Lake suggestion ice fishing northern MN Feb 27th/28th

Hey! I’m heading planning an ice fishing trip with a few college buddies and my brother the last weekend of Feb (assuming by then we actually have ice!). Leaving from the twin cities area, and looking to drive no more than 4 hours. Hoping to fish Saturday, rent a sleeper fish house, and then fish Sunday before packing up.

Looking for suggestions in terms of which lake and if you have a specific outfitter in mind that you’ve had a good experience that’s be great! Looking for…
1. A lake with a night bite
2. Decent action. Mainly looking for walleye but enjoy having perch, crappie, northern, pout, etc mixed in there. No real trophy hunting.

My first thought is Leech lake, but let me know if you have any other suggestions!

Thanks!

Have you considered Webster, South Dakota? Lots of nice walleye, pike and perch and the action is usually pretty good. The bite shows down at dark, but you’ll still get some walleyes roaming throughout the night.

I would say red. I know it gets hit hard but the night bite is very good. Leach is a good idea as well.

Isn’t walleye seaason closed then in MN?

Closes on the 28th, so we’ll be off the ice the evening of the 28th.

Winnie if driving distance is deal breaker just over 4 hours depending on weather. Red is always a good choice. I would get in soon most places houses will be locking up . Even more now since the slow ice start.

Me and a couple buddies have done this every year for the past 4 years. We go a little earlier in Mid January. We hit Milacs the first year and caught a lot of fish. Just very frustrating putting them all right back down the hole. We have also done Winnie and Leach with little success. The resort at we went through at Winnie was great (I want to say Denny’s) as they had a bar on site and were very honest with us that due to a big ice heave keeping them from getting where they normally go the fishing hadn’t been that great. Any resort you go out of will do its best to get you on fish, it is obviously in their best interest. I would work through one that has some sort of alliance with a few other resorts on separate lakes to make sure you get on some fish.

http://www.walleyetrips.com

http://www.leechlakeicefishing.com/index.html

Tom Wilson guide & rentals houses on Leech. He will put you on fish and has day rentals not sure on sleepers.

I ended up booking on Leech through walker fish house rentals.
http://www.walkerfishhouserental.com/

They were able to accommodate our plan on fishing all day Sat, staying Sat overnight, and then fishing sunday but leaving late sunday night 2/28 before the season closes.

Thanks for the suggestions! I hope we do well!

Never know, if people complain enough about the late start to the ice season, they might extend the season?