Jeff Sundin December 29, 2022 "Watching The Watch-Able"

Who doesn’t love wandering around on the internet and stumbling into themselves on TV? I know I do, but for me, while producing TV videos hasn’t been uncommon, actually viewing them when they’ve aired is rare. This morning I was checking out information about where weekend ice anglers will find access when I found a Destination Fish video that Jon Thelen and I recorded last winter; so, I watched it.

The video, recorded in one of Zippel Bay Resort’s rental shelters depicts a very typical day of walleye fishing on the south side of Lake of the Woods. As usual, there’s a good number of eating size fish that come to the ice holes and as usual, one of us seemed to have “the hot hole”, this time it appears to be Jon. But it’s never a good idea to rule out the old fart, and about 2/3 of the way through taping the episode, I came up with a little surprise for the camera.

You could just check out the video for fun, and to pick up a few hot fishing tips. But as it happens, the ice and snow conditions on Lake of the Woods today are better than they are further south. Resorts and rental operators have roads open and there are day shelter rentals on the lake. So, anglers looking for something to do this weekend might be well advised to check out the video >> "Destination Fish Walleye Fishing Zippel Bay Resort" and give the folks at Zippel Bay Resort a call about availability over the New Year holiday weekend. — Jeff Sundin 218-245-9858 or EMAIL

News Release December 28, 2022: "DNR Roundtable Offers Open Registration Opportunity"

"For the first time, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ Roundtable — an annual gathering of conservation partners to discuss fisheries, wildlife, and ecological and water resource topics — will include an open registration opportunity for what has historically been an invitation-only event.

The 2023 DNR Roundtable is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 20. The opportunity to register for one of a limited number of free, first-come, first-served slots will open at noon Wednesday, Dec. 28. The DNR’s Roundtable page will include a registration link.

The Roundtable provides a forum for Minnesota’s conservation community to engage with each other and DNR leadership, with an emphasis on conversation and idea sharing. The theme of the 2023 Roundtable is “Minnesotans Working Together – The Key to Conservation Success.” The keynote speaker will be Duluth Mayor Emily Larson. Featured speakers will include Commissioner Sarah Strommen and other leaders from the DNR and the conservation community." More information is available here, at the >> MN DNR Roundtable Page.

Lake of the Woods, LOW Tourism December 28, 2022

"Negative 25 degree air temperatures and windy weather systems have aided the lake making good ice. Ice conditions are very good overall, but on the big expanse of LOW, conditions vary. Many resorts and ice road operators are allowing trucks and wheel houses. It is important to work through a resort or outfitter and adhere to their current weight limits, stay on the marked path and drive slow. Both day houses and sleeper houses are on the ice and available.

Unfortunately, the changable weather messes with the bite a little bit . But at the same time, there have been periods of good activity with both walleyes and saugers of all sizes being caught on the south end of Lake of the Woods.

Most fishing is taking place in 22 to 29 feet of water. If you are portable, don't forget about the shallow water bite morning and evening that occurs in water depths from 10 to 17 feet.

Jig with your favorite jigging spoon tipped with a minnow head or tail. Using a more aggressive lure like a lipless crankbait with rattles both catching and attracting fish. Pink, firetiger, chartreuse, gold, glow white and glow green effective. While jigging with one line, deadstick the second line using a live minnow a foot off of the bottom. On the deadstick, a live minnow on a demon, plain hook or an ice jig with a live minnow has been effective.

Please remember to Keep It Clean, leave no garbage behind. Winter pump out stations for heated tanks on wheel houses available at Howard's Oil (Cenex in Baudette) and Log Cabin Bait at Wheeler's Point.

On the Rainy River, the surface is locked up with ice, and there is ice fishing taking place. A decent walleye bite with some quality fish reported before the deep freeze. A jig and a minnow is working well for walleyes and saugers. Ice conditions vary on the river as there is current, work through a resort or outfitter for safety.

Up at the Northwest Angle, ice fishing is now in full swing. Initial reports show good numbers of walleyes with some big pike and jumbo perch in the mix. Jig one line, deadstick the second. Glow and bright colors are working well." — Lake of the Woods Tourism, (800) 382-FISH

Ely Area, Arrowhead Outdoors Fishing Report December 28, 2022

"***Ice Report***

Several days of heavy winds have removed much of the snow on area lakes and exposed the slush and ice to bitter cold temps. As a result ice and travel conditions have improved greatly on area lakes. There are 15 plus inches of good ice being reported on area lakes now.

