Safe ice?????

like my username states…I am new to MN. I have been looking all over for ice reports but cannot find any. I was wondering if anyone has been out or has heard anything. Any info is appreciated.

You don’t mention where you are living in the state. Location and ice go hand in hand.

Here in the SE corner, the Mississippi River backwaters between Wabasha, Mn. and Nelson, WI has people on ice but I don’t know how thick it is. [south side of the highway] If people are in this area already I am sure the area referred to as Moseman, south of Nelson about 11 miles, will have enough ice to support fishing too. Might not be too thick and a lot of the early ice anglers will venture out on ice that’s simply not ready by any safety standards. I suggest waiting until you hear reports of 4-6″ of ice on any area you feel you want to try.

DON’T go out alone;
WEAR a life jacket or have one very handy with you;
Use a spud to check the ice in front of you as you walk on young ice;
Stop in local bait shops and ask about fishing and ice reports;
Keep in mind that no ice is “safe” ice. I suggest not cutting your own trail on ice until you fully understand some of the quirks that come with ice fishing. Cold water baths are something you probably are not in need of and if you go thru, the bath is the best case scenario. Lots of people have died pushing this envelope.

im from big lake mn. i moved here from New York…so ice fishing here is allot different then it is there.

Some will push the envelope to get out and others are more patient. I’m in the latter category. I have a one week minimum rule. Unless I can verify conditions or know the people, I let every one get a week head start. This is for walking and definitely for driving!

Here’s a phrase I picked up a couple years back when I was making the jump to serious ice fishing. “In the winter we’re going to risk our life for fish we wouldn’t bother with in the summer?” Maybe I should think about that for a minute.

This year it’s even tougher, I’m super excited to get out. I have to remind myself that another week or two is still weeks ahead of when I normally get started.

Tom’s advice above is very, very good.

Duluth should be good to go by the weekend! I was out yesterday on 3″ but only in certain locations. Be smart!

Ice takes time to learn. Sight, sound and texture. I have been learning it my whole life and love to chase first ice. If you know nothing about it then wait for others to fish first or stay close to shore in shallow water.

First: No ice is “safe” ice.

Second: I’ve been down the “new to the area” path myself-talk to these guys here, do your best to talk to locals, the bait shops, even the guy at the neighborhood gas station. Many won’t exactly hand over their GPS waypoints, but we’re all fisherman and can’t help but talk fishing when given the chance. They’ll know the ice conditions for specific bodies of water, and with luck they’ll cough up a few tips on water bodies or patterns as well.
Can be tough learning a new area…but think of it as exploring and have fun with the process. Like I tell my kids, “No, we’re not lost. We’re on an adventure!”