Looking for advice on where I can drive out or walk a very short distance. I’ve been contacted by a disabled person in the Metro are who wants to try ice fishing this weekend and learn more about how to do it, lures, etc.
I sold my fish house on Mille Lacs, so I can’t offer him that. With all the slush reports I’m not sure where to go.
I would say probably not the metro. Maybe if you are lucky there is a chance to fish early Saturday morning if tonight, tomorrow, and tomorrow night actually get somewhat cold. Sunday and Monday forecasts look horrid for ice conditions.
The amount of flooding and slush is absolutely amazing for January. I am seeing where people have tried to move snow (plow from the landing to say an underwater “hump” a quarter to half mile out) and they created massive flooding situations near fishing areas closer to access points. It would have been fine (maybe) if they knew what they were doing and it was during a time when the highs were single digits or less.
I would expand the “metro” to fairly far north and east (WI) too. I do not know about the lakes from say Maple Grove to St Cloud.
Early this week I was fooled. Snowmobile laid down a great, solid path out to an area I like to fish. Step off the path and you are in slush and water. Steps backfill with about 6″ – 8″ of water. I caught and released a very nice bass and a little hammer handle northern – jigging on holes that someone else had already abandoned that morning. They had left the lake already – I suppose tired of standing in a half foot of water. I only walked out with one rod, a couple of lures, a few dead minnows, and a set of pliers. Fished that lake for about 20 min.
that day (earlier this week) … I was scouting lakes for a brief evening fishing trip with my wife. While I caught fish on two of the three lakes (mid-day, no less) – there was no decent place found for my wife and I to fish that evening.
I suggest you go scout lakes yourself … wear insulated, knee-high rubber boots. Any pack boot with seams will likely leak.
I have seen three pickups out or driving out on lakes … where their tracks … are back-filled with water. I cannot imagine how they ever got out and that someone was that desperate to fish. I sure hope they are a bit disabled and not just lazy.
Wish I had better news for you in the metro but I don’t.
Wagner’s Bay on Lake Waconia might be an option, since that is pretty high traffic, but I haven’t been out there recently.
Though about this a little more … I believe there are a few companies or individuals that rent houses on Minnetonka and Waconia. Google them or search FB. That may be your best avenue for a successful afternoon.
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