Lake of the Woods, LOW Tourism January 31, 2024
"Access to the lake has been expanding and all the resorts and rental operators have either day houses or sleeper fish houses on the ice. Some continue to transport anglers to their rental fish houses; others now offer access to ice roads so there are numerous options for driving yourself. Road rules, fees and weight restrictions vary from site to site, so be sure you communicate with the resort or outfitter you are fishing with and understand their specific weight restrictions when accessing their ice roads.
Most folks who have traveled here had a great week of ice fishing on the south side of Lake of the Woods. Good reports about catching saugers, along with some nice size walleyes came from anglers fishing in several different areas. Most ice fishing on the south end of the lake happens in 28 to 34 feet of water. Walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, pike, crappies, eelpout, tullibees and sturgeon in the mix.
Jigging one line and using a live minnow on the second on a plain hook or an ice fishing jig has been effective. On the jigging line, jigging spoons with rattles and lighted lures tipped with a full minnow or piece of a minnow have been catching good fish. Colors such as gold, glow red, glow white, pink, and chartreuse, or a combo of these colors, have been good.
On the deadstick, a live minnow on a #4 or #6 plain hook, colored hook or a small ice jig. For the best results, fish about six inches to one foot above the bottom, this has been effective. When fishing with a deadstick, make sure to occasionally move the minnow, this will help attract fish and trigger more strikes.
Most ice fishing takes place on the lake, but there are still folks fishing on the Rainy River too. There are a couple of resorts that have fish houses out for rent on the Rainy River. Know ice conditions or work through a resort or outfitter for safety.
The best bite is still morning and evening with a jig and emerald shiner for walleyes and saugers.
Sturgeon fishing is a unique twist through the ice. Larger holes, heavier tackle and the thrill of catching a fish of that size through the ice is unique.
Sturgeon Season Fishing Dates
- Oct 1, 2023 to April 23, 2024 catch and release only, no sturgeon tag required.
- April 24, 2024 to May 7, 2024 anglers may harvest 1 sturgeon (must be 45 to 50 inches inclusive, or over 75 inches), per calendar year.
- May 8, 2024 to May 15, 2024, catch and release only.
- May 16, 2024 to June 30, 2024 closed to all fishing.
- July 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2024 anglers may harvest 1 sturgeon (must be 45 to 50 inches inclusive, or over 75 inches), per calendar year.
The walleyes were snapping up at the Northwest Angle this week too. Walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, eelpout, pike and some big crappies in the mix. Resorts are targeting structures in some areas and deeper mud flats in others. One day the structure is better, the next day, deep mud. Again, jigging one line and dead sticking the second line is the way to go. The fish are down there and some days, if they are finicky, they really want the deadstick still. Electronics will help see what their mood is each day.
The snowmobile trail from Four Mile Bay and Pine Island near the mouth of the Rainy River up to the NW Angle resorts is staked. Please stay on the trail for safety." — Lake of the Woods Tourism, (800) 382-FISH
Ely Area, Arrowhead Outdoors Ice Fishing Report January 31, 2024
Ice Report
Warm temps have cooled off the ice making process. Little progress was made this last week. 6 to 12 inches of ice is being reported on local lake trout lakes. 12 to 16 inches of ice is being reported on other area lakes. Thanks to warm temps, slush and water on the ice has become very common on area lakes. This issue is expected to grow as water temperatures remain in the forecast.
Fishing Report
Lake Trout - Lake trout fishing remains slow for many anglers. Many of the lakers being caught this last week, were caught with a sucker suspended just off the bottom, under a tip up. Deep flats in 30-50 feet of water have been best.
Walleye - Walleye anglers reported good fishing this last week. Best bite has mainly been after dark, in 20-25 feet of water. Rattle reels tipped with a lively minnow, like a rainbow, has been the most popular for successful anglers.
Crappies - Warmer than usual temps had many die-hard spring crappie anglers out and about checking spring crappie spots. Unfortunately, many were not greeted with traditionally good spring crappie bite, but rather slow late January bite. Deep holes, over 20 feet of water, held crappies. Active crappies hit small tungsten jigs, tipped with soft plastics. Old standbys like a crappie minnow under a bobber, was also very effective on crappies.
Stream Trout - Many anglers focused on Splake and Brook trout this last week. Anglers reported them being on the fussy side too. Lots of trout are seen coming into check out baits but rejecting them. Dead sticking a freshly salted minnow proved to be the best technique to get them to bite. Splake were mainly found in 15 to 30 feet of water while Brook trout were found in 5 feet of water or less." — Arrowhead Outdoors, 218-365-5358
Wired2Fish January 25, 2024 "Best Upgrades for an Older Fishing Boat"
"I was unbelievably blessed by the wife and family of a dear friend upon his passing a couple years ago. I’ve written about it before, but Neal Webster was like a grandaddy to me. And when he passed, his wife gave me his 2001 Triton. At the time, I was working hard to payoff a mountainous molehill of debt that I had accrued in a previous life. Which, praise God, is gone now minus what’s owed on a house and land. So I have an older boat and thought I would share how I make it fish a lot newer with the best upgrades for fishing boats.
In my earlier effort to payoff my debt, I had gotten rid of my previous newer boat. So, I had no boat of my own at the time. I believe whole heartedly that this boat now is a grace from God as is that family that I didn’t deserve, but I’m oh so thankful for. All this said, my ride has surpassed the legal ..." Learn More >> Best Upgrades for an Older Fishing Boat
More Recent Fishing Reports
Ely MN 1-31-2024 • L.O.W 1-31-2024 • Perch Report 1-29 • Barotrauma Study 1-25-24 • Bad Ice 1-13-24 • Sporting Journal • Barotrauma 01-07-24 • Fish Consumption • Forward Sonar • Panfish Workgroup • Follow on Facebook
Jeff Sundin January 29, 2024 "Home Run At The Perch Hole, or Just Another Beautiful Day?"
I may have mentioned before that whenever I hooked up with the Hippie Chick, my family got quite a bit bigger. We get to hang out with some, more than others, and that explains why you’re seeing some new faces this morning. After our day on the ice yesterday though, it wouldn’t surprise me if they become more familiar to you as time goes by.
