PLEASE CHECK WITH LOCAL BAIT SHOPS AND RESORTS FOR UP-TO-THE-MINUTE CONDITIONS. AND, PLEASE REMEMBER THAT ICE IS NEVER CONSIDERED TOTALLY SAFE. The Department of Natural Resources reports that 4 inches of ice is the minimum thickness recommended for travel by foot. Ice safety guidelines also recommend a minimum of 5 inches of new, clear ice for snowmobiles and ATV’s, and 8-12 inches of new, clear ice for cars and small trucks. Melting and refreezing of ice makes it less stable, especially in areas with springs or current such as near lake inlets and outlets.

NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA FISHING REPORTS

Duluth
Some walleye are being caught on the St. Louis River in 9-11 feet of water. Glow-in-the-dark jigs, rattle jigs and whistler jigs are working best. And, good reports are coming from trout anglers up in the Gunflint Trail area.KabetogamaOn Lakes Kabetogama and Namakan, a few walleye anglers are having success in 30-35 foot depths using glow jigs tipped with live bait. Swedish pimples tipped with a full or partial minnow are also working well. Walleye anglers are also taking an occasional crappie or perch. Northern pike can be found at the soft bottom areas and deep weed edges using a tip-up.

Ely
There is 12-14 inches of ice covering most area lakes. One angler recently pulled three northern pike measuring over 36 inches in less then an hour from Eagle Island; all were live-released. The technique used was a large rainbow minnow in 12 feet of water. Walleye are starting to show up in the channel, just before the BWCA entry point to South Farm Lake. This is an easy walk from the Island. Use a lite line and just enough weight to get a minnow to the bottom. Anglers from Northern Lights Lodge on Bear Island Lake report great twilight crappie action in 18-22 feet of water.

International Falls
On Rainy Lake, walleye, sauger and a few northern pike are being pulled from 18-34 foot depths in the Sand Bay area. For the most fish, try a glow-in-the-dark jig tipped with a minnow. Fish metabolism diminishes in the winter, so use a very small minnow to lure the fish. The walleye bite is expected to be good all the way from American Narrows up to the Brule. Locate your favorite summer reef and drop a small jig and minnow combination to roughly 38 feet.

Grand Rapids
A few walleye are being pulled from 22 foot depths at dusk on Lake Pokegama, with glow jigs and pimples tipped with small shiners working best. Big Splithand Lake is giving up a few crappies during evening hours in 22 feet of water. Tip-ups and large chubs or sucker minnows are working well off the weed edges for northern pike.

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NORTHCENTRAL/WEST MINNESOTA FISHING REPORTS

Baudette
On Lake of the Woods, a few fish houses have been moved out 5-6 miles from shore, and are set over 32 feet of water. Anglers are having the most luck from 9:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. A mix of walleye and saugers is being reported by anglers fishing 1 foot off the bottom. Other anglers are having success in 22-26 feet of water using shiners on jigs, gem-n-eyes, and demons, with limits being taken. The Rainy River is now covered in ice shacks. The Northwest Angle and Islands area is producing fish in 24 feet of water on Swedish pimples and white leadheads. Limits of walleye and saugers, as well as quite a few jumbo perch are coming in.

Waskish
On Upper Red Lake, fishing has been excellent. There is a strong morning bite, with limits being taken between 10:00a.m.-noon. There is also a great evening bite. Northern pike are also active, with many 10- to 15-pound fish being reported. Due to an average of 28 inches of ice, extensions are becoming more necessary. The roads are plowed out about 4 miles, and off road travel is discouraged. Please be careful due to a few cracks in the ice.

Blackduck
Perch are hitting a small jig and minnow head in 20 feet of water on Blackduck Lake.

Bena
On Lake Winnibigoshish, lots of snow is hampering travel to some of the favorite spots. Snowmobiles seem to be the best mode of travel at present, but there are plowed roads from The High Banks, Denny’s, Nodak’s and Four Seasons. The edges of the deep, mid-lake structure have been best. Try a buckshot rattle spoon with a dropper for numbers of perch and walleye. A colored split-shot and northland jiggle bug tipped with a small minnow is also working well. Keep drilling until you find active fish. Other successful locations include the humps and bars, such as Moses Bar, Sugar Bar, Snag Hole Bar, and the main bar on the south end. Also try the tip of Raven’s Point, One Mile Bar south of Stoney Point, Rebel Bar on the north end, the channel off Tamarack Point, The Bowen Flats, and the tip of the Big Rockpile on the east side of the lake. A few crappies are coming in on 2- to 4-pound line with small spoons.

Walker
On Leech Lake, Walker Bay has been best for walleye action in 25-40 feet of water, especially during evening hours. Northern pike are biting in the bays, in roughly 10-14 feet of water.Park RapidsNorthern pike are hitting sucker minnows on Big Sand Lake. Walleye are active off the bottoms of Fish Hook and Big Sand lakes. Eagle and Island lakes have been best for crappies.

Detroit Lakes
The key to successful fishing has been to move away from the crowds. Little Detroit, Little Pelican, Leif, Little Cormorant, Crystal, Prairie, Floyd, Cotton, Big Toad, Bass, Round and Lida lakes have all been good for panfish. A few walleye are coming from the deepwater breaks and weedlines on rattle spoons tipped with a minnow head. Tip-ups and shiners are also taking some walleye. Big Detroit, Big Cormorant, Pelican, Lizzie, Crystal, Sallie, Lida and Big Toad lakes are the best walleye lakes at present.Battle LakeA few pike are coming from Ottertail Lake, with a 9-pound fish recently taken from Clitheral Lake. Walleye are being pulled from 30 feet of water on shiners. For perch, hit the Amore Flats on Ottertail.

