Grand Rapids MN Ice Fishing Report | 2-28-24

grand rapids mn ice fishing

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grand rapids mn ice fishing

Grand Rapids MN Ice Fishing Report | 2-28-24

ice conditions

Ice conditions are still relatively good. Most lakes still have 10” – 15” of ice. Some cracks have opened up on many of the local lakes, so we advise being cautious when traveling across any body of water. Warmer weather will certainly begin to play a role on ice conditions in the next couple of weeks.

ice fishing report

Panfish are biting well. In some cases we have noticed fish beginning to move closer to shallow water as we get later into the ice season. The edges of weed lines near spawning areas can begin to be good this time of the year. Small tungsten jigs with plastics have been working best.
Trout fishing has been pretty slow. Some people have been using small tubes to trick finicky trout into biting to moderate success. Ice conditions have been rough on the trout lakes all season, and now with warming weather they will likely get worse. If you plan on going out for trout be very cautious.
Fisherman are also starting to see some eelpout moving up close to their spawning areas. Eelpout can usually be caught on steep break lines adjacent to deep water after dark. Most anglers experience their best success in the 20’ – 30’ range. 

Ice fishing resources

Even though it doesn’t seem that it is late ice fishing season, but in a low snow and warmer than normal temperatures, we are there. Use caution when out of the nice, and utilize the MN DNR Ice Safety Resources before you head out. Tell someone where you are going, when you expect to be back. Test the ice as you walk out. Use the MN DNR Ice Fishing Ice Thickness Guide  Ice is seldom the same thickness over a single body of water; it can be two feet thick in one place and one inch thick a few yards away.

Fishing licenses are effective from March 1 to the last day of February of the following year. A fishing license for the current 2024-25 license year is effective until Feb. 28, 2025.

The purchase price of every fishing license goes into the Game and Fish Fund, a dedicated account that can only be used for fish, wildlife, law enforcement and certain other related activities.

Grand Rapids MN Ice Fishing Report 2-21-24

Ice fishing Report

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Ice fishing Report

Grand Rapids MN Ice Fishing Report 2-21-24

Late season Ice Fishing

The weather has been pretty stable resulting in minimal gain or loss of ice in the past week.  We are still seeing 11 to 14 inches of ice in most areas.  The lakes are snow free and cleats are definitely recommended for foot travel. 
 
Bluegills and crappies seem to be willing to bite if you can get on top of a school without spooking them. Small tungsten jigs  tipped with plastics, larvae, or wax worms is the ticket.  Look for fish in the basins in 18 to 25 feet of water. 
 
Walleyes are still biting well as we near the end of the season.  20 to 28 feet of water on jigging spoons tipped with fathead minnows has been best.  
 
2024 fishing licenses are now available for purchase. Keep in mind that although your 2023 license is good through the end of February, the walleye and pike season closes February 25th.   

Book Your 2024 Fishing Trip To Grand Rapids

Now is the perfect time to book your 2024 Fishing Trip to Grand Rapids. With the warmer than normal winter, and early spring upon us bookings for Minnesota 2024 Opening Fishing have already started. Minnesota Opening Fishing is May 10, 2024. 

Now is the perfect time to book your 2024 Fishing Trip to Grand Rapids. With the warmer than normal winter, and early spring upon us bookings for Minnesota 2024 Opening Fishing have already started. Minnesota Opening Fishing is May 10, 2024.

A Minnesota fishing trip to Grand Rapids is all about making memories with friends and family. There are 1,140 lakes around Grand Rapids to catch a wide variety of fish from crappies, bluegill, sunfish, bass, walleyes, northern pike, trout and musky.

There are many overnight places to stay in the Grand Rapids, Minnesota area. You will find in town Hotels, Motels, Vacation Rentals and Bed and Breakfasts. Then there are Minnesota Resorts and Vacation Rentals that are located on beautiful area lakes. You can select the perfect place to stay that will fit your individual or group needs. Find Places To Stay in Grand Rapids.

Come make Fishing Memories in Minnesota’s nature.

Grand Rapids MN Ice Fishing Report | 2-7-24

ice fishing report

Ice Fishing Report

This week’s Grand Rapids MN Ice Fishing Report is provided by Sam Westensee and Bryce Busching. Photo Caption: Brooks Bauchman with nice winter walleye.

ICE CONDITIONS

Ice conditions seem to be holding steady on area lakes with 10 to 13 inches being the average.  Ice cleats are recommended as there is little to no snow cover on the ice. 

