Where does everyone fish first ice? Anyone make the run to Canada early?
For me it is Mille Lacs every year. This year we are going to try to capture some of the early ice stuff on film for IDA. Bring on the ice 
I’ll be doing the same..
LOW. If I miss that it is Mille.
Mille Lacs for me also. 
If the water is high enough the absolute first ice you can get on in the cities is at the Coon Rapids Dam. Second is usually Martin Lake. I have been known to wander out when and where no one would think of it. I like to take Bob along, make him walk out first, I figure if he were to go through, I for sure would have gone down. Bob hates my logic… 
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Bob hates my logic…
I can’t say that I blame him….. 
In my neck of the woods, Fisherman’s Road or a couple places closer to Lansing for panfish. It’s usually January by the time we get enough ice to fish Walleyes.
Blue, when do the backwaters freeze up down there?
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If the water is high enough the absolute first ice you can get on in the cities is at the Coon Rapids Dam. Second is usually Martin Lake. I have been known to wander out when and where no one would think of it. I like to take Bob along, make him walk out first, I figure if he were to go through, I for sure would have gone down. Bob hates my logic…
Where I come from, you always sent the BIG guy out first, and if your big 
does not fall in, then I know I am good to go. I have not fallen through the ice in 5 years. the last time that happend was in Winona during college. Strange thing, back water of the Miss, has springs and current 
…Who’d a thunk!!!!
Flash lake by Ely it is loaded with eyes and the bite does not stay for long. its a small lake and you have to walk more than a mile to get to it. 
Some years, incertain places, we get freeze up around Thanksgiving. I can remember hunting Deer during the Doe season and walking on the ice to set up drives.
I think it was last year, we couldn’t hunt the Reno bottoms because they were froze up. That was during the Muzzleloader season. Most of that ice has current under it, so the ice doesn’t really shape up until December.
Fisherman’s Road typically is one of the first places to freeze up. It’s a big bay on Lake Onalaska with no current.
The best person to ask would be AmWatson. He’s laid off all winter so he has nothing better to do than ice fish. 
I think Wats got to test the depth of the water at Fisherman’s Road last year while ice fishing. 
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Where does everyone fish first ice? Anyone make the run to Canada early?
For me it is Mille Lacs every year. This year we are going to try to capture some of the early ice stuff on film for IDA. Bring on the ice
We need to get that date(s) squared away ASAP, buddy.
I usually fish the Mille Lacs area. But we usually hit some of the smaller lakes while we are waiting for Mille Lacs to become safe. There are some lakes in that area that have a awesome early season bite. And the best part is that we usually get out by Thankgiving at the latest. Two years ago it was the second weekend of deer hunting.
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If the water is high enough the absolute first ice you can get on in the cities is at the Coon Rapids Dam
Above or below the dam?
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We need to get that date(s) squared away ASAP, buddy.
Check your PM, I set it in stone already. Now we just neen mother nature to cooperate!
What approximate date are you guys on the ice? In central Iowa if we can be on by Dec 10, its usually a good year. If you guys are on by Tgiving, I may have to make an early season run.
My run north is to Drummond Wi. 80 percent of the time we find ice during deer season
It’s not far off 
I would love to get somewhere north to find first ice
Like Blue said, Fisherman’s Road is typically my first spot to fish around here. There is also 22, Sailboat Club, and in front of Schaeffer’s Boat Livery that has great early ice panfish action. I am sure I will be one of the first on the ice this year as usual. My goal this year is to stay on TOP of the ice 
Small lake around Crosby 
Cannot wait for the hard water season. Time to get out the short rods,house and vexlair.
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Small lake around Crosby
That mine lake I fished NW of town this winter was full of nice panfish, that must freese up early??
There little lakes near Park Rapids that have ice 2 weeks before we have ice around St. Cloud, that is another really good early ice option. I remember seeing houses out while we were deer hunting…but that was when it actually got cold in the winter 
i usually fish the bemidji area first. we usually head up for thanksgiving. there is alsmost always enought ice to head out on foot. from there the big trip of the year is at LOW. i just hope this year the water stays clear and none of the brown water that was there all year last year. it seemed pretty slow up there but we usually ended up with about 30-40 fish a day. even if the fishing is bad, the friends and the bars keep ya going from day to day! i am lucky hunting season is finally here to keep my mind occupied till hard water!
Hey Guys 
!!
First Ice…not first safe ice but first ice in normal conditions..were talking about 2″ if crystal clear ice I have been known to hit the north most part of the Ambro Slough//It can happen as early and late november but it’s more normal to have ice like this the middle of Dec.
I have pulled monster gills and craps out of 1 foot or less of water…sometimes you would think they came in sideways to get your bait
Bring on the ice mom
How many of you use your flats to get out to the mid river bottoms at first ice ? Now there is a hole other post for back water bottoms stories
See what you done you went and got me started 
Bret Clark, Dodge Boy, and myself used boats to get to a great ice spot last year. We laid into some great fishing for crappie, gills, and the odd walleye That was a blast and well worth the extra effort it took to get everything loaded in the boat and the cold ride across the river. Then we had to hike through the woods to get to the ice. I would love to do that again this year
1 foot of water. You could just reach down and grab them.
Coincidently, talking about first ice- I met a guy by the name of Brett Lessard this past weekend. And I am going to be up fishing first ice on his resort on Otukamamoan Lake with him!!! Bring on that ice!!!!!
We usually try to get in on the early ice here on Gull Lake, North Long, or Round Lake. But when shes ready it’s tough to beat Mille Lacs.
Jason Erlandson
Dave’s Sportland Bait and Tackle
http://www.sportlandbait.com
Nisswa MN
218-963-2401
Below the dam on the east side channel, or the old power plant side. No current, super shallow, but the fish run up in there. Some years they even get stuck.
My first ice experience this year will be on a slough somewhere with the dog and my shotgun. You can’t beat chasing the roosters that have been hiding in the cattails all season.
In years past first ice has always meant the shallow East side rock piles on Mille Lacs.
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Coincidently, talking about first ice- I met a guy by the name of Brett Lessard this past weekend. And I am going to be up fishing first ice on his resort on Otukamamoan Lake with him!!! Bring on that ice!!!!!
By any chance is Brett from Prairie ?
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