Seasoned beginner help!

Hey everyone, I am looking for some advise. I used to go ice fishing with my dad/uncles all the time(10-15 times a year) in WI. I recently had a falling out with them and I now live in St. Paul, MN. Since I always went with them I never really “scouted” a lake or know anything about how to find a new lake for fishing. It is a little daunting so I figured I would reach out and see what suggestions were out there. I have all the gear, I am just looking for a lake I can drive out on and catch some crappies and maybe the occasional walleye. Do I just pick a random lake nearby and hope for the best? Are all lakes open to anyone to fish on? Getting close to that 10″ mark so I wanted to start finding a place. Thanks in advance for the advice!

Welcome to IDO.
First I will say don’t be driving a vehicle on any lake in the metro right now. Still need to build some ice.
Lake finder on the DNR website can be of big help. So can searching through this forum. Lots of lakes to try.

Thanks for the response Ripjiggen. lol, I never drive on lakes until I see 3+ other vehicles out there.
I have seen lake finder/DNR websites and found some lakes nearby. But I guess I dont know what to do. Can I just get on the lake anywhere and drive anywhere on the lake(once the ice is thick enough)? I dont want to fall through obviously, but I do like exploring different spots.

Nicholaus Steiner wrote:

Thanks for the response Ripjiggen. lol, I never drive on lakes until I see 3+ other vehicles out there.
I have seen lake finder/DNR websites and found some lakes nearby. But I guess I dont know what to do. Can I just get on the lake anywhere and drive anywhere on the lake(once the ice is thick enough)? I dont want to fall through obviously, but I do like exploring different spots.

Absolutely not. Lakes have springs and bad spots. I see vehicles go in every years thinking ice is consistent. Maybe be good ice on one lake and bad on the next changes spot to spot. Always use caution

Most lakes will have an access that people are driving on from. Mostly the boat access. Once the ice is thick enough obviously not a great idea to bomb anywhere without knowledge of the lake. However you should be able to access and kind of see what the community spots are doing and then get an idea if guys are driving all over.

Go to YouTube and watch the IDO Spot on the Spot segments, they do a great job of explaining where and why they fish specific types of species and structures. As far as traveling, I always let others break trail first, and err on the side of caution. If there is a highway of tracks driving out on the lake, you can be pretty comfortable following those out. Until then I’ll be walking.

Agree with what everyone has said. Find a few lakes close to you and look at the netting reports on the DNR site. That is a start as to what species to target. Google for reports and see if there is any activity. There are a ton of lakes in the metro full of panfish and some decent crappie lakes. Walleyes can be a little harder to come by in the metro and guys are pretty tight lipped if they know of a walleye bite. The St Croix will be a good option for a mixed bag but it’s a long walk so I always wait til it’s safe for vehicle traffic.

Once you find your lakes, I’d be checking the basins for suspended crappies. I like to work the basin and set a tipup on the low or high side of a break and see if a walleye or pike swims through. Walk around and chat with some folks and likely you’ll get names of some other area lakes that are decent.

Nicholaus Steiner wrote:

Can I just get on the lake anywhere and drive anywhere on the lake(once the ice is thick enough)?

No-you can’t access a lake anywhere. Check MN DNR lake finder or MN recreational compass to find lake access (public boat landings).

And once you get on the lake, yes, you can go anywhere you want (I think only Red lake has no fishing areas) and border waters have certain restrictions as well.

Obviously, be safe when traveling on lakes you aren’t familiar with.