a bunch to locate fish, but once you locate them, they should bite. Concentrate on the deep weed edges to start. We haven't heard much on the fishing outside of walleye. The perch have been biting still, and there are a few die-hard muskie guys out there. In terms of other species though, there aren't many fisherman chasing them. The mornings are starting to show thin ice sheets on the edges of most of the lakes, and some ponds have been covered in the morning. The ice isn't holding on as of yet due to the milder temps, but the ice isn't that far off once we get some cooler weather. The 2011 Deer Season kicks off this weekend, and it should be a great one. Archery hunters and drivers are reporting high levels of deer activity, and the bucks are really starting to chase the does. Also, rubs and scrapes are showing up all over the woods. Don't forget about our Swanson's Big Buck contest! Just remember that the deer has to be registered at our location to enter the contest. We will be listing the deer pictures throughout the weekend on the website, stay tuned!

KABETOGAMA-NAMAKAN
- Gateway Store kabfishingreport.com - gatewaygeneral.com
Phil & Ellen Hart, US Hwy 53 & Co Rd 122, 30 miles south of Int'l Falls-Canadian border (218-875-2121)

1-25-12-What a great day, 5” new snow on top of our 6”, looks like it will be great for sleds, on the ice and land trails. Still expecting 2 more inches. Fishing has been good, pretty steady bite on for pike, walleye and some jumbo perch. Thanks to the ice road, you’ll have great access to good fishing areas. The best walleye bite is happening at 26-32 feet, glow jigs, charmers, fat boys, eye drops, tipped with head or tail of minnow, working best. Tip-up combos using smaller sucker minnows, a great choice for pike and an occasional walleye. Pike anglers fishing in 12-20’ of water. The Kab ice road running from the Kab visitor center to Ash River visitor center, is positioned and favors great sight seeing as well as great access to good fishing areas. There are far more permanent houses on Kab this year, as this has been a slush free year. Expect the lake and land trails to be groomed up prior to the weekend. Looks like winter has arrived and the future looks bright. Arrowhead Ultra 135 mile marathon from International Falls to Fortune Bay on the Arrowhead Snowmobile Trail will take place Jan 30 –Feb 1. This will be 100+ Participants walking, biking and skiing. Please Travel the Arrowhead cautiously during this event.

1-16-12-WOW, What a great memorable winter on the ice for Kabetogama. Great ice, good fishing, great ice road along with Beautiful winter scenes. Anglers and those choosing to spear are doing great with cooperating northern pike. The West end of Kab, all the way down to the Ash River entrance - folks are getting Pike. Lots of reports of nice jumbo perch being caught along with walleyes, by anglers fishing throughout the lake. The lack of heavy snow cover is allowing anglers to fish basically any place they choose. Pike anglers and spearing enthusiasts setting up at depths of 8-15’, that includes tip-ups. Walleye and perch bite is averaging depths around 28’. Anyone on the ice with sleds, ATVs or vehicles must use Caution around the ice ridges, they feature cracks and or Open water, so be alert and be careful. The memorable item of the weekend is the inauguration of the Kabetogama first ice road plowed and maintained by the National Park Service. The park opened a public ice road that begins and ends at either Kabetogama Visitor Center or the Ash River Visitor Center. For a fun filled weekend, come to Kab, you can fish, go for a drive on the ice, snowmobile, cross country ski, snowshoe, or just bring your camera for a beautiful winter walk. Kabetogama has ice thickness between 16-24” no slush. Snow cover varies between 2”-6” depending which way the wind blew. Land based snowmobile trails are snow covered and packed, not much snow cover, but ride able, just waiting for a few more inches. A new game in town is the poker run, for the Falls, Kabetogama, Ash River and Littlefork Area. Locals and Tourists-get your maps at one of the dealers and support the Sponsors for fun and prizes, check with us or the Websites for more details.