ICE FISHING REPORT

Panfish have been spooky over the past week. This could be due to lack of snow cover.  If you plan on chasing panfish, consider how much noise you’re making on the ice. This could make or break your success.  

The walleye bite has still been good overall.  Morning and evening hours have still been best but there are some daytime feeding windows on the overcast days.  Spoons tipped with fatheads and shiners or rainbows on the dead stick are the go to baits.  

A few decent pike are being caught on tip-ups with sucker minnows or frozen smelt.  The warm weather we have is perfect for chasing flags!

Remember that NO ICE IS SAFE ICE. During this time of late ice (we know it doesn’t seem possible that early February is late ice) it is good to test the ice as you walk out. Checking with bait shops and sporting goods stores on conditions is a good idea too.

COZY LODGING

Grand Rapids, Minnesota offers a wide variety of cozy lodging from in town Hotels, Motels, Bed and Breakfasts and Vacation Rentals. Minnesota Resorts and Vacation Rentals that are open year-round that are located on area lakes. Find Lodging HERE.

FUN PLACES TO EAT & DRINK

Once you have caught your limit, then it is time to warm up and stop at one of many locally owned restaurants, bars and grills, and craft breweries. These places are welcoming to all outdoors men and women, and families. Maybe you are looking for the best bar burger or the best made from scratch wild rice soup, or the best char broiled steak, or the place that will clean, batter and cook your fresh fish and serve family style for the fishing crew. Find Places to Eat & Drink HERE.

FUN FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY

Grand Rapids, Minnesota is the perfect place for the entire family. If your family isn’t into fishing, that is OK. There are fun places for the kids, places for your spouse to shop and get pampered, pools for the kids to swim, and family friendly places to explore. Find Family Friendly Things To Do HERE.

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ice fishing report

Grand Rapids MN Ice Fishing Report | 2-7-24

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Grand Rapids MN Ice Fishing Report 1-24-24

ice fishing report

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ice fishing report

Grand Rapids MN Ice Fishing Report 1-24-24

Ice Fishing report

We built some good ice during the last cold spell and many anglers are utilizing snowmobiles or ATV’s for travel on local lakes. There is little snow cover so travel hasn’t been an issue. With the spring-like temperatures that we are supposed to see this week, we don’t expect to build much ice in the near future.    If you have any doubts, always check ice thickness before taking any vehicle on the lake. 
 
Ordinarily, fishing can get tough in what we refer to as the “mid-winter” period.  But this winter has been anything but ordinary. Walleyes seem to be biting better with the warming temps. 18 to 25 foot structure during the evening hours has produced the best results.  Fish are biting jigging spoons tipped with a minnow head, or shiners and rainbows on dead sticks. 
 
Panfish are being found in the 15 – 25 foot basins and and can be caught on small tungsten jigs tipped with wax worms or soft plastics.   
 
Lake trout reports have been few and far between for the area, but stream trout anglers are still finding success.  9 to 12 feet of water has been best. 
Ice Fishing Safety: Make sure that you tell someone where you are going, and when you expect to be back. Also, check the ice as you go. Check with local bait shops about ice conditions, and check out the MN DNR Ice Safety guide.
Brought to you by Sam Westensee and Bryce Busching.

Warm and Cozy Lodging

You will find many warm and cozy places to stay while you are ice fishing in the Grand Rapids, MN area. There are in town Hotels, Motels and Bed and Breakfast. Then there are vacation rentals, Minnesota Resorts that are open year round that are located on frozen lakes. Whatever type of lodging that you are looking for you will find in the Grand Rapids, MN area. Find overnight lodging options HERE.

Grand Rapids MN Ice Fishing Report 1-18-24

grand rapids mn ice fishing

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grand rapids mn ice fishing

Grand Rapids MN Ice Fishing Report 1-18-24

Ice Conditions

Ice conditions are finally starting to improve now that we have received some cold weather. Most small to mid sized lakes have over 8” of ice and are ready for small motorized vehicles. Ice conditions on the larger lakes have improved greatly, however some shallow patches of ice can still be found, foot travel is recommended still on the larger bodies of water.  Especially on deep clear lakes. 

Ice fishing report

Walleye fishing has noticeably slowed down on local water. Some anglers are still having success for walleye on jigging spoons, but the deadstick bite hasn’t been great. 
 
Panfish have still been biting well, but the cold temperatures have made it more difficult to jump around outside to find roaming schools of fish. We’ve noticed the fish have been lethargic, but are still biting in the same locations they have been since early season. 
 
