Favorite ice fishing lakes

[MJR]

Just wondering what everyones favorite ice fishing lakes are and for what species.

Minnetonka for crappies, I found two huge schools of them last winter and it was really something else, the size wasn't always there but the fish were biting every time out.

Mille Lacs for perch and Walleye. Last winter we caught 18 Walleye over 25 inches, sure you have to throw almost all of them back you catch but we have some pretty cool pictures which are much more valuable than fillets.

Tip up!!

[Guest]

Lake Michigan -- harbors and marinas in the southern basin. Great brown trout with bonus steelhead, coho, and brook trout that stream fishermen would kill for.

[Steve Foss]

For big water, it's a toss-up between Upper Red and Lake of the Woods.

I guess I'd have to go with URL. If you go fairly late in the ice season you can spank some tasty whitefish in shallow in the morning, catch tip-up pike with plenty in the mid teens and some pushing 20, and snag the big crappies toward evening. And there are walleyes coming back strong and showing up all over the place. Few more years, when they open that season back up, it'll be even better.

For close to home, there's a long skinny clear deep lake called Lake Owen about an hour southeast of Superior, Wis. Had fantastic luck there with tip-ups for pike last year.

Get the tip-ups out, put the Trap II half way up to cut the wind, doze in the sun with one eye open for flags. Ahhhhhh, I can taste the fresh pike fingers already.

[dlskills]

minnewaska in glenwood there is alot of fishing to be had and the pans and the crappies are great most of the year not just on the ice. YOu can be out there in a sea of people and still be catching fish!!

------------------
Dwight Skillings
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by dlskills (edited 11-07-2002).]

[This message has been edited by dlskills (edited 11-07-2002).]

[smartguy]

Half Moon Lake just north of Brainerd.

This used to be part of the Mississippi, but as the current changed, it was eventually cut off. There is still a channel to get in from the river, but it's shallow, so only small boats can get in.

Large bass and pike are always caught out there.

[TRZ]

i find mille lacs hard to beat! walleye fishing is great, pike are huge and perch fishing is great. best part is you can nail all 3 species in some of the same spots. had several days last year when i filled out on perch and caught 20 pike and 20 walleye in the same spot.

[Bigred70]

My favorite lake to ice fish is a little pothole about 5 miles from my house. I could tell you, but you know what I'd have to do after that! It is literally EASY to catch a limit of crappies here (although also, the size isnt always there), and they bite 24/7! I love going there in the dead middle of a sunny afternoon, blast a couple holes, and be in 'em THICK! By far, the best part is the fact that I have NEVER seen anyone else fish it. That tops the cake!!

[Gissert]

Otter Tail when I am close to home. Good walleye and perch fishing

Lake of the Woods when I take a trip. One trip to the NW angle every winter for 'eyes and perch, and another one to the Sabaskong/Stevens Bay area for perch and crappies. The latter trip also includes fishing on Crow Lake for lakers, and Caliper for pike.

[Seabass77]

MJR,
I too love to hit those crappies on tonka. We need to swap locations and tricks.

- Joe

[Guest]

I'm on the same page as Bigred70, there is a little lake near me that will produce crappies like crazy the first month of ice. And like he said, the size isn't always huge but you will catch your share of fish with some occational pounders.

I'd also have to put a vote in for Mille Lacs as well. Great first ice perch and walleye action. South side towards Macs Twin Bay.

You can't go wrong with fishing the Chisago area either. Head away from the crowds at night and you'll catch you share or crappies.

Good Fishin, Matt.

[Jarrod32]

Some of the best days that I've had on the ice were on Waubay Lake in South Dakota. 'Course, I've had some dandy days on Mille Lacs, too...

[WallEYES]

POMME DE TERRE in western Minnesota.