12-30-11 - What a great end to 2011 and bring on 2012. Great ice, adequate snow, biting fish, doesn’t get much better. Kabetogama is in great winter shape, lots of good quality clear ice 13-18” and more. Snow cover as of Dec 30th ranges from 3-5”, nice smooth lake surface, shush free. Beware there are dangerous ice ridges, so exercise caution and cross these where marked. Remember to always use caution, watch your speed, venture off the marked trails with care. Northern pike, very active for spearing and angling, numerous small pike and enough big pike over 8 lbs plus to keep you happy. Several pike in the 20 lb range reported each week. Pike responding at all depths. Walleye anglers quite happy, having success throughout the lake. Small jigs and full minnows or just the head, seem to work just fine. Gateway has your favorite jigs, several minnow choices, plus we’ve added wax worms, maggots, mousees and spikes for that finicky bite or panfish. The lake is a winter playground for all right now, snowmobiling, fishing and cross country skiing. Word is next week they will check ice and routes for Kabetogama’s first ice road for vehicle traffic in many years. Ice road plans are to run the road between Kabetogama Visitor Center and Ash River Visitor Center - Put Kabetogama on your 2012 bucket list.

12-19-11- Good hardwater for all ice enthusiasts, fishing, spearing, skating and even some skiing. We need a little snow, and snowmobilers will love the smooth ice. Great fishing news, northern pike are cooperating with anglers and spearers, live decoys and light northern suckers are the bait choices for the best chances. Anglers are doing well angling fro walleyes, nice ice in most favored fishing areas, 8” – 10” is most commonly reported. Bait choices for walleyes, shiners and fat head chubs. best depth averages 26-30’. Try small weight tear drops, peepers, ants and similar jigs. Kabetogama has a few ice ridges, one near Spunge Island, and continuing with noticeable ridges out in front of east end resorts. Caution is still necessary, however sleds and wheelers are traveling freely over the frozen surface. Looks like good ice is here to stay, bring on some snow and we will have a full blown winter wonderland.

12-8-11-Well it’s finally time to say we got hard water, pretty good ice forming as I write. Most bays appear to have 6” of ice or more, which has made spear enthusiasts quite happy. Ice surface has very little snow if any and as a result is quite slippery. Shoreline ice is quite choppy as it formed when there were strong winds. So there ya go, get your house, or portable ready to put on the ice, as travel is not impaired by snow or shush. Early reports of hard water success, so far pertains only to pike, anglers using tip-ups or spearing have been targeting pike. Tom Cod Bay on the west end of Kabetogama has a good ice thickness-over 8”, towards Gappa Landing we have Duck and Irwin bays, another first ice popular area. Ice is continuing to thicken each evening with our lower temperatures. Make plans to visit soon, Happy a N-ICE week,

11-28-11- We hope everyone enjoyed the Holiday this past week. We experienced some warmer temps over the past few days that put our ice making at a stand still. We lost any ice that had formed on the lake but Four Mile Bay and the Rainy River remain frozen with the channel opening up. We look forward to the cooler temps we are being promised toward the end of the week. Once we hit the cold weather hard it does not take long for the ice to form, so start planning your hard water fishing trips now!

11-21-11- Winter season has arrived, 5” snow on ground, overnight lows in single digits and thin ice cover on shorelines. Soft water angling is most likely over for the year, spearing enthusiasts chomping on the bit, waiting for a few inches of ice to test their skills. Rifle season ends as I wrote this, time to get the ice fishing gear ready to go. We expect to see folks showing up in a week or two with spears, maybe sooner if winter can keep its grip against the mild forecast around Thanksgiving. Snowmobile trails will be getting attention in preparation for the season, as we shift gears into the new season.

11-18-11- Surprise, still have people fishing on Kabetogama-Namakan, all the while whitefish netting, trapping, grouse hunting and deer season,(in full swing) are going on. Anglers finding lots of hungry pike, from shore fishing or boat, including some near 20 pounds. Walleye bite has remained slow, but persistent. A few keepers among mostly small fish seems to be the most common result. Water temp mid to low 40’s with some overnight freezing and thawing during the day. It appears now we will have open water when spearing season begins in a few days, huh? Deer hunters appear to be doing slightly better this last part of the week, less wind and light snow cover has favored the hunters. White fish netting has been so-so, locals say water has been too warm for a good season. Trappers aren’t saying much, lack of rain since mid-summer has dried up many ponds and creeks that were good trapping grounds. Grouse hunting at a standstill while deer hunters remain in the woods for another week of rifle season. Good luck to all sportsman as we wait for ice and snow to get us in gear for all our wonderful activities.

