How far north?

[FishingPops]

Hi all,

I have a sister in law from Florida coming to Minnesota for Christmas. She/our family would like to rent a sleeper house for a couple days between Christmas and New Years. My question is, how far north do we need to go to have enough ice for sleeper rentals during this time? I know nothing is certain regarding ice.

We would like to be on a lake with a night bite so she can experience waking up to a rattle reel.

Any input is appreciated

FishingPops

[Scott K]

As you already said, you cant predict the ice! Last year I was driving on the lakes by Mankato atleast 2 weeks before you could on the lakes upnorth. Most years you can get into the bays of the bigger lakes, or onto some of the smaller lakes by this time. Mille Lacs on North would be a good bet.

[Northlander]

Red, LOW would be where I would be looking. Winni could be good also.

[riverrat56]

I would look to Red to fill your criteria for sleepers and rattle reels, but the sight of a new icefisherman pulling up a 12 lb pout at 3 in the morning might make LOW a better bet. I would also say that LOW has more consistent ice by that time.

[Sandmannd]

Red, LOW would be where I would be looking. Winni could be good also.

These would be my choices. Not only should they have ice by then, but they have some of the best fishing.

[PerchJerker]

I've driven out on Mille Lacs at Christmas in years past, but it's iffy. If you need to book in advance I'd go LOTW first, Red or Winnie second.

[Scott K]

Low is a great lake, but if your looking for a night bite, I would look elsewhere! URL, Cass, Winnie, Rainy, Vermillion, just for some of the bigger lakes.

[JigginIsLife]

I would suggest LOW, the only reason why is becuase the fish start biting when the sun is up and when the sun goes down, you can party, or go into town, or sleep. Its nice sometimes to get an eye durring the night like on leech or something, but up at LOW you get a good nights rest if you take it, and up at the crack of dawn already pullin in fish, and the fishing there has been quite consistant the last few years so that would be my suggestion.

[FishingPops]

Thanks for all the opinions so far She fished on LOW 8 years ago in a daily rental and loved it. She wants to try a sleeper this time and really wants a chance for a nightime rattle reel wake up call. I stayed on Red last year with my kids 2 times and one time they bit at night and the other time they didn't. I guess we would be leaning to Red for now.

I have never ice fished Winnie or Vermilion. Is there a night bite on either lake and do places usually have sleepers rentals out there at that time? I talked to a place on Leech Lake and they said some years the sleepers are out at that time and other years they are not so I am thinking we might have to go north more.

Thanks!

FishingPops