My brother-in-law, Steve Torgeson tipped me off a while back that his granddaughter Harper, had taken more than a casual interest in fishing. She spent quite a bit of time on the lake with Steve last summer and had recently been pestering him about going ice fishing too. So, that’s how Harper, Susan’s great niece, and by extension, my great niece too, helped steer her family in the direction of Grand Rapids for her first ice fishing trip yesterday.
I wasn’t sure where I wanted to take them, and my “game plan” changed a time or two during preparation. By the time Steve showed up here with the Comnick’s, Jake, Andie, Harper and Emmy, I’d decided that perch fishing would offer the best odds of a decent first ice fishing experience. It was not a slam dunk, there were a lot of holes drilled, and we made several moves. But by the time we wrapped up, everyone agreed that the day couldn’t have been better if we’d written the script ahead of time.
Ice conditions on the lake were good, there was about 15 inches of solid ice and about 4 inches of snow on top of it. There was just enough snow to make me happy running my snowmobile and Steve’s 4-wheeler breezed through it too. There were a handful of folks driving light pickup trucks, but they were not travelling very far from the landing, and I think that was smart. The folks with pickup trucks were using them primarily to travel between shore and their own permanent ice shelters, not for exploration.
My first stop was a point that led out toward the main basin from a shallow shoreline weed bed. The fish weren’t too interested in that structure though, I don’t think we had a perch bite on the point. Further down the weedline, we started drilling holes in a pocket, the inside corner near the weeds, but not right on the weed edges. The best depth turned out to be about 12 feet, but there were fish caught in 16-, 14-, and 10-foot depths as well.
The perch were either moving on their own or were being moved by northern pike. Periods of inactivity, interrupted by spurts of action, were the story of our afternoon. When we left the lake, around 3:30 PM, there wasn’t much happening, but we had just started catching fish again, and it appeared at the time that we may have been on the verge of another spurt.
The first lure I tied on Haper’s line turned out to be the best one for the day. That was a pink-glow, 1/8-ounce Lindy Quiver Spoon and it wasn’t long before I rigged up a couple more of them. Tipped with waxworms, they were equally good as the one Harper was using. The Hippie Chick had the 2nd best luck using the Perch Talker, also tipped with waxworms, another one of our preferred lures for catching perch too. Not long before we left, I tried on a pink Glow Spoon hoping to mimic the color scheme of Harper’s Quiver Spoon, it was working too just before we left the lake.
If your standards for success are to harvest bucketfuls of perch, then you’d have been disappointed. But if a well-balanced fishing experience, nice weather, easy travel, and happy family was your goal, you’d have been happy. Some fish were larger than others, but there were some very good keepers in the mix, and we brought home 21 of them, enough to feed everybody.
I don’t want to put words in anybody else’s mouths, but yesterday, Susan shared a social page note with friends that said, “The smiles are about as bright as the sunshine today!” The photos support that notion and for me, thinking of a better way to get kids started on ice-fishing would be tricky. Now I just have to hope that our next trip is good enough to be good, compared to yesterday.
On a side note, you might recall me writing several years ago that the increased demand for battery strength to power my Helix ice fishing units had turned me into a fan of lithium batteries. Since that time, I’ve had a variety of brands and for the most part, been happy with all of them.
I knew yesterday that one of my older lithium batteries was about to go belly up. So, when we stopped at 1000 Lake Sports to get bait for our fishing trip, I asked Grant Prokop about getting a new lithium replacement battery. I expected him to offer me another Marcum, like I’d purchased there before. Yesterday though, he sold me a Norsk brand instead and told me that they’ve had good luck with them.
The battery needed to be charged before I could use it, so truthfully, it isn’t even installed in my depth finder yet, but I already like it! The minute I took the charger out of the box and saw the connector that they included in it made me smile. Their connector allows me to leave the charging port on the battery, with the Helix power cord connected. When it’s time to charge, I can simply plug in a pin type connector and walk away. This probably isn’t the only manufacturer that does this, but it is the first one for me. I don’t know why every manufacturer doesn’t do this the same way. Now I’m looking forward to using the Norsk and will let you know my thoughts once I run it through its paces.
Let me wrap it with another side note regarding the walleye bag limit which may possibly be on the agenda this spring. Comments from some fisheries folks, along with the Star and Tribune article by Tony Kennedy last week, had given me the impression that a MN DNR Fisheries driven proposal to reduce the walleye limit was imminent, and would be announced this spring. For clarification, I wrote to Minnesota’s Central Region Fisheries Manager, Brad Parsons. I asked if the specific walleye bag limit proposal would also reduce the possession limit to 4 fish, or if they may be proposing something different than that?
I’m paraphrasing, but Parson’s general response was that as of now, there MAY be a DNR proposal to change the walleye regulation, but it is not imminent. Further, Parson’s suggested could differ from the previous hard line legislative effort that would have forced anglers to accept a reduction in both the daily, and possession limits in Minnesota. This time all options, including split limits, would be on the table.
Let’s not speculate about details just yet, but proposals for statewide rule changes by DNR Fisheries are subject to much higher scrutiny. A DNR Fisheries driven proposal, offering adequate time for public input, and allowing room to discuss creative options is a lot more palatable to me than was the previous “take it or leave it” legislative effort.
Opinions vary and discussion will be interesting to say the least, but theoretically at least, everybody who wants one, can have a seat at this table and that’s a good thing! 
— Jeff Sundin 218-245-9858 or EMAIL
Wired2Fish January 29, 2024 "What I Learned Throwing a Glide Bait"
"I’ve been a devoted bass angler for as long as I can remember. Rarely targeting other species, I’ve made it a point to learn as much about bass as physically possible. While I’m far from an expert, I have learned a lot about how bass position, act and feed over the last several years. One of my favorite ways to learn about these creatures is by testing out a variety of different baits.
Recently I’ve devoted a lot of time to throwing a glide bait using forward facing sonar. I’ve been a glide bait fisherman for years, however I hadn’t used this bait in conjunction with forward facing sonar until fairly recently. Over the last several months, I’ve learned a ton about bass behavior and how they react to these giant baits. Forward facing sonar has allowed me to study how fish react to various presentations and lure sizes, and I wanted to share my findings with you all.
One of the first things I noticed throwing a glide bait using forward facing sonar was ..." Learn More >> What I Learned Throwing a Glide Bait
Jeff Sundin January 25, 2024 "Studying the Study-Able"
Well, we finally found the time, along with a compelling reason to get out on the ice. And as of Wednesday, the Hippie Chick is officially 2 crappies ahead of me for the 2024 fishing season.
