Ice Fishing

The recent cold and snowy weather isn't bad news for everyone. Ice fishing isn't far off now with temperatures consistently in the 20s and 30s over the past week and temps expected to drop to the teens for highs over the weekend and single digits expected overnight. Glen Schmitt from Outdoor News joined me on WJON.

The one thing I have learned about early ice fishing is that some lakes are very consistent producers and others are more hit and miss.

Ice conditions are still stable on most Central Minnesota lakes despite the stretch of 50s and 60 degree weather earlier this week. Glen Schmitt from Outdoor News joined me on WJON today. He says the local ice conditions have stabilized with 30 and 40 degree temperatures for much of this week and 30s and 40s forecasted for the weekend.

Ice fishing has become a bit slushy due to the warmer weather and sunny skies in the past week. Glen Schmitt from Outdoor News joined me on WJON this week. He says this should be the last weekend to drive any type of vehicles on the ice locally with conditions changing quickly. Schmitt says we have approximately 3 feet of ice on most lakes.

This weekend is the last weekend for walleye, northern pike and bass ice fishing in Minnesota for the season. Glen Schmitt from Outdoor News joined me on WJON this week. Those seasons close at midnight Sunday. Schmitt says fishing walleye is still accepted on the border lakes up north through April 14.

An Ohio mayor's recent "data" that ice shanties draw unwanted prostitutes may be nothing more than Minnesota's biggest fish tale.

While the scene isn't necessarily supposed to be set in or implied to be Minnesota, Minnesotans familiar with ice fishing have been quick to mock some of the scene's more glaring discrepancies.

Taking the time to search for fish is part of the winter strategy. Like I said earlier, you cannot catch fish that are not there.

The windy and warm weather we saw Wednesday in the St. Cloud area wasn't helping local ice conditions thee last couple of days has improved those conditions. That according to Glen Schmitt from Outdoor News.

Many outdoor enthusiasts are finding this winter sport to be both entertaining and rewarding. The question I often get relates to the basic equipment necessary to get started.