Trout fishing has been good for those making it out, but lake trout anglers should be especially careful as many of the lake trout waters have only froze within the last week and a half.  Stream trout fishing has been good in the shallows from 2’ – 15’. This  is a great option for anglers who want to catch trout on more trustworthy ice. 

Where to stay in grand rapids mn

Grand Rapids, Minnesota offers a wide variety of places to stay. From in town Hotels, Motels and Bed and Breakfasts that are close to the in-town trails, shops, restaurants and other things to do. Then there are open year round Minnesota Lake Resorts that are located on frozen lakes with access. And then Vacation Rentals that are located both in town and on frozen lakes. Book Your Stay Now.

Additional Resources

It is always a good idea to tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return. In a winter like this when temperature and weather conditions can change widely from one week to another, make sure to check the ice as you head out. The ice thickness and condition has varied widely on all of the northern Minnesota lakes.

MN DNR Lake Finder

MN DNR Ice Fishing Regulations

MN DNR Ice Safety Thickness Guide

MN DNR Ice Safety Guidelines

Grand Rapids MN Ice Fishing Report 1-10-24

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Grand Rapids MN Ice Fishing Report 1-10-24

Grand Rapids MN Ice Fishing by Sam Wastensee and Bryce Busching

Grand Rapids MN Ice Fishing Report
A splake (a cross between a brook trout and a lake trout) caught on a lake in the Grand Rapids, MN area.

Ice on small to mid size lakes seems to be holding steady in the 9” to 12” range.   We are starting to see some snowmobile and ATV traffic on some of these lakes.  Most larger lakes are in the 6” to 10” range. Uniformity is still a lingering issue, especially on the deeper bodies of water.  Use caution as there are spots that are newly iced over within the past week or so.   With winter trout season opening this weekend, keep in mind that deeper water is typically the last to freeze and may be unstable. Make sure to continually check ice thickness on your way out and have ice picks handy in case of emergency.  

Panfish reports have been good overall.  Small tungsten jigs or spoons, tipped with wax worms or plastics have been working well.   Weed edges and deeper basins are both still producing. 
 
The walleye bite has slowed a bit as we ease into mid-winter , but some fish are still being caught in the morning and evening hours. Jigging spoons tipped with fathead minnows or shiners on a dead stick have been best. 
 
More about Splake: The DNR stocks stream trout and lake trout in select bodies of water. Most stream trout are caught in 3 to 20 feet of water with splake and brook trout preferring the shallower end. Lake trout use structure usually within the 30 to 70 foot range and sometimes deeper.
 
Grand Rapids MN Ice Fishing Report
Sam Westensee
Grand Rapids MN Ice Fishing Report
Bryce Busching

 

Grand Rapids Ice Fishing Report 1-3-24

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grand rapids mn ice fishing report

Grand Rapids Ice Fishing Report 1-3-24

Grand rapids Ice Fishing Report by Sam & Bryce

This week’s Grand Rapids MN Ice Fishing Report (1-3-24) is brought to you by Sam Westensee and Bryce Busching.

Ice conditions in the area are improving slowly but uniformity is still an issue.  We are seeing 6 to 12 inches on most small to mid sized lakes and 4 to 8 inches on bigger water.  Deep clear lakes are still holding some pockets of open water.

The bite has remained strong and has even improved slightly with a little bit of added snow cover.  Walleyes have been biting best during low light periods around sunrise and sunset.  Panfish are still being found on edges of deeper basins and along weed edges. 

Remember to check the ice as you walk out, tell someone where you are going, and when you are expected to return. No ice is safe ice. And remember to use the MN DNR Ice Safety Guide.

Ice Fishing In Grand Rapids, MN

Ice fishing in Grand Rapids, MN

ice fish for panfish to trophy fish

Ice Fishing For Panfish

The Grand Rapids, Minnesota area has over 1,400 lakes that provide great opportunities for ice fishing. You will catch panfish to trophy fish on these lakes. Grand Rapids, Minnesota offers a wide variety of lodging options, and fun places to eat & drink. Book your Ice Fishing Trip to Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

ice fishing in grand rapids mn

For the most part panfish have been the choice of most anglers and until the ice conditions improve for mobility, accesses close to shore for foot travel seem to be best. Bluegills and crappies have been biting on small baits tipped with wax worms or euro larvae in 12-20 feet especially in and around weed beds. With less oxygen available with deep snow amounts on area lakes, it becomes important to find locations that have scattered weeds. Panfish need oxygen and food and are very good at finding both measures of existence in weeds that hold both. These are areas that consistently produce catches of both crappies and bluegills.