Maybe you’re wondering, so, how many did you guys catch altogether yesterday? We caught 2, I mean she caught 2, and I didn’t fish. I know that doesn’t sound very good, but the fishing trip was a lot different than what we’d usually be doing together, and for us the trip was a great success!
What we were doing exactly was participating in a new fisheries research project. The MN DNR, along with Lindner Media has teamed up again to produce an expanded version of the barotrauma study that they introduced last year. Along with DNR scientists and Lindner media producers, volunteers like Susan and I took to the ice to help gather, document, and record the releases of about 125 crappies caught over a 2-day period. Today, fisheries biologists will re-capture some of the fish, and search for others using camera equipped underwater drones.
The project is ongoing, and it will take months for biologists to pour through the video recordings and compile statistics. So, any “official” results won’t be coming along for a while. Casual observations by volunteers who were there to help will likely pop up from time to time. In fact, I have a couple of observations to share with you right now.
First, I was amazed at how thin the ice still is on the Longville area lake we were fishing. We didn’t use a ruler to measure it, but I’m sure that it was less than 10 inches thick. There were a few snowmobiles out there, and the good quality, clear ice, supported them alright. But aside from those, or some of the lightweight ATVs, walking would be the only other option that I’d be comfortable with.
Second, I had an opportunity to see firsthand that having forward facing sonar does not guarantee fast and furious fishing action. There were no less than a half dozen FFS units on the ice and all of them at one time or another pointed to good numbers of fish. Repeatedly their operators would advise anglers to “move 30, 40 or 50 feet that way” to try and catch them. But the crappies were so skittish that simply walking over to them was enough to make them scatter. Over and over, I watched anglers get enough time to catch one fish, maybe two, before the schools of fish disappear from the screens of their electronics.
In my opinion, there were just as many fish caught by folks who sat still and waited for fish to move through. But I realize that every outing is different, and I did see the power of FFS in action. There’s no doubt that when the fish are biting, location and efficiency is greatly improved using advanced imaging. Having the chance to see all the major brands of FFS in action was an eye opener too. On this occasion, it was clear the Garmin units provided better coverage and accuracy than the other brands but that’s a conversation for another time.
My third observation, and maybe the most troubling one for me, is how stubborn crappies are about the depth of water they “prefer” to live in. An ideal “barotrauma study” would include fish captured from a variety of depths. There was an awful lot of effort put into locating crappies at the shallower end of the danger zone, let’s say water depths from 27 to 33 feet. Over the past couple of days, there were some fish caught in the 30 to 35 depth range, but most of the crappies showed a preference for deeper water. Fish located in 40 to 45 feet were common, 45 to 50 feet was less common, but also observed. How this impacts the study isn’t for me to figure out, but it’s obviously going to be a factor.
What I did see for myself is that a lot of those fish swam away when released, and then floated back up to the surface minutes later. Sometimes it took 3 to 5 minutes, but in some cases, there were delays of10 minutes or even longer.
We’ll get back to the barotrauma studies as new information becomes available. But in my mind, my own “casual observations” support my belief that crappies in deep water lakes are their own worst enemies. Anglers don’t force the fish into those depths, the fish go there because they want to and if we catch them there, it definitely will do harm to some portion of them. So, for me, finding fish in shallower water lakes will continue to be my master game plan. If the lakes I fish don’t have deep water, then I can never be tempted to follow fish into dangerous territory. — Jeff Sundin 218-245-9858 or EMAIL
Lake of the Woods, LOW Tourism January 24, 2024
"Subzero temperatures have the ice thickening on Lake of the Woods. Resorts and rental operators are making daily progress in the expansion the network of ice roads. Ice conditions vary based on what ice road. Some ice roads are now allowing trucks and wheelhouses. One ice road was up to 1 ton, another 3/4 ton with no wheelhouse or 1/2 ton pulling a wheelhouse. Check with each resort for outfitter for their weight restrictions on their specific ice road.
If you are driving out on an ice road, stay on the road and don't venture past the end of the road. There are still areas of ice, cracks, etc., away from the roads not fit for vehicles.
Most ice fishing on the south end of the lake is in 28 to 32 feet of water. Jigging one line and using a live minnow on the second on a plain hook or an ice fishing jig has been effective. Electronics are helpful to see how the fish are reacting to your presentations. Many resorts and bait shops rent them by the day if you don't own your own and want to give them a try.
On the jigging line, jigging spoons with rattles tipped with a full minnow or the head or tail section of a minnow is a good choice. Colors such as gold, glow red, glow white, pink, orange and chartreuse, or a combo of these colors, are effective in the stained water.
On the deadstick, a live minnow on a #4 or #6 plain hook or a small ice jig six inches - one foot off of the bottom is great for the deadstick. Jig the deadstick on occasion. If fish are passing it by, change something. Set it 2 feet off of the bottom. Try a different kind of minnow. Hook your minnow differently.
As is the case on LOW, a mixed bag, but saugers and walleyes are the most common catch. Jumbo perch, pike, crappies, eelpout, tullibees with some sturgeon also in the mix.
Most anglers fish the lake during the winter months, but there are a couple of resorts that have fish houses out for rent on the Rainy River. The best bite is still morning and evening. Using a jig and emerald shiner has been the most consistent presentation walleyes and saugers. Sturgeon fishing is a unique twist through the ice. Larger holes, heavier tackle and the thrill of catching a fish of that size through the ice is unique. Many walleye anglers on the lake and river will randomly catch sturgeon as well. Before venturing onto the river, know the ice conditions or work through a resort or outfitter for safety.
Some nice walleyes are being caught up at the Northwest Angle this week. Walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, eelpout, pike and some big crappies in the mix.
Resorts are spreading out over a variety of good fishing areas. Some resort fish houses are targeting structure whereas others are targeting the deep mud adjacent to structure. Both can be good. Again, jigging one line and deadsticking the second line is the way to go.
The snowmobile trail from Four Mile Bay and Pine Island near the mouth of the Rainy River up to the NW Angle resorts is staked. Please stay on the trail for safety." — Lake of the Woods Tourism, (800) 382-FISH
Ely Area, Arrowhead Outdoors Ice Fishing Report January 24, 2023
Ice Conditions Report
• Ice conditions have slowly improved this last week on Ely area lakes. Shallower walleye and stream trout lakes, ice thickness is being reported between 12 to 15 inches of nice clear ice. Ice conditions on lake trout lakes are now being reported between 6 to 11 inches of ice.
