With the warm weather today, I just couldn’t resist the urge to get out on Lake Zumbro for some ice fishing. The warmth has already melted most of the snow and there is lots of standing water on the ice. The ice is still hanging in there at 2 ft. of thickness. The days of driving large vehicles out on the ice are numbered as the shoreline by the Fisherman’s Inn access is starting to show signs of opening up.
The fish are responding to the fresh influx of water by starting to move off the deep flats they were on much of the winter. I spent my time fishing no deeper than 12 FOW today, even as little as 7 FOW. Every area had fish showing on the Marcum LX-5. There was quite the mix of fish in the same areas today – gills, crappies, cats, and roughies.
I started out fishing a diamond jig tipped with spikes, but had many more lookers than biters. Decided to upsize to a mini-mite and was immediately rewarded with bigger fish. Most of the active fish were 2-4 off the bottom and willing to take a good look at the bait. Tipping the mini-mite with a spike produced more hits than without any meat.
My conclusion is that we have now moved into late season ice fishing, which can be some of the best fishing of the year! The fish on Zumbro will be on the move now and will likely settle in areas that are just off the current edges in shallower water. It was a great day to be out and really nice to have some cooperative fish. Hope you get a change to get out and enjoy some fishing soon!
Thanks for the report and pics. Sounds like a very fun day on the ice.
Thanks, Bill
I see that the water level has risen 1.5 ft. in the last few days. With all the melted snow, that will probably continue and will be another reason to be very careful near the shorelines. The ice will pull away from the shoreline in conditions like this.