Getting through the second week of December and things are shaping up nicely. We have been busy grinding out ice checks and even flirting with a few bites. The best thing that can happen for us ice nuts is to receive cold weather and no heavy snow dumping.
According to the 10-day forecast (as of this report), both things will be part of that formula. Except, we will see more mild temperatures crawl back into play next week. The overnight temps will help stabilize and keep ice-making production.
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As of now, the big deep lakes are still working to provide safe ice. I would stay clear of said lakes for a little longer, especially areas of the lakes that are over deeper water. Per usual, the safest ice is in the confines of shallow protected bays.
During our early ice scouting missions, we have been finding ice depths anywhere from 2-8 inches depending on location. If you plan to have an early ice fishing mission, please practice all the necessary ice safety tactics. Or, better yet, give it a little bit more time. We are getting there.
Here is our report:
Lake Superior, of course, has had no fishing pressure once so ever. Always a funky time of year as we Gitch lovers are at a standstill until we have safe ice conditions. These, of course, will start way over in the areas of Ashland. I am predicting we have about 30 days until the first crack Gitch fish. Let's all do ice-making dances to boost the good ice-making karma for our beloved Lake Superior.
St. Louis River is also a no-go, with very unfavorable ice in all locations. Even the harbor areas were showing growing ice, but as of this morning, it is all gone and back to open water. The back bays on the Minnesota shorelines and Wisconsin shorelines do have some ice caps, but it is not ready for human walking traffic just yet. Let's see what this next week does. Fingers crossed.
The only safe ice spots we are finding locally are again the smaller protective bays or small acreage lakes of Northwestern Wisconsin and Northeastern Minnesota. The further north you go, the better.
This last week, we ventured up to a lake up on the Iron Range and were able to find 5-7 inches of hard, clear ice over a shallower bay. Fishing was decent during the primetime hours for a few walleyes and perch. We also were able to scrape up a couple decent roaming pike. We were fishing over 4-7 feet of water. Goes to show that you don't ever have to seek out deep water for productive fish bites.
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Baits of choice were dead sticks rigged with live chubs and simple red-hook and split shot. We also were able to scratch the spoon-jigging itch with a few bites as well, but dead sticks out-produced the "rod-in-hand" approach. It is important to be stealthy when fishing. Further meaning, take off your ice cleats or you will spook fish.
We also fished a small local water in Douglas County. In this small couple hundred-acre lake, we fished over 4-6 feet of water under 5 inches of good ice. This is a common early ice spot for good set-line fishing. Using tip-ups rigged with smaller sucker minnows, we were able to pick off some fun bass and pike bites.
If you are looking for a great extended walleye bite, the big walleye factories of Upper Red Lake and Lake of the Woods are now in full swing. They are inviting customers to come up and enjoy safe ice fishing.
The Trust Project
