Ice Fishing Season Isn’t Far off in Central Minnesota

In parts of Minnesota the ice fishing season has already begun.  Glen Schmitt from Outdoor News joined me on WJON today.  He says he's heard reports of people ice fishing already in the Bemidji and Blackduck area.  Schmitt says Red Lake is typically one of the early locations for ice fishing.  He says they have around 3-4 inches of ice on the south shore out to about 8 feet of water and that's about all that is needed there to catch walleyes.  Schmitt says he's checked with resorts but none have yet said come on up this weekend.  He suspects with colder weather coming that enough ice will be made to allow for many people to flock up to Red Lake as early as this weekend.  Schmitt says the bays on Lake of the Woods are frozen.

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Ice safety this time of year is important.  Schmitt says it is important to check with resorts and bait shops on ice conditions but to also go to lakes you know.  He says if you are familiar with a lake and where the ice tends to be good and where it isn't that can be very helpful early in the ice fishing season in remaining safe.  Schmitt suggests not going alone on first ice in case the worst case scenario happens.  He says birds this time of year can keep portions of lakes from freezing.  Schmitt says we have a lot of swans in this area and they can be a problem.

Schmitt says his sons have had some success with diver ducks recently.  He says they shot a Greenway Teal last weekend which is unusual on a bigger bodies of water.  Schmitt says there are some ducks around and those who are patient can still have success.

If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Glen Schmitt this week it is available below.