My idea of ice fishing is chopping open the boat ramp and fishing the river in a boat. Have not been out since Dec! 
Typical year we are getting out on Pool 2 a few times in Jan/Feb. Not this year….
-J.
i gotta believe these resorts that run plow trucks and rental houses gotta be glad the end of the season is coming to an end….. been a tough year for them i would suspect!!!!
My actual time on the ice has been one of my better years so far as far as catching fish. It’s been a few years since I was gonna actually try for walleyes and I did limit out on a good eater sizes.
As so far this year I had time to go ice fishing but also I got sick this year. Tested negative for Covid but probably another bronchitis hybrid related cold/flue thingy or could have been covid 18.1 or something or 22.2 LOL. Yeah so didn’t venture out because no need to die without even drilling the ice hole.
Probably has been my best season yet mostly I think because I just really starting to figure things out and was able to learn a lot this year. I’m 16 so this is really only my third year where I go out by myself every chance I get and am fishing 3-4 days a week. Walleye fishing has been something I have had to teach myself and its been nothing but a blast this winter.
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I only have panfish lakes in SE corner and it has been really good to good all winter except my last time out when I zeroed.
Did make it to ML for a couple nights in a rental and it was rough. 3 baby eyes all after 11 pm. I can confirm the massive 6″ perch population out there. There should be no excuse catching really skinny ones this spring with all that forage.
Nice pics guys! The best ice bite is another few weeks away. Then the boat comes out……CAN’T WAIT
Austin nice fish! stick with it. Fishing is a great life time sport. Being self taught is awesome same for me. Now with the help of these guys and gals on here learning a lot. Good Job!
This year by far has been the least that I’ve ever ice fished. It seems like if its not blowing 40MPH its well below zero. All the shush problems on the lakes I normally fish a lot has also played a roll. Add in as I age my motivation to get out there in the wind in cold is also less. So overall I’d say this year has been the worst ice fishing season I’ve had in like – Forever !!!!. Partly because of the conditions and partly on myself. I live for the week or two of ice out fishing we get each year ( Seems like this ice out window gets shorter each year ) So I’m looking forward to that still. Hopefully the end of the ice season can end on a high note and block out some of the poor year I’ve had to this point.
January was great crappie fishing for me around Mankato, but really slowed down in February. I assume it’s weather and fishing pressure related. Last weekend was great again, so hopefully the rest of the season continues that way. It has been more of a numbers year, I haven’t caught many large fishing compared to prior winters.
I’ve noticed more clipper systems back-to-back rolling through this year and many crappy weekends . For guys having a bad year, has it been because of poor weather?
This is a big factor,and it makes the bite window more narrow.Getting tired of the constantly changing winds.Would love to a several day pattern of W-SW winds.
Its been one of my best years after finding a productive area on Sakakawea. Last three trips have all produced chunky walleye limits with bonus species including catfish and burbot. Staying overnight after this cold front.
This end of the state is semi desert, hardly any snow and wicked cold fronts for good clear ice. Problem is the wind. Have had 50 mph winds once or twice every other week.
I’ve had a great ice season this year the few times I’ve been out. I unfortunately have been unable to get out much over the last month due to constant illnesses rocking my household almost every weekend, and I don’t get out much anyway due to busy family life with 3 young kids.
But It’s been nice to get into fish again. I’m coming off like a 3 year drought where it seemed I had completely lost my mojo and could barely scratch any fish anytime I went out.
I started out this season loosing an over 40″ pike (it would have been my PB had I landed it), then I had 2 amazing mornings on Vermilion around Xmas for walleyes (got multiple fish each trip). Caught an 11″ gill (my PB) when I was out with my kids on a small lake by my house. Caught a laker, 2 keeper walleyes and 6 burbot from the same hole on trout opener. Then caught 4 lakers out of a brand new random spot later in Jan which helped reinforce my strategy on how to approach that particular lake. Then I snuck out for a couple hours last weekend with my oldest to a small trout lake by my house and got numbers of rainbows, however all too small to keep.
Hoping to keep it rolling through the rest of this ice season and hopefully into open water where I’ve really been struggling the last few years.
Austin has the right idea: fish 3-4 days a week.
Been one of the best walleye ice fishing in years locally. Quite a few big girls. Biggest was 14 lbs getting a replica done had almost 22 inch girth.Mille lacs very tough due to bait fish numbers.
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Keep at it Austin. WTG 
You keep fishing and you can be broke like the rest of us. 
Had an excellent January for numbers of crappie. I have only been out 5 times this month. The first couple of trips were way slower than it had been and my desire to go kind of cratered my desire to get out when the weather was decent. Now with all the snow in this area, I wish I could have those days back. I walk out to my spot and I may be done for a while unless some other guys pack a trail for me.
I’m going to start a blog where everyone can post the latest ‘reports’ from resorts as you get on their ice road.
“Had a private party in that bay last weekend and they pulled up just about every species in the lake”
“300 yards out a group limited out on eyes just the other day”
-heard on leach quite recently
Worst walleye ice season for me by far. Same with everyone I know. Have been out 7-8 times in the metro and north a ways, and have marked less than 20 and caught two; a 24.5” and a 13”.
Crappie fishing has been just OK.
I blame a couple factors. Number one, the constant cold fronts moving through(barometric pressure has been a roller coaster all winter). Number two, the sheer amount of people out fishing. I’ve never seen anything like how it’s been the last couple years.
Haha, a guy at work spent 4 days on Mille Lacs last weekend with 6 other guys. They rented a shack and never marked a fish. Put a camera down and saw nothing. They’re first clue was when they arrived and the lady told them she had board games they could borrow!
quote=2103323]I’m going to start a blog where everyone can post the latest ‘reports’ from resorts as you get on their ice road.
“Had a private party in that bay last weekend and they pulled up just about every species in the lake”
“300 yards out a group limited out on eyes just the other day”
-heard on leach quite recently
[/quote]
Crushed it last night. Think things might be turning around. 
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Their used to be more good lakes to fish too, back in the 90s we had a string of mild winters, that lead to many small lakes that are now dead putting out nice pannies. Also Pelican near Monticello used to be a fish factory, how many people would be fishing that one on a Saturday? All those people pressure other lakes.
Good crappie bite after closing the bar last night.
Great Catch!!!!
I know what the problem is with poor fishing has nothing to do with me.
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I was out on Mille Lacs 8 weekends in a row. It started out hot but cooled fast. Lots of 17-20 inch Walleyes that were really well fed. The past few weekends were really slow but managed a few each weekend. That lake should be amazing in a few years.
I was out on Mille Lacs 8 weekends in a row. It started out hot but cooled fast. Lots of 17-20 inch Walleyes that were really well fed. The past few weekends were really slow but managed a few each weekend. That lake should be amazing in a few years.
It already is, just have to find the right fish. Those walleyes went from super skinny a couple years ago. To now every one I see is fat. They are so well fed
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