Ice Fishing Report
• Lake Trout - Lake trout have been unusually fussy this last week. While many anglers reported catching trout, many of them reported that lakers were reluctant to chase baits. When lakers get like this pounding the bottom can be very effective. Heavy spoons and bucktails, tipped with minnow chunks has been the best lures for this technique. Key depth has been that 30 to 50 feet of water, over flats.
Walleye - Walleye fishing has now mainly become a overnight activity. As sleeper houses continue to pop up on area lakes, overnight fishing has become very popular. Houses placed in 20 to 25 feet of water, over mud, have been doing the best. Active rainbow under a deadstick or rattle reel has been accounting for the majority of walleyes being caught now.
Stream Trout - Rainbows have been actively cruising just under the ice. Anglers have been deadsticking small jigs tipped with wax worms or salmon eggs about 3 to 6 feet under the ice. Splake fishing was good this last week too. Splake are being found deeper in 15 to 25 feet of water. Jigging spoons tipped with waxies or minnow heads, have been effective. Laying a dead sucker on the bottom has been effective for big Splake." — Arrowhead Outdoors, 218-365-5358
Ely Area, Arrowhead Outdoors Ice Fishing Report January 17, 2023
Ice Conditions Report •
Ice conditions have improved greatly on all area lakes these last few days. Ice roads continue to pop up and expand on many area lakes. Lakes with ice roads are reporting 12 to 14 inches of clear, solid ice. Ice reports from lake trout lakes went from 3 to 8 inches reported on Friday to 7 to 11 inches on Sunday. Only a matter of time before anglers start driving on these lakes. ATVs like smaller 4 wheelers and snowmobiles were common sight, on lake trout lakes, this last weekend.
Ice Fishing Report •
Lake Trout - Many Lake Trout anglers were not disappointed for Lake Trout opener. Anglers did best fishing flats in 30 to 50 feet of water. 4 Inch tubes, worked aggressively, were the most productive presentation. Sucker minnows, fished under a tip up, also accounted for it fair share of fish.
Stream trout - Rainbows, Browns, Brook Trout and Splake were all active for trout opener. All trout were caught with small jigging spoons or tungsten jigs, tipped with soft plastics or wax worms. Rainbows were found 5 to 10 feet under the ice, brookies and browns were found on shallow flats that had weeds or timber and last but not least, Splake were found near the bottom in deeper water 15 to 20 feet of water.
Walleye - Walleye fishing has been surprisingly good considering the cold snap that just moved into the Ely area. Anglers continue to find active walleyes in 20 to 25 feet of water, over mud flats. Bite windows being reported are between 4 to 6pm, then another one from 9 to 11pm. Jigging spoons tipped with a minnow head has been very effective, but a dead stick or rattle reel, set with active minnow, has been accounting the majority of walleyes being caught.
Northern Pike - It's been challenging to fish for pike this last weekend given holes freeze over fast, but pike anglers have been reporting good numbers being caught. Deep water then usual, 10 to 17 feet, has been the best. Medium to large size suckers or frozen smelt has been the baits of choice. Deeper flats near river mouths or near weedbeds have been best.
Panfish - Panfish reports have really cooled off as many panfish angler switch to stream trout now. Crappies continue to be found hanging out in deep water, but have been laying tight to the bottom. Anglers have had to work hard to get these fish to bite. Small jigs, tipped with small soft plastics or wax worms have been best." — Arrowhead Outdoors, 218-365-5358
Lake of the Woods, LOW Tourism January 17, 2024
"Some below zero and single digit temperatures arrived on the south end of Lake of the Woods this past week and the ice is thickening. In areas where ice is making progress, so are the weight limits and ability on some ice roads to use light vehicles and wheelhouses. Every ice road has their own rules and restrictions based on ice conditions, follow your resort's or outfitter's updates on social media or contact them directly.
If you are fishing with a resort, they will either allow you to drive out or they will transport you out to the fish house depending upon ice conditions and how they operate their business.
Most ice fishing on the south end of the lake is in 24 to 32 feet of water. Jigging one line and using a live minnow on the second on a plain hook or an ice fishing jig has been effective. On the jigging line, aggressive lures such as a rippin rap with rattles and vibration can be good at times. Otherwise, a jigging spoon tipped with a piece of minnow is a staple for the jigging rod.
Vary presentation until you figure out what they want. Some days, if the fish are in a negative mood, go small. Small jigging spoon with a small piece of minnow or even a wax worm. A live minnow on a #4 or #6 plain hook or ice jig six inches to one foot off of the bottom is great for the deadstick. When fish are more active, the aggressive baits, larger jigging spoon and larger minnow may be helpful. Let the fish tell you what they want by watching electronics.
Saugers and walleyes are the most common catch. As a bonus, jumbo perch, pike, eelpout, tullibees with some sturgeon in the mix.
Although most anglers fish on the big lake, there are some anglers on the Rainy River too. Ice conditions vary greatly, especially with the current of the river. For safety, fish through resorts who know the river and have areas surveyed ahead of time. The best bite has been morning and evening.
Using a jig and emerald shiner has been the goto for walleyes and saugers. Sturgeon anglers using crawlers if available or emerald shiners with heavier tackle and larger holes.
Again, work through a resort for safety and do not venture out on your own unless you are certain of ice conditions.
Up at the Northwest Angle, there's been some good fishing this week too. Walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, eelpout, pike and some big crappies in the mix.
Resorts are fishing a variety of structure and non structure. Some fish houses are set targeting goto areas either on top, on the slope or at the base of structure such as reefs, underwater points, etc. Other fish houses are placed in the deep mud adjacent to the structure. Where you are fishing often dictates what kind of fish you catch and when the best bite takes place. Both areas are having success, but in different ways.
On both ends of the lake, the one two punch of a jigging line and deadstick combined with ice fishing electronics is the way to go. Electronics can be rented by many resorts and local bait shops.
The snowmobile trail from Four Mile Bay and Pine Island near the mouth of the Rainy River up to the NW Angle resorts is staked. Please stay on the trail for safety." — Lake of the Woods Tourism, (800) 382-FISH
Reader Comments January 13, 2024 "Lake Winnie Bad Ice Not Improving"
Don Selby wrote: "Hello Jeff, Curious if you hear anyone talking about the air trapped in the ice and the impact it might have? Attached are some pictures of ice with air trapped in it that I cannot say I have ever seen 40 plus years of ice fishing and as many years of cutting spear holes.