***Fishing Report***

Walleye fishing was really the only fishing going on, on area lakes as high winds made travel to anything other then a hard side shelter not worth the effort. Anglers hunkered down in their houses caught walleyes mainly during the overnight hours on deadsticks, tipped with a good lively minnow. 16 to 20 feet of water continues to be the best depth to find active walleyes. Mud flats has been most productive for walleyes as of late too." — Arrowhead Outdoors, 218-365-5358

Wired2Fish "Ice Fishing Lures for Walleyes | 6 Favorites Underwater"

"With the ice fishing season upon us, Wired2fish’s Nick Dumke shares his top 6 favorite ice fishing lures for walleyes and when he uses each. Dumke presents each from most to least aggressive, which is how he fishes these baits when arriving at a new body of water. As he explains, this approach maximizes efficiency by first allowing you to capitalize on the most aggressive fish. Dumke’s commentary is matched with underwater video of each presentation to clearly show what each looks like and how they perform from a walleye’s vantage point.

A rattling lipless crankbait gives off the most sound and vibration of any lure from the list. Lipless crankbaits come in various sizes and colors and are also offered in non-rattling varieties. Their bigger profile, coupled with flash, sound, and vibration, often triggers a bigger class of walleyes on many lakes but is often too aggressive for neutral to negative fish. Walleyes are also prone to get conditioned to the lure quickly on pressured lakes.

Gliding or swimming jigs such as the ..." View Video and Learn More >> Ice Fishing Lures for Walleyes | 6 Favorites Underwater

Lake of the Woods, LOW Tourism December 20, 2022

"There are good walleye fishing reports, along with talk about a mixed bag for many anglers fishing the south side of Lake of the Woods. Walleyes and saugers are the norm but eelpout, jumbo perch, pike, tullibees and even some sturgeon in the mix also.

Most fishing is taking place in 22 to 28 feet of water. Some reports of decent walleye fishing shallower as well, in the 18 to 21 foot depths but there, not as many fish or the variety of fish.

Jigging with your favorite jigging spoon with a minnow head or tail has been consistent. Pink, gold, glow, orange, and chartreuse or a combo of these colors in the stained waters of LOW has been good. Using a #5 Rippin Rap in gold or pink UV Firetiger has been successful also. On the deadstick, a live minnow on a plain red hook or a small ice jig with a minnow has been effective.

Ice conditions are good but vary across the south shore. As ice thickens, cracks popping up in areas, as happens every year. Some sleeper houses are out and with the cold weather, weight limits have been naturally increasing along with thickening ice. Check with each ice road operator for specifics.

Please remember to Keep It Clean, pack out what you packed in. It is appreciated.

The Rainy River is frozen up and ice fishing is taking place on a few different areas of the river. A jig and a minnow is working well for walleyes and saugers.

Ice conditions vary and on the river there is current, so much like the lake, we encourage visitors to work through a resort or outfitter for safety.

Up at the Northwest Angle, the snowmobile trail from the Wheeler's Point area up to the Angle is staked and open. Now, some of the angle resorts have pulled fish houses out and are fishing. Other Angle resorts will stick with their normal schedule and begin just after Christmas. Initial fishing reports are very good with nice walleyes in the mix. Stay in touch with your favorite NW Angle resort for further info.

For those looking to access the Angle while avoiding customs, there are few options.

1. The snowmobile trail is staked from the south shore up to the Angle.
2. The Lake of the Woods Passenger service provides round trip bombardier service across the lake
3. Lake Country Air provides air service to both the south end and NW Angle.

Driving through Canada to the Angle no longer requires COVID vaccinations or the use of the ArriveCan App." — Lake of the Woods Tourism, (800) 382-FISH

Ely Area, Arrowhead Outdoors Fishing Report December 14, 2022

Ice Report

Above average temps in the 30’s has slowed the ice making process and very little ice was added this week to area lakes. 11-14” of ice is now being reported on many area lakes. Permanent houses and ice roads have sprung up in all the traditional places.

Fishing Report

Walleye fishing has been very consistent for many anglers, on just about every lake in the area. Key depth remains 16-20 feet, but there has been plenty of good reports shallower in as little as 10 feet of water. Loud baits like rippin raps or buckshot spoons have been very effective at calling in walleyes. Deadsticking a juicy shiner has also been hard to beat also. Mud and sand flats have been the most productive areas.

Northern Pike fishing continues to be good in the shallow bays and river mouths. Dead suckers, smelt and alewifes have been popular choices to fish under a tip up. Pike dropping the baits continues to be a issues, but quality fish continue to come up the hole.

Panfish fishing has been very good for all three species of panfish (crappie, sunfish and jumbo perch). Crappies and sunnies are being found mixed between weedbeds/weedlines and hanging out over deeper wintering holes.