Alexandria
Victoria and Geneva lakes are producing panfish in 10-12 feet of water, with some fish found suspended in deeper waters. For the most fish, try a waxworm or crappie minnow. A few walleye are being caught using shiners on Miltona and Reno lakes in 16-20 feet of water.

Starbuck
On Lake Minnewaska, perch and walleye are scattered. Lake Emily continues to produce a few walleye on fatheads and shiner minnows.

Brainerd
Gull Lake is giving up a few 12- to 15-inch walleye in 24 feet of water. Large northern pike, three over 15 pounds, were recently landed on Gull Lake. Each of these fish fell for a sucker minnow rigged on a tip-out in 14-18 feet of water. Key locations have been the large cabbage flats adjacent to deep water.

Crosslake
Lake trout can be found using large shiner minnows, on tip-ups or jigged, in 40-60 feet of water. Numbers of smaller walleye are coming in during early evening hours, along with an occasional large fish. The best approach has been a shiner or rainbow minnow, either jigged or bobber fished in 20-25 foot depths. Northern pike action remains steady along the weedlines and at the drop-offs. Crappies continue to be pulled from both the shallow and deeper waters.

Isle
On Lake Mille Lacs, ice conditions are good since the bitter cold. Walleye action has picked up, especially at the mud flats and deep gravel. A jig and fathead worked in 24-28 feet of water has been best. Also try a gem-n-eye and shiner on a set line. Northern pike can be found using large shiners or suckers in 8-12 feet of water.

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TWIN CITIES VICINITY FISHING REPORTS

St. Cloud
Northern pike are active on Pearl Lake, with a 41-inch, 14-pound fish recently reported. The best approach has been to fish 14-19 feet off the bottom using a sucker minnow or a big shiner. Sunnies are being pulled from 15-20 feet of water on waxworms and euro larvae. Crappies are hitting crappie minnows and glow jigs worked 12-15 feet down in 20 feet of water on Horseshoe Lake. Walleye action has moved into 15-17 feet of water, with golden shiners working best. Rice Lake is producing a few walleye, however the bass are stealing much of the bait.

Eden Valley
A few walleye were caught last weekend on Lake Koronis in roughly 28 feet of water. Crappie action has been best on Horseshoe and Cedar Island lakes. A few trout are coming out of Mud Lake near Clear Lake.

Annandale
Pleasant, John, French, Ramsey and Clearwater lakes are all producing numbers of crappies in the deep, 50-foot holes. Walleye are biting on Clearwater, Cedar and Sylvia lakes in 21-30 feet of water. Try a shiner or fathead for the most fish. Look to John, Maple, Henry and Indian lakes for good sunfish action.

Waconia
On Lake Waconia, 5- to 6-pound northern pike, and some up to 9-pounds are being reported. Numerous crappies and northern pike, including quite a few 1-pound fish, are being taken from the vegetation found in 11-14 feet of water.

Wayzata
On Lake Minnetonka, walleye are active near the bottom in 28-36 feet of water. Northern pike are at the outside weedlines in 18 feet of water, suspended 9-10 feet down. Try a jig and fathead for the most fish. For sunfish, try the top of the weed flats in 8-10 feet of water using a glow jig and waxworm. Crappies can be found schooled up in 35-40 feet of water, suspended off the weedlines during the evening hours.

Chisago City
Crappies are being pulled from Sunrise Lake from 3:30p.m. to dark. On Chisago Lake, between the A-frame and the Eagle’s Nest, sunfish are biting during the day, and crappies are active at night. Northern pike and a few walleye can also be found here during the evening hours. Also check out South Center Lake in front of the old Dewdrop Inn, and North Center Lake in front of Bluewater Resort for sunnies and crappies.

Stillwater
On the St. Croix River, crappies are coming from 36-40 feet of water on a crappie minnow. Many of these fish are suspended up to 12 feet off the bottom. Walleye and sauger action has been good at depths of 23-30 feet. Try a jig and minnow or jigging spoon for the most fish.

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SOUTHERN MINNESOTA FISHING REPORTS

Wabasha
On the Mississippi River, sunnies, a few crappies and some sauger are biting on the northern part of Lake Pepin. Try a minnow in 28 feet of water for the most fish. On the river, anglers are taking a few panfish from the backwaters.

Mankato
Eagle Lake is producing numbers of northern pike on medium to large shiners. A few pike are also coming from Mud Bay on Lake Washington. Walleye are hitting on German Lake in 21-25 feet of water. Loon and Eagle lakes have a consistent night bite. For panfish, hit Baker’s and Mud Bay on Washington.

Willmar
Sunnies and crappies are biting on Norway, Games and Nest lakes, as well as on North Long near Hawick. Other lakes to check out include Florida and Andrew. For walleye and perch, try Big Kandiyohi Lake. Elizabeth Lake is producing walleye in 10 feet of water or less. A few walleye also hitting on Green Lake. On Eagle Lake, a mixed bag of walleye, crappies and perch are being reported.

Montevideo
Walleye are active on the south end of Lac qui Parle. Try a shiner or fathead during afternoon and evening hours for the most fish. There is now roughly 21 inches of ice Lake Lac qui Parle.

Ortonville
Perch are biting near Kite Island in roughly 11-12 feet of water on Big Stone Lake. Long Tom Lake is producing a few walleye in 8-9 feet of water during evening hours. Also try 6 foot depths at the top of the Hwy 75 Dam on the Minnesota River for a few walleye.