The pictures (start with this one) from Lake Winnie, during mid-December when I helped with a Wounded Warrior spearing event. The rest are from in front of the West Winnie Campground at the end of December when the ice was at its worst and then again one week ago after new, but questionable ice had formed. I am seeing the same thing on other lakes as well.
What you will see in the mid-December picture is holes in the ice from when the water drained through, not unexpected and the ice was very soft. About 2 inches of ice was lost from mid-December to the 1st of January, and a lot of air entered the ice.
- A lot more drainage/air pockets, not just holes in the ice (looks like fans), much like spring thaw when ice turns black and honeycombs In the pictures from a week ago:
- New ice has formed - almost 2 inches holes to get flooded, freeze and expand, not what happened. December 27, 2023 • Janary 5, 2024 (1) • Janary 5, 2024 (2) • Janary 5, 2024 (3)
- The top of the ice seems to have frozen so air did not escape going up, the new layers of ice below show the air being squeezed from above and form holes in the new ice as it formed. I am not an ice expert but suspect the following:
- The ice is less dense/more buoyant and not as safe. Not as bad as ice on top with air from snow freezing, but…
- The air in the ice will add some insulation to the ice and cause it to freeze slower.
- The newest 2 inches of ice - basically at 8.5" to 10.5" on Winnie and surrounding lakes looks really suspect to me, not sure it should be added into the "total ice thickness at all".
In years past, I am someone who drives out on the ice comfortably because I have been cutting spear holes from as soon as you can get on the ice and know if it is good ice or not. This year I have very little comfort, I am not sure how the trapped air will impact weight ratings, repeated vehicle traffic - is it more likely to fracture, etc. Time will tell I guess. Regards, Don Selby”
Thank you Don for your thoughtful insights. Over the years, I've heard folks cautioning that ice, re-frozen after a thaw, was not as safe as it was befroe a thaw. I can't say though that anyone has called my attention to ice safety in the particular way you have. Your theory does make a lot of sense to me, and I'll share your thoughts with readers. It's likely that someone will add more detail, if so, we'll share that too! Thank You Again! — Jeff Sundin 218-245-9858 or EMAIL
Jeff Sundin January 12, 2024 "Viewing the View-Able or Hearing the Hear-Able"
Recently released videos like the joint Lindner Media, MN DNR barotrauma project, and the subsequent Aaron Wiebe production challenging its results served to shine a brighter light about Barotrauma. And as the topic piqued the interest of an ever-widening swath of midwestern anglers, the mainstream of outdoor media has taken a greater interest in the topic.
Bret Amundson, aside from being an amazing wildlife photographer, offers outdoor programing through his radio, video, and podcast outlets. Like me, Amundson also serves as a volunteer member of the recently formed MN DNR Technology Workgroup. So, it seems natural that he’d not only take an interest in the subject but also want to share his interest with you. Over the past several weeks, he’s interviewed just about every “insider” involved in either of those two video projects. On Wednesday, he caught up with Dave Weitzel and me.
Weitzel, MN DNR Region 2 Assistant Fisheries Manager offered technical insight into the preliminary barotrauma study that became the subject of Lindner Media’s video. I offered guidance based on whatever anecdotal evidence my years as a writer and professional angler have allowed me to accumulate. The interview is available on multiple platforms, but probably is most easily viewed on their Sporting Journal You Tube channel. Here's a link to today's interview SJR TV Week 592 >> Future Barotrauma Crappie Fishing Studies With Dave Weitzel and Jeff Sundin January 12, 2024 |
Though my association with Amundson is limited, he strikes me as fair and balanced, the sort of journalist we could use more of these days. That’s why, if you haven’t already, I hope you’ll take some time to check out the links below and view the whole series of videos. You’re bound to learn something, I think. — Jeff Sundin 218-245-9858 or EMAIL
To View Related Videos >> SJR TV | Week 590: Barotrauma Drama - Discussing "Bad Science" With Jeremy Smith | SJR TV | Week 591: Uncut Angling Talks Barotrauma Aaron Wiebe
Wired2Fish January 12, 2024 "Ice Fishing For Crappies on Small Lakes | Secrets Revealed"
"Ice fishing for crappies is an addiction for Wired2fish contributor and follow ice-head Ben Anderson. Anderson dives straight into catching as he immediately locates a mega school of slabs in the middle of a featureless basin using forward-facing sonar. He then details his process of staying on top of the fish and triggering aggressive reaction strikes using lifelike and durable soft plastic-encased jigs instead of traditional live bait.
FINDING BASIN CRAPPIES - Anderson prefers targeting winter crappies in shallow lake basins to prevent barotrauma. On this particular lake, the basin averages an ideal 16 to 17 feet deep, making the fish color-rich (abundant light), strong, and releasable. But despite being a small lake, winter crappies are still notoriously tricky to locate and stay on top of. Anderson is a forward-facing sonar practitioner and he uses it to ..." View Video and Learn More >> Ice Fishing For Crappies on Small Lakes | Secrets Revealed
Ely Area, Arrowhead Outdoors Ice Fishing Report January 10, 2023
"Excellent ice making weather has come to the Ely area and even better temps are coming! Ice roads have begun to pop up at popular accesses and permanent houses have returned to traditional fishing spots. 10 to 13 inches of clear ice is being reported just off the ice roads. Pockets of thin ice are still being reported, so if you plan on venturing off the ice roads be cautious. 4 inches of fresh snow has also caused slush to pop up in areas.
Lake trout lakes have been a different story. Handful of anglers have been out checking ice on Burntside lake and have been reporting 3 to 7 inches of clear ice out there and growing. No reports of ice conditions on Snowbank has been reported to us yet and we are waiting to hear from Snowbank Lodge. Anglers looking to fish Snowbank should call Snowbank Lodge for a current ice report. 218-365-6032
Miners Lake - Reports from Miners lake have been 8 inches of clear ice, but there are pockets of thin ice, as thin as 2 to 4inches.
Walleye fishing has settled into its classic mid January fishing. Short 2 hour window, mostly negative fish. 4 to 6 PM is your window for the most activity. Jigging spoons or ripping raps call fish in, but a suspended minnow, under a bobber accounts for the majority of bites and fish landed. Popular depths continue to be in that 18 to 23 feet of water.
