I agree with others on people, trash, and the general increasing trend of disrespect towards others. Maybe I’m the only one with this other annoyance and it is unique to me. This applies to open water also.

That is the smell of fabric softener, particularly Bounce, wafting across the air across the lake. Last year, my first out for the season, on early ice, had the trifecta. Went out with no one else around. Had a large noisy group drill holes cmpletely around me within 10 feet. They “fished” while their kids played hockey directly through where I was fishing. A portable fish house nearby set up and blared music loudly, and the strong smell of Bounce replaced the usual light pine scent. Prompted a move but could not escape the loud music or smell in the area I wanted to fish.

It is looking like the ice will not be off of many lakes in central to northern Minnesota for the opener. We had 6F this morning and the forecast for the upcoming week remains on the cold side. Ice on central MN lakes is very thick. When I’ve been on the ice in the last two weeks, Ion Auger is within 1/2-1 inch of not breaking through. Have not put on the extension yet but close to needing it. Plenty of ice on the lakes but many of the accesses are getting beat up as the ice thaws in the shallow areas. Recent snows have made the lakes have a layer slush under the snow, on top of the ice. Unless things really warm up soon, I think many lakes will have ice well into May. The wild card is if we get significant rains, especially warm ones.

Live on the Mississippi River between Little Falls and Brainerd and this has not opened yet…unusually late. We are usually open by mid March, sometimes late Feb.

Merican Eagle,

I see you have tried bowfin…that is on my to-do list for this next year. Appears your experience was less than good. What about it was not good..flavor? texture?

My nemesis are channel catfish…there seems to be no way I can eliminate the strong algae/moss flavor from them. Size of fish does not matter. Have tried eliminating the red meat areas, fat deposits, soaking in buttermilk, and numerous other methods.

My taste preference is crappies/sunfish first, perch, pike, walleyes. Rainbows rank high if smoked.