On the ice

I was out on the ice in Park Rapids this weekend. Just checking things out. There was a solid 3 inches on lake I checked. I should clarify, this little lake is always the first lake to freeze up good and is one you can fish long before most lakes. It was really cold at night over the weekend in Park Rapids but it doesn’t look to good with the weather coming up this weekend.

Hey Scott,
I just started deer hunting up in park rapids this year on some private land with a cabin. As u know there are a lot of lakes up there and i was hoping to try a few of them out this winter. I’m located right next to Pickerel Lake, Rice Lake, and north of Potato lake. I talked to a few guys that hunt up there, but most do not fish. They all just say they heard it was good fishing.

Just curious if you know any details of any of these lakes or any surrounding them? And if you would be will to share, not necesisarily hot spots, but a few tips.

Thanks

Charlie, I have fished many of the lakes around the Park Rapids area. I have a cabin near Menahga, so I mainly fish the lakes South of Park Rapids. However, there are endless possiblities when it comes to fishing in that area. The best part is many of the lakes get very early ice. Most years I have been on the ice fishing before Thanksgiving. This year I was just out doing some testing of flasher/sonar units.

If you have interest in a particular lake or are looking to get started on a few lakes, I can give you some great winter lakes to start on.

Any word of Twin having ice?

Upper and lower were both froze over this weekend but I would not think about walking on them. The East side of Upper is the first safe ice usually but that River running through usually keeps me off them until much later. Great fishing lake though

Yep. Excellent first ice eyes

Check out the other side of the road…Monster Gills

hey Scott,

my dad live up in park rapids as well, but we live a few miles out of Osage. we often go and get the lines wet in Straight lake (dead sea) but seeing how alot of ol timers retired to that lake the fishing isn’t what it used to be. so here is a question for you, when you have fished a lake and your normal spots aren’t producing through the ice, is it a good thing to go away from the cluster of houses and set up onthe outside or join the flock.

thanks

shane

I don’t mean to hijack this, and I am sure Scott will have his own opinion…but with the advance in camera and flasher technologies, forget about the crowds, and take a look! If you see fish, fish there. It has saved me a ton of time on Mille Lacs!

well I am in kinda a perdiciment there, I don’t have the $$$ to buy an underwater camera to even look to see if I am in a good spot. mostly I just drill holes and sit there for a few hours and if I start to get bites every now and then, then I stay. if not, I pack up and move and redrill holes. I have an hand auger and pull my house around mostly either by foot or by sled.

shane

why do i live so far away…i would love to be on the ice right now. a couple more week here im hoping.
-Aaron

Little slow getting back to this thread. Straight is a great ice fishing lake. Fish Mill Pond there just off 34. That is a great spot for Crappies, Gills and Perch. Usually you have to weed through a lot of small ones to get the good ones but the action is great.

Ice fishing without a flasher is tough. I can live without my camera, but without a flasher it is tough. Certainly get away from the crowd. Think about what you are fishing and what time of year then look for spots that would look good. That is how I do it. Technology helps a lot these days. Lakemaster, has mapped just about every lake I fish, so having a GPS map is really nice. In addition, having a flasher allows you to cover a lot more water.