Northern Pike fishermen continue to have good reports of quality size pike being landed. Sucker minnows fished in 10 to 15 feet of water, fished under a tip up, has been very effective. Flats and near river mouths has been the area to focus on for active pike.
Crappies come in, look, then drift away. Sunfish on the other hand have been more active and showing up in anglers catches. Sunfish have been mixed in with the crappies, out over deep basins. Waxies, tipped on small jigs have been hard to beat for sunnies. Jumbo perch have been active on a few area lakes. Perch up to 15 inches are being caught on walleyes spots, but mainly during the day. Minnows under a bobber has been accounting for the majority of perch caught. Mud flats in 15 to 20 feet of water has been where to look for them.
Stream Trout (inside the BWCA) - A few anglers have started to venture into the BWCA stream trout lakes looking for mainly brookies. Fishing has been a little slow, as little snow cover has shallow water brookies a little skittish. Anglers have been focusing in 5 feet of water or less, close to timber or weeds on shallow flats for brookies. Small jigs or spoons tipped with wax worms or soft plastics have been effective.
Lake Trout (inside the BWCA) - We have yet to hear reports of anyone going into lakes within the BWCA and fishing for lakers yet. With forecasted temperatures, we expect that to change soon." — Arrowhead Outdoors, 218-365-5358
Lake of the Woods, LOW Tourism January 10, 2024
"Colder temps and thickening ice has allowed resorts and outfitters to access new areas and deeper water on the south end of Lake of the Woods. Consequently, there are some excellent reports coming in from resorts and outfiiters. Anglers are catching a mixed bag of fish with walleyes and saugers the norm. In addition, jumbo perch, pike, eelpout, sturgeon, tullibees and even a muskie in the mix.
It continues to be very important to work through a resort or outfitter. There are still areas of ice that are not ready, some cracks to be avoided and generally areas to stay away from. The bottom line, ice conditions vary.
Most ice fishing on the south end of the lake is in 17 to 28 feet of water. Jigging one line and using a live minnow on the second on a plain hook or an ice fishing jig has been effective. On the jigging line, try something aggressive such as a rippin rap with rattles and vibration. Gold, blue- chrome, and pink UV firetiger are good colors. The most common jigging lure is a jigging spoon tipped with a minnow or piece of minnow. Colors working well in the stained waters of LOW. Gold, gold-glow red, gold-pink, chartreuse, glow-white or a combo of those colors.
On the deadstick, hook a live minnow just under the dorsal fin 6 inches to one foot off of the bottom. Some days, emerald shiners are helpful to catch walleyes, other days it isn't so crucial.
On the Rainy River, ice conditions vary greatly, especially with the current of the river. So, again, work through a resort for safety and do not venture out on your own. There are some walleyes, saugers and a few sturgeon still being caught. A heavier jig to match the current tipped with an emerald shiner is a good choice.
Ice fishing continues to be good for resorts up at the Northwest Angle. Good reports about walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, eelpout, pike and some big crappies in the mix.
A variety of depths are being fished. Some resorts are on shallower structure, which merits more action during the mornings and evenings. Other fish houses are set up deeper off of structure or in deeper mud which is more of a midday bite. On both ends of the lake, the one two punch of a jigging line and deadstick combined with ice fishing electronics is the way to go. Electronics can be rented by many resorts and local bait shops." — Lake of the Woods Tourism, (800) 382-FISH
Jeff Sundin January 8, 2024 "Fresh Snow Reveals More Sketchy Ice Conditions"
Snowfall in the Grand Rapids area ended early Sunday morning. In my driveway, there was about 4 inches, and by all accounts, that amount was typical around the region.
I don’t think this was enough snow to seriously retard new ice formation going forward, but it won’t help it either. The new snow cover on our lakes is deep enough to help reveal some of the open holes and areas of recently formed ice and some of the images are scary. Anglers should be on “Red Alert” when fishing lakes that have both shallow and deep-water fishing structures.
Lakes like Winnie, Leech, Pokegama, Cass and many others have relatively good ice conditions over shallow bays and shorelines. But these images of Leech Lake, photo courtesy Jerry Ecklund Photography, and Pokegama Lake, photo courtesy Rusty Eichorn, reveal the pitfalls of traveling further out, over deep water. Because the deep areas did not freeze earlier, when the shallow areas did, there are numerous areas of thin ice. Over the tops above deeper, mid lake breaks and shoreline drop-offs, there are cracks and patches of open water.
By now you’ve heard about several rescues of stranded ice anglers. Even worse, the death toll that’s racking up this winter. If you want to avoid becoming a statistic, do not venture away from areas where anglers are known to be fishing “safely”. We now have single digit low temperatures in the region, and there aren’t any daytime highs predicted to be above freezing this week. Give it another week, hope that we don’t get more snow and with luck, conditions will improve and more options will be available soon. — Jeff Sundin 218-245-9858 or EMAIL
Reader Comments January 8, 2024 "With Regard To Latest Barotrauma Articles"
On 2024-01-07 Loren Bosmans wrote: "Jeff, (I) Appreciate your thoughtful input on the issue of crappie barotrauma. I applaud the DNR/Lindner media and Uncut Angling for taking a scientific swipe at this complex topic.
It would be my hope that thoughtful anglers who spend vast amounts of time on the water, like yourself and Aaron Wiebe, could have a means of communicating with organizations that have the resources (like the DNR and Lindner media) to continue performing improved studies that will ultimately get close to the whole truth re crappie barotrauma. You're right, people tend to pluck tidbits from studies and listen only to news reports that confirm their biases - most issues have a fair amount of grey area that require careful investigation to arriveat the full story. Keep up the good work Jeff." Loren Bosmans, Avid/concerned angler
Loren, thank you for the timely comment about us, avid anglers having access to and being able to offer anecdotal, field-based observations to scientists and fisheries biologists. The fact is we already have that, at least folks in Minnesota do. The Minnesota DNR has several "technical committees" called workgroups. I happen to be a member of the MN DNR Panfish Workgroup and the recently formed MN DNR Technology Workgroup. Members of the workgroups meet to discuss issues and concerns about everything relating to the species, or the pairing of species represented by their group. DNR biologists, fisheries staff and guest speakers are available to gather information, provide technical data and provide guidance.
