"EL NINO

[the squirrel]

Did anyone see the weather last night? Not looking good...predicting 15-20 degree above average temps for the winter again here in the upper midwest with very little moisture!I guess we should be happy we have the ice we have! I think central & northern minnesota lakes will be ok but the metro on south who knows about permanant houses!!

[fiskyknut]

Sounds great to me, I'm up here on LOTW and we have 14 inches of great ice already!

Fisky

[Guest]

Yeah - I'm a little concerned about the metro. My first ice-fishing ever is supposed to be the 21st, and I'm kind of spooked by the a)warm spell and the possible snowfall this coming week. Thoughts?

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RobertC

[Swill]

Yeah the ice looks bad on a lot of metro lakes. Some are opening up again and there is lots of really dark spots. I guess I will keep bowhunting until the season ends on Dec 31st.

[Lunker]

Although im gonna be cautious, im not stopped. I went to nokomis yesterday because the ice looked grey. I talked to a guy fishing, it was black ice, and there was 5-8 inches. Im lookin forward to this weekend, and there will be less pressure because of the worries. But be safe!

[Guest]

Its warmer now then it was gun season, looks like I'll keep the bow out a little longer.

[coldasice]

Devils Lake Fishing Report

Warm temps this past week have taken a bit of a toll on the ice. Anglers are still reporting from 6-10 inches in the shallower early freeze areas and 3 1/2 to 5 inches in the deeper areas, but the warm temps are softening the ice some and stopping it from getting thicker. We urge anglers to use extreme caution, and not to drive on any parts of the lake at this time. This past week one vehicle broke through on Devils Lake and one on Cavanaugh Lake. As for fishing, anglers are reporting fairly good success on perch and walleyes. Places producing perch have been the traditionally early hot spots. Those being the south end of Black Tiger, the Woods Rutten area, Haybale Bay, East Bay along Hwy 20 south of Ed's, Creel Bay, and the area in front of the Dome house on main bay (much thinner ice here). Anglers are using Hali's, Northland forage minnows, Kastmasters, or genz worms tipped with with wax worms, spikes, or minnows. For walleyes, anglers have been working the south end of Black Tiger, Haybale Bay, the north end of Six Mile or Creel Bays, Walfords Bay, or most any place in the Flats. Good luck and good fishing.

[Matt D]

Don't wanna turn this into a DL thread, but it seems EVERY time I read a report put out by Ed's Bait Shop, all anglers are ever using is "Hali's, Northland forage minnows, Kastmasters, or genz worms tipped with ...". I think they just guess, and therefore don't know anglers (at least this one) have had their best luck with plain hooks w/minnows and Angel Eye's! LOL(:

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Best FISHES,
Matt

[coldasice]

Yeah, you are exactly right. They post the same fishing tactics every time! I guess I was trying to let readers know about ice conditions more than anything. I am really anxious to get out there, but a little nervous about the ice condiitons. How have you been doing so far? DL and LOW are my main stomping grounds.

[knoppers]

went up to ann lake in olgivie, there was 10 inches of ice on friday, rode the wheeler out, but the fishin' sucked.
was at LOTW last weekend, fishing was absolutly fantastic. limted out on walleyes and saugers all good size fish, you will catch a lot of little ones, just release them, you will catch many more. if you seen a 3/4 ton diesel out there on the ice, that was use stupid idiots. even thou there was 14 inches of ice, a truck that big and heavy was stupid to drive out, we all had wheelers sitting on the trailer at the resort.

[Pig_sticka]

there wasn't even ice on the lakes this time of year last year so what is the worry about. i have had great fishing so far and it will continue, the one thing better than ice fishing, is ice fishing when u dont need a house.

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Good luck sticking pigs this year!

[Guest]

True enough. I was in the boat on a north central Mn lake last year on December 6th.

Winter just takes its time, but be assured, it will make up for it...Maybe not this year yet, but there's a doozy comin' sometime soon.

PCG

[Matt D]

coldasice,

See my post from my last trip's outcome on the ND forum. Let's let the weather conversations continue here and take the DL discussion elsewhere. (I'm in GF too; email me @ [email protected] -- maybe we can hook up for a trip and/or exchange info. over the winter. I'm dyin' to hit LOW soon! Probably DL Sun.).