Any good lakes to fish near Lutsen/Grand Marais for walleye?

[Nick H.]

My father in-law rents a place up there around the 1st of the year. I wanted to check out Caribou lake or Deer Yard lake up there. Last year I called the bait shop in Grand Marais asking for any input and he told me people don't ice fish up there in the winter time? Does anyone have any recommendations? There will only be 2 of us and we will have snowmobiles so we will be very mobile. Any help would be appreciated. PM me if you don't want to post publicly. Thanks in advance. Nick

[JBMasterAngler]

The bait shop was partially telling you the truth. Most of the ice fishing up there is for trout. For whatever reason the walleyes just disappear in the winter time on most of those lakes. White pine, clara, and christine lakes are nearby. You might be able to get into some pike/panfish there.

[Nick H.]

Thanks for the reply JB. I think we might change our lake choice and hit up one of the lakes you mentioned. They are only about a 1/2 hour drive from where we stay.