LAKE OF THE WOODS
- Lake of the Woods Area Tourism Bureau - www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com
Jenna, near Junction of Hwy 11 and Hwy 172 in Baudette, (1-800-382-FISH)

1-25-12- Lady winter finally arrived and she brought -20 temperatures with her! With that we’ve gained a couple inches of ice and are now sitting at 20+” on the areas being fished and traveled. That two day span of sub zero temps did make those fish pickier, but limits and big fish are still coming in strong. Anywhere from 7-10 miles north of Pine Island to roughly 31-33 feet of water extending the entire south shore over to Arnesens, we are seeing a great deal of action. Using gold or glow red has been successful. We are seeing some walleyes suspended so using electronics are helpful.

1-16-12- Hello fisherpeople! Great news, fishing on Lake of the Woods is still fantastic. Arnesens. Fishing is strong. A good mixture of walleye, sauger and perch coming from 27' - 28' of water. Zippel Bay/Morris Point Area. Action is taking place in 30' - 31' of water. They are still seeing a good number of saugers and a lot of trophy walleye as well as nice eaters at about 14-18 inches. Right now they are seeing the most of the action mid day from 10am to roughly 2:30-3pm. Early bite also happening in 18' - 20'. Gold or glow working best. Lighthouse Gap Area. A great combo of walleye, sauger and perch are being caught in 30' - 32' of water. Morning and evening bite also in 18' - 20'. Northwest Angle. Excellent fishing for walleye, sauger and perch. Some houses moving out deeper into 26-29 feet of water. It seems the deeper they fish the more saugers they are seeing. They are finding a lot of jumbo perch up in the mud. Anything gold or glow in the dark is doing well. Smaller presentation is suggested. Some good reports catching Smallmouth Bass stateside in the rocky areas! Crappie, whitefish and northern action as well.

1-5-12-Fishing is still INCREDIBLE. We’re hearing 25-29 feet of water is seeing the best action for walleyes and sauger. It still remains a light bite, so using a Vexilar/fish finder still proves helpful. You are more likely to trigger and detect the bite if you know they are there. Pink & Gold remain the colors of choice. Stop Signs and Buckshots are a favorite right now as well with a dead stick in the second hole. We are seeing quite a few big walleyes being caught from 28" - 31.5". The 31.5" beauty weighed over 11.5 pounds. Sturgeon have also been active. Numerous reports with fish over 60+ inches being caught. In speaking to one guest who landed over a 60 incher, this fish nearly didn't fit through the 8" hole! We have about 14-17 inches of ice in areas being traveled and fished. We strongly recommend using a resort for access and information. If you are driving your own vehicle on the lake, Adrian’s and Morris Point are allowing most vehicles and sleeper fish houses. Check with resort for the 1 tons with sleepers, etc. The action at the Northwest Angle has been ridiculously good. Nice numbers, nice mixture, and nice size; can’t go wrong there! Fishermen are seeing walleye and sauger action all day long with an occasional jumbo perch coming up. Buckshots and a gold jig with a minnow seem to do the trick. About 16-18 inches of ice where fishing and traveling. Please make sure to check in with local resorts before ever venturing on the ice on your own. No two spots freeze up the same or at the same time. Better safe than sorry! Good fishin'!

12-28-11- 100+ fish a day, that’s what we’re seeing here on Lake of the Woods! Still a bit more sauger than walleye are being pulled through the ice, but many nice eaters. Stop signs, buckshots, and pink/orange jigs are having the most luck. Vexilars/fish finders are definitely proving helpful in fulfilling your limit! There is a good 14-16 inches of ice in areas being traveled and fished. Light vehicle travel only. Please remember to check with a local resort before venturing out, with nearly a million acres the ice conditions are bound to vary from one spot to the next! The Northwest Angle fishing action has started! Glow in the dark red & gold jigs are bringing in the best results. The early morning and evening bite are going strong with some decent mid-day activity. Approximately 12-15 inches of ice in traveled areas. Please remember to check with a local resort before traveling on the ice. I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday weekend.