Membership in these workgroups is not permanent, so, periodically, the DNR announces openings. Each one of these advisory panels is set up so that there are folks representing a wide array of interests. Anybody from industry experts to novice anglers with an interest in fishing can apply and be appointed. Folks who choose not to be involved directly, still have access through members. For example, your comments this morning will be seen and heard by members of the workgroups that I serve on.
You can learn more about the workgroups, view lists of the member who serve on them and even apply to be included by following this link. >> Minnesota DNR Wokgroups Website
Jeff Sundin January 5, 2024 Barotrauma, "Responding to the Respond-ABLE"
Personal responsibility, that’s my thing, and folks who know me understand what I mean. I’m sure my kids grew weary of hearing me use the phrase “low expectation, low result” during their formative years. Folks that know me well realize too, that I never set a standard that’s higher for someone else than the one I set for myself. Still, even when I try my hardest to be responsible, I still can’t always reach the “high bar”. I realize my shortcomings and try to correct them. I like to think that my standards are set high enough so that even when I can’t score high on the curve, I at least come close.
If you don’t already know, those standards extend to the service I’ve set out to provide for you. I want you to know that before I write an article for you to read, I’ve studied, learned, and reflected on information I’m preparing to share. I try to get my facts straight, and close to being accurate, to the extent that its possible. To do that, I interact with a lot of people who are smarter than me, people whose knowledge I respect.
Disappointing to me is the number of people in our world who would bypass the pursuit of excellence. Folks who believe that they were born with more knowledge than their peers could have ever achieved. Disappointing too, is how willing some of these folks are to “share” their wealth of knowledge with us, particularly in this age of so-called “social” … whatever.
Unwelcome to some of those “social folks”, was my attempt yesterday (01-04-2024) to share accurate information about barotrauma and recent media and video information related to it. Some of it was the sort of knee jerk reaction, and offhand comments that we’ve become accustomed to. Folks who either never bothered to read the article at all, or certainly did not fully digest its content.
There were a handful of folks though who did believe that they were offering valuable commentary. Some of them are definitely worth responding to, but I don’t want to trigger another round of debate. So, instead of using the “social” platform to respond, I’m sharing a few of them here, with you. Along with the bullet points, are my “as close to factual” responses that I can offer.
Nathan James Erickson, Regarding future restrictions on advanced electronics.
“I 100% agree with Aaron Wiebe video on uncut angling! Leave it to the MN DNR to try to take this great technology and future of fishing from us.”
Nathan, over the past few years, I’ve been involved in a variety of public meetings, where the topic of advanced electronics has been discussed. Some of these meetings were sponsored by the DNR and others sponsored by private organizations. I can say that I have heard some of our fellow anglers, private citizens, expressing concern about the use of advanced electronics. It’s also true that I have heard them express their willingness to consider regulations that would restrict the use of forward-facing sonar.
But to the best of my recollection, I have never heard anyone from the MN DNR contemplate regulations that would prevent using them. In fact, at the most recent meeting of the MN DNR Technology Workgroup, the official DNR stance was that they have no intention of restrictions, bans, or regulations that would stop us from using FFS or other advanced electronincs.
Tucker Flaten, regarding my assertions that Wiebe accused MN DNR/Angling Buzz with presenting a deliberately flawed study.
“He (Wiebe) called into question study design, something anyone familiar with the scientific method should do when they review a paper or study. He didn't “ACCUSE” them of purposefully creating a flawed study. He said they allowed their bias to influence study design. That isn't necessarily a willful act.”
Tucker, I have to say that I see your point, the verbiage I used when describing Wiebe’s assertions about the DNR Study should have been better chosen. To get it right. I re-ran the video this morning, and I agree, Wiebe did not accuse the DNR of deliberately designing a flawed study.
What he actually said, beginning at 20:20 on the video timeline was this. “What we’re doing right now, in the matter of 10 minutes, is that we have just dispelled all science just like that. We are disproving billions and billions and billions of dollars of studies and the reason probably is they’re going into these studies thinking they know the answer already. They think that barotrauma is an issue, and then completely against the purpose of a scientific process, they’re trying to confirm what they already know. Where is you’re not supposed to be so biased coming into it, because if you are, you’re just gonna go out there and confirm your own bias.”
So, what I should have written might have been more like this, “Wiebe accuses the DNR of allowing pre-conceived bias to influence their testing process.”
Derek Capone, regarding my interpretation of the video.
“That's what you got out of Uncut Anglings video? The DNR and Angling Buzz video and study are highly flawed!”
Derek, I don’t think anybody, including the DNR is arguing that there were not flaws in the DNR study. That’s why, from the very beginning, DNR fisheries folks have been cautioning all of us about judging the results too quickly. Nobody has ever suggested that the results of that original study were definitive. Further, nobody has said that there wasn’t a long road ahead before all the facts about the impacts of barotrauma in freshwater fish would be revealed.
Contrast that with Wiebe’s previous proclamations that he’d disproven all science within 10 minutes. View the tape starting at 30:00 min on the timeline and hear him say it again, “All right, we got 12 successful releases for 12 fish.”
To be fair, Wiebe does provide a disclaimer, advising against fishing for crappies in deep water. But his own speculation that barotrauma elevates the chances of fish mortality flies in the face of his own statement. The question is did those 12 released fish really survive, or were they considered successfully released simply because they swam away? I don’t know that, and neither does anybody else, and that’s why more studies are needed.
Nathaniel Hoffman, along with a reply from regarding the integrity of the Uncut Angling video.
“I trust Aaron over the MN DNR any day!” Reply from Mill Bruce, “Yup me too! The whole 16 years I've bin fishing even in the river all the crappies I catch and release back I see swim off ok livescope and I'm fishing 40ft deep for river crappies.”
I am thrilled that Aaron Wiebe has the support of so many loyal fans. Getting folks involved in discussions like this one is good for the future of fishing. But one pitfall of having a large, loyal following is the responsibility that comes along with it. I don’t think many will disagree that sometimes folks read what the want to read and see what they want to see. Let me run some grossly underestimated numbers that serve as an example of what could be a problem.
