This week’s Ice Fishing Report brought to you by Tom Neustrom, owner of MN Fishing Connections Guide Service. If you are looking for a winter ice fishing guide, check out Northern Drift Outfitters.  Give Jeff a call at (218) 259-8893.

When I moved here a few decades ago, many angler frowned on catching, cleaning and eating yellow perch. My have times changed and now they are one of the most sought after species of fish caught and eaten, especially in the winter months. Make no mistake when the word gets out that there’s a good perch bite on lake X, anglers come by the numbers to catch them. The firm sweet meet of a yellow perch is hard to compare with and size wise if they are 8-10 inches and some to 12 inches in length, start the cooker. Many anglers in Minnesota have grown to respect perch more than they did 25-30 years ago. Folks from Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa come hundreds of miles in the winter and other times of the year to sample the perch fishing we have to offer.

Wisconsin anglers actually grew up fishing for perch on Lake Michigan, Madison Lake Chain, Lake Winnebago, Green Bay and several other lakes that lay on the Michigan/Wisconsin border. They were treated to Friday night fish fries and it was a standard family night out at restaurants, churches, and taverns. Fried to a golden brown with French fries and coleslaw on the side, it was a tradition like no other in the culinary world of eatery. Even after generations of angling the yellow perch have stood tall and continue to be sought after.

Tackle is fairly simplistic and they are not as fussy in their dietary preference. I prefer a soft tip ice rod like the St. Croix CCI32 Tungsten that gives me plenty of backbone but a tip the telegraphs even the slightest bite. It’s important that you have the finesse in mind when you are purchasing a good quality rod for perch and other panfish. Put on a Daiwa QR750 Spinning reel, with 4# test Mono or Sufix 832 Braid and you are in business. Small spoons with a minnow head, or a #3 Jigging Rap with 2 or 3 waxies can trigger the most stubborn perch into biting. I do like having a dead stick line in another hole close by with a plain hook and split shot. It can make a difference in getting bit on a slow day.

Some of the lakes to pay attention to in the Grand Rapids area are Pokegama, Jay Gould, Trout, Big Winnie, Bowstring, and Round. Each lake is different structurally but all offer the chance at a nice mess of delicious perch when you’re done for the day. As winter begins to wind down, try fishing shallow rock piles in 8-12 feet. Many times these can be hot spots before the ice comes off and perch are staging to spawn.

Just enough snow has fallen for folks to get out and enjoy all the winter activities that abound in the Grand Rapids area and Itasca County. A bit of slush formed on area lakes, but with the below zero nights of late that has frozen up in most places. Ice fishing continues to attract most of the visitors here, but there are also a multitude of things to enjoy. Most of the smaller lakes have good traveling, but because of the unseasonable winter weather we have experienced it’s  still encouraged as always to be careful and safe. Check with local bait shops and VisitGrandRapids.com to get good information on conditions.

Good mapping is an important factor in locating good areas for good opportunities to catch fish, whether its panfish or walleyes and northern pike. When coming to an area you’re not totally familiar with, stopping in to one of our local bait shops and buying a lake map of where you intend to fish is a good idea. Some electronics, like the Humminbird Helix Ice 5 or 7 have Lakemaster chips available and can minimize the areas on any specific lake that give you your best chances for success. Rock piles, weed beds, points, sunken islands, inside turns, and deep water areas are all spelled out in an easy format.

As the season progresses, panfish seem to be the species of choice in the Grand Rapids area and the lakes are multiple by the numbers for best options. Many of our lakes offer a diverse split in what you may catch and can be fun wondering exactly what is on the other end of your line. Sunfish, crappies, and yellow perch many times occupy the same areas on any given body of water and especially if you find deep weedlines or edges of rock and soft bottom can be key locations. These scrappy critters are most fond of bloodworms and other small wiggly creatures in the winter as their main forage, so paying attention to specific spots mentioned on lake maps can be worth the investment.

Lakes in the Grand Rapids area that offer multiple specie opportunities are Pokegama, Burrows, Jay Gould, Little Splithand, Little Moose, Big and Little Balsam just to mention a few. Small jigs in the 1/32 nd to 1/64^th ounce tipped with a waxie, euro larvae or soft plastic are all deadly on all different species of panfish. Once located try to keep your bait a few inches just above the fish for best results. Most species of fish feed upward because of their eye location and almost never chase baits in a downward direction. Lite 4# test mono such as Sufix Advance are good tools to fight the toughest of panfish and most often can handle a larger fish if he comes calling. We prefer to use soft tip rods when chasing panfish for the bite can be very subtle. Many rod companies offer panfish series of ice rods that can fit your pocketbook and needs.

The winter will begin to wind down in several weeks so come to Grand Rapids and enjoy some the best winter fishing and outdoor activities anywhere in Minnesota. The weekly Ice Fishing Reports are brought to you by Tom Neustrom, owner of MN Fishing Connections and professional fishing industry representative.