12-19-11-Fishing is nothing short of incredible right now. Many groups reporting 50 – 100 fish days. The hottest action is still taking place morning and evening, with people picking at them during the day. We’re seeing saugers on avg. 13”-15” and walleyes 13”-19”, with larger slot fish and trophies thrown in. Using a jig or your favorite jigging spoon tipped with a minnow has been working best. Good quality bonus fish have been taking the dead stick under a bobber as well. Because the fish are biting so well, color has not been a crucial factor, but pink, gold and glow in the dark red are good starting points. Northern fishing has been strong as well. Reports of tip up fishing and spearing in Baudette Bay, Bostic Creek and Zippel Bay area are positive. The water clarity is amazing and may be a huge factor in Lake of the Woods producing some of the best fishing people have seen in years right now! Right around 22-24 feet of water is where we’re hearing the best reports. Make sure to keep safety in the front of your mind and always check with a nearby resort for the most current and accurate ice conditions. Good luck and stay safe!

12-12-11 - We’re in action everybody! There are 10 solid inches of ice but there are still some trouble spots on the lake. If you are a do it yourselfer we advise you use extreme caution, speak with your favorite local resort, and DO NOT venture off staked trails while fishing during the early season. They are finding some nice fish in 18-23 feet of water here on the south shore. The walleye seem to be biting in the early morning and late afternoon. There is some good sauger action to be had all day long. The fish seem to be staying pretty close to bottom, but a vexillar helps ensure you aren’t missing out on the occasional suspended fish. Good luck and remember to keep safety your #1 priority!

12-6-11- A crew is already out and at it this morning...Checking the ice, staking the trail, and managing the snow drifts! In the bay there is an even 9 inches and roughly 6 inches just out of pine island in 15ft of water. We're nearly there!! We need a good solid 12 inches of ice to start hauling out loads. Please keep in mind this update is for an isolated area on the south end of Lake of the Woods and is not an updated report for LAKE OF THE WOODS. Please keep safety your #1 priority this walleye slaying season!

12-5-11-As we enter our second week of December I honestly started worrying about the ice coming in late. Thank you mother nature for easing my worries!!! Woke up this morning to a brisk 4 above and reports of 6-7 inches on the bay! We still have no heavy snow activity in the forecast and the chance of dipping below zero tonight. With excellent conditions like this we can be making up to 1-2 inches of ice a night! We’ve got many resorts staging their houses and anxiously anticipating the day we have a good solid 12 inches of ice to start hauling out loads. Don’t miss out on the walleye fishing frenzy that is about to be, book your trip to Lake of the Woods NOW! For more information call 1-800-382-FISH (3474), see our website at www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com, or find us on facebook at www.facebook.com/walleyecapital

11-29-11- We hope everyone enjoyed the Holiday this past week. We experienced some warmer temps over the past few days that put our ice making at a stand still. We lost any ice that had formed on the lake but Four Mile Bay and the Rainy River remain frozen with the channel opening up. We look forward to the cooler temps we are being promised toward the end of the week. Once we hit the cold weather hard it does not take long for the ice to form, so start planning your hard water fishing trips now!

11-22-11- Freezing temps and low winds, these are the wishes being uttered to the "powers to be" over the next couple weeks. It looks as though we're off to a good start with a solid freeze forming on the river and a cover on four mile bay. If you dare brave the rigid Lake of the Woods November air and want to break ice with the boat one last time fishing on the lake has been excellent. The low water levels keeping the waters clean and a strong shiner run are to thank for this. Make sure to check back regularly for updated ice reports via our website (www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com) or on facebook!

11-10-11-The cold weather has moved in. This past week has been in the 30’s and at night going in to the 20’s. We are starting to see that the ponds and creeks are starting to be iced over mornings. The temperature in the river is about 37 degrees. The fishing has still been good by the Lighthouse gap. They seem to be getting them in 21 to 25 feet of water. The fishing in the Rainy River has been inconsistent but they have been doing better in the mornings and nights. It’s hard to believe that were just about a month away from ice fishing season. So go out get your gear and getting ready, it will be here before we know it. The Minnesota hunting season is well on its way. It sounds like people are getting there deer but it is taking them longer than it has in the past few years. Let’s hope it picks up. Good luck out there hunters and be safe!!

