Where should I plan this years Ice Fishing trips to.

[NAMASafetyDirector]

Lake of the woods has been a tough fishery to beat the last couple of years. Lots of diversity depending on the kind of trip you want to take. You could come up and stay at one of the resorts and let them do the hard work, you could rent a sleeper for the weekend, you could snowmobile and run and gun all over the lake including the Northwest Angle and Islands area or you could go all out and do a trip like Sportsmans Lodge or Hardwater Adventures offers and take a fully guided SnoBear trip for a few days. All depends on the budget and how serious you want to get. Anyway, just about anywhere on the lake is a good spot to go to get a good limit of eyes and some great memories!

[water_wizard]

If you’re looking for something you haven't tried (or appears to be based on the lakes you listed) How about Lake Gogebic in the UP of MI, great walleye and Jumbo Perch. Check it out its only 4.5 - 5hrs from the twin cities. Rainy Lake would be good too.

[LakeoftheWoods]

I guess If I were driveing all that way, I would rent a sleeper on Red for the night bite and sleeping and Bring a portable and hit Lake of the woods during the day.

if your coming from that far away, i'd do this, if anything just to experience more of northern MN. the lakes are merely an hour apart from each other so its real easy to do.

[FrontenacPike]

A good day on Red, is like a slow day on Lake Of The Woods. LOTW, is the best fishing i've ever experienced outside of the Boundry Waters Canoe Area.

Couldn't agree more!!!

[tip_upclyma]

Here is some insight.....if you have never ice fished Lake of the Woods...it is a NO BRAINER...only an hour past Upper Red.....and way more action (IMO).

The only thing you need to know about LOW, is just get there...the fish are EVERYWHERE...and anyone up there will tell you where you need to go to pound them.

[toughguy]

He's right. LOW is the Disneyland of icefishing. You'll have a blast.

[SkunkedAgain]

I haven't heard a word about Leech Lake. For those of us having trouble making the 7 hour trek up to LOW, is Leech and good alternative to Mille Lacs?

[cabin]

No contest, Lake of The Woods.

[jBohmer]

LOTW all the way. My uncle has a cabin in Springsteele by Warroad. We were not able to go where we wanted due to some sloppy ice but we caught fish where we did go. I thought it was good fishing but the locals that we were with were complaining if their bobbers did not go down every ten minutes. Best fishing I ever had while the locals said it was a slow couple of days of fishing. I will not pay to go anywhere else.

[Jim Hudson]

You would not be disappointed with any of the places you have mentioned!!

Just wanted to touch on Lake Superior, as you mentioned that, and that is my home body of water. For someone who is looking for multi-species action, from both cold water and warm water species, Chequamegon Bay is tough to beat. Especially early and late ice as someone could potentially catch 10 to 12 different species of fish, from the same hole through the ice. Plus, you also have the option of deep water fishing, 100FOW or deeper, for both Lake Trout and Whitefish into the Apostle Islands.

Pretty unique area, thats for sure.

Good luck!!

[deadeye]

I really have a hard time not saying LOW too. Every time I have been there it has been fantastic. I would rent a sleeper in shallow water for the evening/night and run portables in deep water during the day.

However, this year I'm going to try leech. I have done well for non target species in the past and now that the walleye population is up I think it will be a nice mixed bag type of fishing. I like getting perch, tullibies, pout, crappies, walleyes and pike in the same trip so I'm thinking leech will be my next big trip.