The wait for ice fishing has begun. The lake has ice stretching as far as the eye can see from the south shore. The Rainy River has a skim of ice across it with only a few open areas left. All back bays are frozen over. A slight warm up is coming this week and weekend but colder nights will help create ice. Water temperature is 33.4 degrees Fahrenheit. Spearing for monster northern pike will begin Nov. 15th on Bostic Bay with 6″ of ice where they will be spearing. On an average year, resort fish houses get out on the main lake around Dec 10th and stay on the ice through March 31st. ATV’s and collapsible fish houses will get out a bit earlier based on when resorts who maintain ice roads feel it is safe. Use marked trails when ice roads open and don’t deviate. Walleyes and saugers are staged up nicely along south shore including Pine Island, Zippel Bay, Long Point and Rocky Point. Early ice fishing is looking to be very good and it is coming soon.
NW Angle is frozen in many areas and still some open water in neck down areas with current. Some locals who know the area well using snowmobiles for transportation to and from islands. Expectations are high as big schools of walleyes inhabited the area all the way up to freeze up.
Resorts have equipment ready and are staging fish houses which could come early this year!