LAKE BENTON
- Veire's Mini-Mart - Visit our Facebook Page
Dave, 117 E Benton St, corner of Hwy 75 and 14 (507-368-4204)

1-4-12-Smaller area bodies of water are producing some nice 10 to 12 inch perch! Try Island Lake in 8 feet of water, bobber fishing with a minnow. Lake Sarah is producing perch and a few walleyes. Mostly miinnows and bobbers, with a few jigging with a minnow head. The Yangton walleye bite is great in the evenings, try 5-10 feet, with a bobber and a minnow, some jigging. 24-17 inch walleyes reported. Lake Benton has been spotty for ice, so call us anytime for up to the date conditions!

1-2-12-Ice fishing is wonderful this year - good ice and lots of fish all add up to a great adventure! Four-wheelers and portable fish houses are the ticket, mobility is key in staying on the fish. Walleyes are best at dusk, pike on the weedlines, perch everywhere. Come enjoy Leech Lake with us! Tim

12-9-11-Leech is iced over. Main lake has 4-8 inches depending on where you go. Check often. Walleyes are biting! If you can get away, come have some fun, but be careful!

MILLE LACS
- Chris Kuduk's Guide Service - www.kuduksguideservice.com (320-630-1761) For up to the minute reports, call Chris at 320-630-1761!

1-26-12- Ice fishermen are getting out to the mud flats by 4-wheeler. Catching walleyes at Sherman's Point. Perch are also biting. The bays are producing walleye and perch at Northstar Resort. Anglers are getting out on the east side, check with resorts. Ann, Knife, Shakopee, Platte, Sullivan are producing sunfish. Call for up to the minute reports!

1-16-12-Shakoppe, Platte, Sullivan, Whitefish, Ann Lake, Knife Lake great for early morning/evening panfish bite. Mille Lacs anglers are catching walleyes, west side at Northstar Resort. Houses are out in the bays there. Talk to Mark. Dickie's on Liberty Beach, 320.676.8795 can also give you a report for that area.

1-9-12-Wigwam Bay, fish are biting. Platte, Sullivan panfish biting. East side of Mille Lacs, check with local resorts. Walleyes and perch good in the bays. Garrison, Liberty Beach also going well. Lots of cracks with the wind. Knife Lake by Mora good for panfish. South Long, Bulldog Lake, catching panfish.

1-4-12- Very good bite in Wigwam Bay. Check with area resorts with the wind for up to minute reports or call Chris anytime! Shakopee has been great for panfish, and try Platte and Sullivan for panfish and walleyes.

12-20-11-Mille Lacs anglers are fishing the west side, Wigwam Bay, most walking out or using 4 wheelers, about 4-6 inches. The east side has some open water, anglers are getting out but talk to the resorts to let you know where you can go. Some bad ice. Anglers are catching fish, perch and walleyes are biting. Platte, Sullivan, Shakopee producing panfish, walking or ATVs. For up to the minute reports call Chris!

12-16-11-There is 6-8 inches in the bays on Mille Lacs. Warm weather predicted so, be careful. Wigwam Bay, walleyes and perch. Check with resorters for current conditions. Try Platte, Sullivan for panfish.

12-7-11- Anglers are starting to get out on smaller area lakes. Sunnies and crappies biting on Ann, Platte, Sullivan. Try Shakopee for sunnies. Anglers are just starting to fish the bays on Mille Lacs. Bays should be better by the weekend, please call Chris for an update anytime!

11-23-11- Anglers have their boats put away and are waiting for the ice to form. There is some ice forming around the shorelines. For up to the minute reports, give me a call anytime! See you at the St. Paul Ice Fishing Show (Dec 2-4)!

11-17-11-Mille Lacs activity is way down. Cold weather and wind have kept many anglers off the lake. Those who made it out have found some success pulling Rapalas, try a rainbow floater. Also some success with #5 Shad Raps in brown in Liberty Beach area or Garrison reef. Platte, Sullivan, Shakopee, and Ann have been good for panfish.

MILLE LACS
- Jeff Hanson's Guide Service - www.hansonguideservice.com McQuoid's Inn/Lindy Tackle Fishing Report (763-477-8553)

LAKE MINNETONKA
- Wayzata Bait & Tackle, Over 35 years in business!
Tim or Bob, half mile west off I-494 on Hwy 12 (952-473-2227)

1-4-12- Ice condition are sporadic with warm temps. Give us a call anytime for updates! Minnetonka and Medicine have been good, but make sure you pay attention to where you are. After eve bite for crappies and walleyes, about 20-30 feet, try the day bite for sunfish. On Indepedence or Tonka, get out there early, and be quiet. Call or stop in for reports!

