Locating fish on an unfamiliar body of ice-water

[Lost]

Where would I begin my journey? I'm mostly an evening fisherman and would have no clue where to start asking when I get to some bodies of water for ice fishing. Should I just take a lake map with me and check out the structure that's on the map and go from there?

[Matt Johnson]

Joe,

Check out this link...

Reading Hardwater

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[The Grebe]

Lost....if you are mostly an evening fisherman, that is'nt going to give you alot of time to go on the hunt.

If you are on foot, as opposed to sled, or an ATV, that decreases your chances even more because the search will take longer.

You have to find access points first and then you will only be able to reach areas that your form of locomotion allows you to....if you are on foot and you wade through 2 feet of fresh snow to a "Maybe" spot and get skunked....?

Go with the map thing for sure and until you make your bones with the Minnesota ice, buddy up, or follow the crowds. The crowds and/or communities are usually there for a reason, fishing possibilities, past or present.

Use the maps to see what is so interesting in the spot and try to duplicate it if you want to get off by yourself.

All the bits and pieces gleened from all of the above posts will serve you well...then it's just a matter of putting in the time.