As long as green weeds can still be found, weeds are going to place to find the most active fish. Here waxies, crappie minnows and soft plastics have been very effective. Jumbo perch are being found in deeper water over sand. 18-22 feet of water on sand flats have been giving up some very large perch and in good numbers. Out here jigging spoons tipped with a minnow has been very effective on calling in these fish." — Arrowhead Outdoors, 218-365-5358

Jeff Sundin December 14, 2022 "Storm Watch Central"

Most ice fishing fans love getting an early start to the ice fishing season. I don’t blame them, when I’m looking forward to the start of the next season, I sometimes get the same way. The problem is that folks who have already been out on the ice may have been all smiles for a little while, are now in for a session of “nail-biting” while we wait to see whether the pending snowstorm will ruin our plans.

As the image shows, there is snow falling in Grand Rapids now, but so far, not that much. In Duluth, the predictions call for more, but it’s been a moving target and every time I check the forecast, total accumulation predictions change. From my vantage point, it appears that folks who fish east and south of Grand Rapids will see more snow accumulation than those who fish further west.

Instead of trying to call that shot right now, lets keep tabs on the conditions today, and see if Mother Nature’s plan includes another slushy winter on the ice, or if we might be spared a heavy dumping this time. The first, best chance of finding out how the situation unfolds will be to tune in the radio program tomorrow morning. Live at 6:20 AM, you’ll hear the update there, a couple of hours before the written report is published.

In the Grand Rapids, Bemidji, and Brainerd areas, listen live on 91.7 FM (Grand Rapids) or 90.5 FM (Brainerd Bemidji). Outside of the listening, live stream the broadcast at KAXE or catch the archived version for up 2 weeks using this link >> KAXE-KBXE Archives pick any Thursday morning, scroll into the show at about 6:20 AM and you'll be in the loop. — Jeff Sundin 218-245-9858 or EMAIL

Lake of the Woods, LOW Tourism December 14, 2022

"Ice fishing is in full swing now on the south end of Lake of the Woods. Initial fishing reports are good with a nice mix of walleyes and saugers. In true Lake of the Woods fashion, it is a mixed bag with eelpout, jumbo perch, pike, tullibees and even some huge sturgeon mixed in.

Most fishing is taking place in 22 to 27 feet of water. Using the one two punch of a jigging with one rod and deadsticking with a live minnow in the second hole is working well.

Work through resorts and outfitters on the ice, stay on the marked trails for safety, please don't exceed weight limits and drive slowly on the ice. Before vehicles are allowed on the ice, resorts and outfitters will continue to provide transportation to and from their fish houses using light ice rigs for both convenience and safety. Communicate with your resort or outfitter about on-ice transportation details.

Please remember to Keep It Clean, pick up everything around you and secure your garbage.

The Rainy River is frozen up and some ice fishing is taking place there too. Most are targeting walleyes and saugers with mixed results. A few are targeting Lake Sturgeon through the ice with some nice dinosaurs iced and released!

Ice conditions vary and on the river there is current, so much like the lake, we encourage visitors to work through a resort or outfitter for safety.

Resorts have been monitoring ice conditions up at the Northwest Angle. Some have begun staking trails and placing ice fishing houses on thre ice. Some resorts have also begun ice fishing with others traditionally starting around the holidays. Initial fishing reports are very good. Stay in touch with your favorite NW Angle resort for further info.

Driving through Canada to reach the Angle no longer requires COVID vaccinations or the use of the ArriveCan App (which is optional). For those looking to access the Angle while avoiding customs, there are few options.

• When ice conditions allow, the snowmobile trail will be groomed and staked from the south shore up to the Angle.
• The Lake of the Woods Passenger service provides round trip bombardier service across the lake.
• Lake Country Air provides air service to both the south end and NW Angle.

The snowmobile trail from the Wheeler's Point area up to the Angle is marked and open." — Lake of the Woods Tourism, (800) 382-FISH

Jeff Sundin December 8, 2022 "Ice Fishing Opportunities Expanding"

"Opportunity for ice anglers expands daily, even by the hour on some lakes. If you haven’t already, there’s no doubt that you can go ice fishing this weekend. In fact, the cold snap has been widespread enough so that most Minnesotan’s can even stay close to home if they want to.

The image left, submitted by Chris Andresen was taken in the Mankato area yesterday, Wednesday December 8, 2022. He reported 6 inches of ice on Wednesday, and although the air temperatures are predicted to be moderate through the weekend, anglers should be able to hoof it to their favorite spots on a variety of area lakes.  

In my neck of the woods, Lake Winnie has gotten the most attention recently because there are several resorts that have already opened for ATVs and snowmobiles towing single axle ice fishing shelters. Some of these “early openers” are already considering how soon they’ll begin allowing pickup trucks onto the ice. Other resorts are opening to ATVs today but have no intention of allowing them to tow ice fishing shelters onto the ice this weekend.

Simplicity being the goal, I’ve tried to keep the Lake Winnie Access Map as up to date as possible. This is the easiest way to get a fast update about what’s going on around the lake. But like I said, conditions are changing fast, and folks who run resorts and rental operations don’t have a lot of extra time for sharing information with me. So, if you notice something that needs updating, don’t be shy about letting me know, I can refresh the map info daily, even faster when needed.