11-23-11-Muskie anglers report bites on sucker minnows on the deep weed edges. Walleyes hitting jigs and minnows. Anglers are waiting for ice. Check back for ice condition updates!

MISSISSIPPI - ST. CROIX
- Turk Gierke, Croixsippi Guide Service www.croixsippi.com (1-800-929-1801)

1-3-12- There is walkable ice on the St. Croix River though not much action to report. Crappies, saugers, and white bass are the main targets for ice anglers. Slip bobbers w/ split shot and plain hook, jigging raps (for saugers) and jigs with fathead minnows or minnow heads are the main tactic. The Bayport area is where 85% of all anglers fishing the lower St. Croix River go. This area is best fished in the deep basin from 36 to 40 fow. Crappies also suspend here and can be on the bottom so an ice sonar is a must. Good Luck!

12-14-11-Thanks to all my great customers making 2011 a great angling year! The St.Croix River open water season ended a couple weeks ago. Ice anglers are hoping for cold weather to snap the ice into shape to enable angling. November 18 had a guide trip and caught 3 limits. 4 were legal walleye and 14 were saugers. all caught trolling Rapalas in 28+ feet deep. Started the morning with a triple. Then nothing for 40 minutes, the bite was up and down that way all day. The fish bit then nothing for 20 minutes. Kind of strange. Talked to a fellow angler who is a regular down there, and he did not get a bite. I felt lucky to get all those keepers.

11-18-11- November 18 had a guide trip and caught 3 limits. 4 were legal walleye and 14 were saugers. all caught trolling Rapalas in 28+ feet deep. Started the morning with a triple. Then nothing for 40 minutes, the bite was up and down that way all day. The fish bit then nothing for 20 minutes. Kind of strange. Talked to a fellow angler who is a regular down there, and he did not get a bite. I felt lucky to get all those keepers.

WACONIA
Mase's In Towne Marine - www.intownemarina.com, Cindy, corner of Lake and Elm (952-442-2096)

1-15-12-The majority of the ice on Lake Waconia is in very good shape now that we've had some colder temperatures recently. We've been seeing ice thicknesses in most areas between 10 to 12 inches. However, we still have some areas of concern. You might be aware that we've marked a couple of large thinner ice areas on the shallow parts of Center Reef and Pillsbury Reef. The Pillsbury spot still has an area of open water, with some ice around that between 3 to 7 inches. On Center, there is a long stretch that is between 3.5 to 6 inches. We still are dealing with numerous springs all over the lake. Be sure to stop in to the marina, so we can show you where the worst spots are. Overall, we are VERY HAPPY with how the lake is shaping up. While we haven't opened up our access for vehicle traffic yet, we've been very comfortable 4-wheeling and walking as long as you avoid the marked thinner ice areas. Don't forget, we try to mark any spots we find that we consider dangerous, but it's a big lake and we can't cover everything. If you see something you feel is dangerous, please help us by marking it to keep everyone safe. This weekend we have seen larger numbers of fishermen coming out to the lake. The bite has improved. We've been getting plenty of action in Waconia Bay between 9 to 11 feet of water, with a lot of perch and sunfish biting during the day, and some crappies in the evening. If you're tempted to put a bigger minnow on a tip up, it's been decent for some northern action. A good amount of anglers are now spreading out to the Center Reef and Pillsbury areas avoiding the thinner areas and fishing where the ice is better. There have been good reports of nice crappies coming from out there in depths between 10 to 13 feet of water. Some have been producing bites in the deep water (over 20 feet) south of Pillsbury in the evenings, suspended a few feet from the bottom. It's time to enjoy the lake! We'd love to see you out here, and we'll do what we can to make your time on the water a productive and safe one. A reminder to those of you who were looking forward to the "Adrian Peterson All Day Blizzard Blitz" Fishing Contest. The contest date has been moved to Sunday, February 19th. We hope you can make it out for the new date, as Adrian will still be here as well as numerous other celebrities! We are RENTING FISH HOUSES! The heat's on and the holes are pre-drilled for you. Prices range from $55 to $75 for 6 hours during the week, and $75 to $95 for 6 hours on Saturday or Sunday. We hope you'll join us!