How was everyones ice season this year?

[IamZombie]

Slow season for me, but I managed to catch 3 new species.

Well 2 new ones, and 1 I've caught before.

New: Tulibee and Rainbow trout.

Newish: Jumbo perch. I've caught perch before, but never jumbos.

Went up to Leech lake twice with my uncle, that was also new to me.

Long day but good fishing.

We'd drive up from the metro, fished till 6 or so, then drive home in the same day.

[Ed Carlson]

Not my best season by far, complications did abound on my favorite haunts this season.

But there is some good late season ice opportunity's here in the Dakota's that may make up for it yet...I hope.

I am headed there today soon. Perch and eye's...I hope.

Also checking out an open water spot on the way that should be very close to ready to go.

[reinhard1]

my ice season was pretty much like my open water season. not enough time out on the water was the main problem. lots of yard work and family activities and some of my volunteer work went on steroids this year. while i did well on open water i had a slow year on the ice. this year more time will be spent on the water for sure open and ice. looking forward to it starting with suckers in the river. good luck.

[panfishpounder00]

my ice season......NOT DONE!.. lol! i must say its been a while since i've had just plain fun all season, small fish, keeper fish, no trophies this year, but had a blast, who knows maybe this weekend will be "the weekend" i hook into that 17" slab! had a few firsts also, had never fished any sort of ice contest, ended up fishing 3 this year, and now i'm hooked! got a chance to ice fish mille lacs and leech.

[Rippinlip]

Just flat out enjoyable, not as many fish as the last few years, but plenty of fun with teaching some newbies to the sport and enjoying our family trip to Mille Lacs as always!

Did pick up a 1-man portable this year and really liked that over the 2 man flip when I was by myself.

[BronzeBrother]

Picked up a QF 3, new auger and had some fun this year. This was my comeback year for me to get back on the ice and me and my son had a blast so it was a great ice season for me..

[JBMasterAngler]

Just wrapped up my season today! As far as the actual fishing part, it was probably my worst season since I got started ice fishing about 18 years ago I didn't get out anywhere near as many times as I had hoped/planned...and when I did get out, the fishing was terrible and/or the weather was absolutely horrible! Got skunked a record number of times! Also got rained on a record number of times (3 times)

There were some bright spots however...made it to lake of the woods for the 1st time and with that, caught my 1st sauger through the ice! Also caught my very 1st tullibee. The best highlight was being able to bring my 3 year old daughter out a few times late in the season (including lake of the woods), she had a blast every time out!

[skee0025]

Wish I could say good, but can't. I did not get the opportunity to cut hole 1. The closest I came this year was changing the line on my reel. Already looking forward to next season.

[Steve Foss]

We just finished the best season in the 9 years I've been fishing lake trout up here. Numbers were up, and so was size. What a great winter it has been!

[Great Outdoors]

Same here, averaged over one Lake Trout per trip and only fished three hours or less per time.

Good year!

[gurkster]

I fished an average of 1.5 days a week this year. I fished local lakes mostly with 2 trips to LOW. My local trips were tough, LOW was decent. I think the weather was tough on me this year. After the lakes froze, there was lots of snow, a big thaw, then refreeze, a few big snow falls, a real cold snap, etc. (my excuses ) But as always it was great to be out and I had a lot of fun doing it. I did get my share of fish too, but not as good as other years.

[laportian]

This was my winter of discontent. Lots of work related drama. The time spent out on the lakes really helped with gaining some serenity back in my life. Fished at least two days a week during the heart of the season. Once the days got longer I was out probably 4 days a week cause I could go after work. This past week I went out everyday. I fished Red, Leech, and Cass alot. I made it to Winnie a few times too. Overall a very poor season numberswise. I fished alone more this year than any other. Most of my buddies are fairweather fishermen I guess.

[amateurfishing]

Best ever!! (also my first) After reading and learning from all of you, ended up getting some 10 inch crappies & a northern, both were first evers for me! Learned enuff to hopefully take the boys next year!!

[only ice]

Its far from over for me!! Have at least 10 good days left around here. But the season so far has been good.

[Wanderer]

I thought today would be my last day on the ice but it wasn't. Waking up at 4:30 to wind slapping heavy rains against the house really stifled the enthusiasm.

I did an afternoon on Mille Lacs earlier this season and did well on tullibees. I did an afternoon on a local lake with our kids and caught a ton of little sunnies waiting for the crappies to come in. Caught several crappies but it'll be a while before I forget about the crappie that broke me off at the hole! Slabber!

We did one URL trip in a knock down, drag out blizzard that produced hundreds of walleyes for the group over two days. Phenomenally bad weather = phenomenally great fishing.

Other than that it was all about the lake trout for me. We spent nine days total between three trips north which yielded somewhere around 45-50 lakers iced - mostly between two of us. Our best started at a girthy 28 incher, 2 - 29's, 2 - 30's, and 2 - 33 inchers.

So I say it was a great year if you don't take into account all the bad weather an slush we fought through to fish. Yay, memories!

[nige]

This was my 2nd season Ice fishing. Got my 1st Walleye and Pike through the ice Cant wait for the next Ice season. Done all of my fishing in the Faribault area with a buddy who lives there.

[thatoneguy]

best winter i've ever had for walleyes, and it's not even close. I usually s

fish for perch a lot more, but this season I put together a pattern for walleyes that held up all winter, and had so much fun I just kept working it! kept enough for a few suppers, but threw most of em back for this summer.

[Desperado]

What do you mean "WAS" ?

[Stcloudangler]

Pretty lame compared to years past. Not much good to say about it, but Im on the late ice crappies now so thats a bonus.

[IamZombie]

What do you mean "WAS" ?

The "was" is maybe a bit premature for all areas of the state.

[dougger222]

Ice season was good but spent much of the season off the ice and melting them off roof tops.

The highlights were local early ice walleye fishing. 2 five pounders, and two that went six in a half. My buddy snapped off on one that at the hole looked a good 9-10 pounds.

Made it up LOW 4 times, Leech once, and Winni once.

Also found some good lakes out in WI.

Plan to get out for another week or two.

[bigbad401]

It definitely was not like past years. I got stuck in my Jeep for the first time ever (on West Rush Lake), I did not go out nearly as much because of gas prices, and did not catch as many fish when I did go. But, I got a new house (Eskimo QuickFish 3) for X-mas, tried a couple new lakes, and as always had fun being on the ice.

It may not have been as productive but it is fun no matter what.

[stealth3350]

i live in applevalley.. i bought 2011 ice castle trophy hunter... whent to lake of the woods 11 weekends in a row... anyone beet that from the cities.. lots of fun

[Slabasaurus]

This was my first year ice fishing, and unfortunately didn't even make it out on the ice until mid jan.

Success: Iced first fish of my life, and managed to ice all species of panfish that exist in the waters i fish. Did not lose anything down a hole. Registered my first ever fish in a tournament.

Shortfalls: too many large fish staring my bait down but never biting. Did not catch anything that was not classified as a "panfish" all ice season.

Goals: 2011-2012 Goals will be to build a skidhouse with a buddy to take up to my cabin, and to ice something that is not a panfish.

The past month I have been alternating between ice fishing and open water fishing on the river, which has been a blast.

[OnAFly]

With our first child this fall, I didn't expect much out of this season.

I got out maybe 10 times all year. Caught a few nice fish early. Best fish was a 3+lb bass early. I thought it was a massive crappie. Oh well, future fishing excursions will be more fun with my boy anyway