Further north, resorts on Lake of the Woods are busy getting their “day houses”, smaller, short-term spearing and angling fishing shelters placed on the ice. Some of the resorts have trails staked and are allowing ATVs and snow machines to access them. Others will transport you to and from the rentals until the ice is secure and vehicle traffic can be allowed.

Panfish anglers have found plenty of ice on the area’s smaller lakes too. So far, walking is the primary mode of travel on all the lakes with deeper water. Shallow lakes have enough ice to support ATVs and snowmobiles and both Crappie and Sunfish have been vulnerable to early ice anglers. With many of the popular walleye lakes in play already, panfish will get more attention as the week presses on. Watch for updates as they become available." — — Jeff Sundin 218-245-9858 or EMAIL

Ely Area, Arrowhead Outdoors Fishing Report December 8, 2022

Ice Report — Below normal temps have helped to improve ice conditions in the Ely area. 8” of solid ice was reported by just about every angler. As a result, permanent houses have popped up over night on area lakes.

Fishing Report — Northern Pike fishing was very popular this last week, but reports were somewhat mixed from anglers. One day the fishing was excellent, with several pike over 30 inches caught, then the next day ice cold. Dead suckers fished under a tip-up was the most effective approach to catching pike. Shallow bays, weedbeds and weedlines are the areas to focus on.

Walleye Fishing Report — Solid ice has improved anglers access to deeper water where walleyes are being found and reports have been good. Buckshot spoons and rippin raps have been very effective calling in walleyes and catching aggressive walleyes. Shiners, under a dead stick, has been very effective for those less aggressive walleyes. 16-20 feet of water has been the depth for finding walleyes." — Arrowhead Outdoors, 218-365-5358

Lake of the Woods, LOW Tourism December 7, 2022

"It is ice fishing time on the south side of Lake of the Woods! Some, but not all of the resorts have pulled out their fish houses and it is game on. Be sure to check the weight limits on each ice road as they begin to open, conditions vary from place to place. There are some ice trails marked and open.

Resorts who have fish houses on the ice will typically transport you out to their houses using light ice rigs for convenience and safety.

As we often say, ice conditions vary greatly on Lake of the Woods. Some resorts have trails marked across Four Mile Bay out to fishing areas in front of Pine Island on the big lake. Some resorts are not quite open as the ice where they go out still needs some time to thicken up.

Watch your favorite resort or rental outfitter social media pages for up to date info. Work through resorts and outfitters on the ice, stay on the marked trails for safety, please don't exceed weight limits and drive slowly on the ice.

Anticipation is high. The early ice bite is normally very good!

Please remember to Keep It Clean, pick up everything around you and secure your garbage.

The Rainy River is frozen up, there is current, so ice conditions vary and on the river. So, same advice here as out on the lake, we encourage visitors to work through a resort or outfitter for safety. an some locals who know the river well have been checking ice and ice fishing with some walleyes and saugers in the mix. As ice thickens, more areas will become accessible.

Up at the Northwest Angle, resorts have been monitoring ice conditions and starting to stake trails. They are not ice fishing yet, but the ice is looking good and some guides scouting for fish give the thumbs up. Stay in touch with your favorite NW Angle resort for further info.

Driving through Canada to reach the Angle no longer requires COVID vaccinations or the use of the ArriveCan App (which is optional). For those looking to access the Angle while avoiding customs, there are few options.

• When ice conditions allow, the snowmobile trail will be groomed and staked from the south shore up to the Angle.
• The Lake of the Woods Passenger service provides round trip bombardier service across the lake.
• Lake Country Air provides air service to both the south end and NW Angle." — Lake of the Woods Tourism, (800) 382-FISH

Jeff Sundin December 2, 2022 "St. Paul Ice Fishing Show This Weekend"

Ordinarily, this would be the day that I’d encourage folks to swing into the St. Paul Ice Show and visit me over the weekend. Not this winter though, I won’t be there. No, there’s nothing wrong, I’m not sick, and my car isn’t broken, I could be there if I wanted to be, but this year, I don’t. So, I just wanted to give you a heads up not to be surprised if you stop by expecting to see me, but I’m not around.

I hope it doesn’t sound like I mean you shouldn’t stop in and visit the rest of the gang, if you can, you should. I’ve just decided to free up a little extra time this winter and stay closer to home where I can pursue more ordinary things. In fact, today I’m gonna use some of my newfound free time to take an ice tour in the Winnie region. Now that the temperatures are more moderate and the wind has stopped blowing, it might be a good day to find out what the ice looks like and how long it will be before we can get out on some of the lakes in the neighborhood. Watch for updates. — Jeff Sundin 218-245-9858 or EMAIL

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