The video, “Crappie Barotrauma: BAD SCIENCE Truths & Tips For Release" has received over 90,000 views on You Tube as of 1-5-2024. Let’s assume that 1/3 of those views were repeat visitors, so, (90,000 – 30,000 = 60,000). Now let’s assume that half of those views were by “bots”, fake accounts or some other irrelevant visit, (60,000 – 30,000 = 30,000). Even for a popular guy like Wiebe, 30 grand is a pretty big number. So let’s cut it in half again, this time to get rid of folks who disagreed, and others that don’t even care about crappie fishing and just watched it for fun, (30,000 – 15,000 = 15,000).
Fifteen Thousand People, if that scenario is anywhere close, watched and heard that fishing for crappies in deep water is perfectly fine. If each of them released just 12 deep water caught crappies this winter, and the survival rate is a very optimistic 11 out of 12, then 15,000 crappies would still have been trashed for no good reason.
Like I said, I am all about personal responsibility and I completely support using the free exchange of information between anglers to influence how we fish. I also completely support your right to avail yourself of the best, most advanced technology you can afford to have. My only interest is that when we do that, we make our best, most objective choices that lead to doing what’s best for the fishery and for our fellow anglers. — Jeff Sundin 218-245-9858 or EMAIL
Ely Area, Arrowhead Outdoors Ice Fishing Report January 3, 2023
Finally, some good ice making weather is here and appears to be here to stay for the foreseeable future. Lakes have added as much as 4 inches plus, since our last report. 4 wheelers and small permanent houses have returned to many area lakes. Open water still exists on the deeper lake trout lakes, but for other lakes in the Ely area, 5 to 9 inches of clear ice is being reported by anglers.
Walleye fishing continues to be a evening affair on area lakes. Anglers continue to report that the bite starts about 3:30 PM and often continues until 5 PM on Ely area lakes. Jigging spoons and deadsticking a small sucker has been very effective for anglers. Key depth remains in that 20 to 25 feet of water range, but good reports in water as shallow as 10 feet continue to come in.
Northern Pike anglers continue to report excellent fishing for large pike with tip-ups and medium sized suckers. Shallow weedy bays, river mouths and shoreline flats, have all been effective areas to find active pike.
Panfish fishing has been challenging for anglers. Clear ice and lack of snow has made panfish spooky to say the least. Any movement on the ice sends the panfish the other way. Anglers have had to work hard for bites. Small crappie minnows, deadsticked, and small jigs tipped with waxies have been effective on panfish. Panfish are being found in 25 to 32 feet of water.
BWCA Lake Trout - Unfortunately nothing but bad news here. Trout lake, Knife Lake and Basswood lake all were wide open for the 2023-2024 winter lake trout opener. This was confirmed via flyovers from the US Forest Service and current NOAA satellite images of the Arrowhead region. Reports from the Gunflint side of the BWCA were pretty much the same for lakes over there. Wide open." — Arrowhead Outdoors, 218-365-5358
Jeff Sundin January 3, 2024 "Lake Winnie Ice Fishing Pausing the Pause-Able"
"Ice fishing conditions on Lake Winnie and Cutfoot are improving but vary wildly right now. The ice survived well in shallow water bays like Tamarack Bay, Third River Flowage, and other backwater areas. Reports of ice thickness ranging from 10 to 13 inches are common, ATVs are being used to pull some of the lighter weight wheelhouses and rental shelters onto the ice.
Over the lakes deeper, mid-lake basin, ice conditions range from sketchy, to downright dangerous. There are numerous ice heaves and active cracks with open water in them. There’s also a mine field of thin, slushy patches lying under what appears to be good ice. If you didn’t see it already, Denny’s Resort offered a video from Lake Winnie that shows somebody on foot, testing the ice thickness with an ice chisel. In certain spots, the chisel breaks thin ice easily, revealing the pitfalls of traveling off road.
By now, folks are tired of waiting for winter to arrive, and that’s understandable. Made even more anxious by the arrival of cold weather, anglers “feel” like the ice should be more improved by now, but it’s a slow process and it is going to take more time before widespread travel will be possible.
By now, you’ve surely seen stories about ice rescues on both Lake of the Woods and Upper Red Lakes. Likely you’ve heard about angler fatalities too, if you don’t want to become a statistic, then please be extremely cautious. Follow the guidance of resorts and rental operators who already have gear on the ice and have already checked conditions. Venturing away, into uncharted territory is a recipe for disaster right now and will continue to be for some time." — Jeff Sundin 218-245-9858 or EMAIL
Lake of the Woods, LOW Tourism January 3, 2023
"Ice fishing continues to be good for most anglers fishing through resorts and outfitters on the south side of Lake of the Woods. The bite has slowed down a bit from its hot start, but nice fish are still coming in.
With the unseasonably warm temperatures so far this winter, ice conditions are not where they would normally be the first week of January. Consequently, more than ever, it is very important to work through a resort or outfitter. There are still areas of ice that are not ready, some cracks that are moving and generally areas to stay away from. Pay close attention to the guidelines and weight limits of each individual ice road. Most resorts offer round trip heated shuttle service to their heated fish houses that are set up and ready to fish.
Some resorts are allowing travel using your own ice transportation (snowmobile, ATV, side by side) with collapsible fish houses on their staked trails. Again, it is very important to adhere to weight restrictions, stay on the marked trails and do not venture off course. Do not travel past the end of the trail as there is still some very sketchy ice in areas.
Most ice fishing on the south end of the lake is in 17 to 23 feet of water. Jig with one line and use a deadstick in the second hole, basically a live minnow suspended 6 inches - a foot off of the bottom. Some days, the walleyes and saugers want it moving (jigging line). Other days, the walleyes and saugers prefer the deadstick (bobber line) works best.
Jigging spoons with gold and bright colors tipped with a piece of minnow head or tail is the goto for the jigging rod. On the deadstick, an ice fishing jig or plain hook with an emerald shiner or fathead minnow is the ticket.
On the Rainy River, there are a couple of local resorts offering ice fishing on the river. They are marking and closely monitoring ice conditions on their trails. Walleyes, saugers and sturgeon are the targeted species. Ice conditions vary greatly. Again, work through a resort for safety and do not venture out on your own.
Up at the NW Angle... Ice fishing is going well for resorts up at the Northwest Angle. Good reports of walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, eelpout and pike in the mix.
The one - two punch of a jigging line and deadstick is the way to go. Ice fishing electronics are very helpful in not only detecting fish, but also seeing how they are reacting to your offerings and presentation. If they are not reacting positively, change something. " — Lake of the Woods Tourism, (800) 382-FISH
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