Lite line can be key when fishing panfish especially in clear water. 2-4 pound test mono or fluoro carbon are essentially the best choices for sometimes finicky bluegills and crappies. Because of their food choices, smaller baits in sizes 1-64th to 1/16th sizes are preferred when fishing both species. They are feeding on very small micro organisms and larvae so small is best. Very lite rods are too a necessity to detect very lit bites and pay attention to the soft rod tip on a quality ice rod. 

Some of the good area lakes to try are Big Bass in Cohasset, Rice Lake, Loon, Little Moose, and Little and Big Splithand lakes. All of the mentioned lakes have good populations crappies and bluegills. For a lake that has produced good to excellent opportunities for nice perch, give Big Jay Gould a shot. It’s one of the better perch lakes in the area.

Ice Fishing For Walleye

Walleye fishing has been good on area lakes and there has been some nice catches reported on several bodies of water. Ealy and late in the day seem to be the best times to try, but on overcast or cloudy days there seems to be a window of opportunity. Depth can vary right now depending on where you chose to fish. Big Winnie has been producing a mixed bag of walleyes and nice perch on shore line breaks and rock humps closer to shore. With the added amounts of heavy snow these are you best options until things firm up a bit.

Some lakes in the Grand Rapids area that offer good opportunities for ice fishing for walleyes: are Wabana, Pokegama, Big Splihand, Moose, and Trout Lake in Coleraine. Looking for a memorable ice fishing trip to Grand Rapids, Minnesota? Book an ice fishing guide trip with Lyle Unger (Grand Rapids Guide Service) or Jeff Johnson (Northern Drift Outfitters).

Women Like To Ice Fish Too!

Ice Fishing in Grand Rapids
Quiana enjoys ice fishing around the Grand Rapids, MN area with her fiancé Bryce.

Ice fishing is not just for the guys! Quiana Radaich enjoys to ice fish with her fiancĂ©, Bryce Bushing, and they fish every chance they get. Ice fishing is one of the winter outdoor sports that doesn’t take a ton of gear to get started. Investing in warm pair of bibs and jacket, and gloves will help make the experience much better. There are a lot of companies that are making outdoor gear for women now. Then a good rod and reel combo, some tackle, either a hand drill or an electric ice auger, and a bucket and you can start ice fishing. If you are looking to invest a little bit more money, purchase a pop-up ice house and a little portable heater and you can fish all day. The pop-up ice houses are light or portable that you can pull yourself or attach to a four-wheeler or snowmobile easily. So, guys don’t leave the girls at home! Ice fishing is the perfect couple and/or family winter outdoor activity where great memories are made. 

Places To Stay

While on your ice fishing trip to Grand Rapids, Minnesota, you are going to book your lodging prior to arrival. Being a hockey town our weekends book early. Mid-week will give you a lot more availability. If you are looking to come up on a weekend, and the in-town Hotels, Motels, and Vacation Rentals are booked, check out the Resort Cabins, and Lake Vacation Rentals. There are many Resorts that are open year round that are located on prime ice fishing lakes. Find places to stay HERE.

Eat & Drink Local

Grand Rapids, Minnesota has a wide variety of places to eat & drink. You will find several of the fast food options on the south and east end of town. Then there are the local favorites like Timberlake Lodge Restaurant, Sammy’s Pizza, Forest Lake Restaurant, Pickled Loon Saloon, Unwined Up North, Boulder Tap House, Fuji, El Potro, Cedar Creek Grille and Florio’s. Grand Rapids, Minnesota is home to two craft breweries as well: Klockow Brewing Co and Rapids Brewing Co. View all of the places to eat and drink in Grand Rapids, Minnesota HERE.

What To Do When You Are In A Winter Slump

Winter in Grand Rapids, MN

Cabin Fever Reliever

Around Ground Hog’s day, many Midwesterners fall into a winter slump. Some call it cabin fever. We have been inside for way too long! The kids are getting on each other’s nerves from feeling pent up. Even the dog is sick of being inside the same four walls. This blog article gives you tips on what to do when you are in a winter slump.

Jed Laplant Album Release Rapids Brewing Dec 19 1024x769 1 Be Entertained

Even small towns have events, live music and theater performances. A change of scenery can help you get a new perspective. Your town might have all of these ways to be entertained too, however, each community puts their own creative flare and localness to their events, highlights different musicians. The Reif Center is a state of the art performing art center that offers two theaters that both give you an up close and personal view to the entertainment. They bring Broadway performances to northern Minnesota.

Upcoming Grand Rapids, MN Winter Events:

  • Fat Forest Fourteen (Tioga Recreation Area) Feb 11
  • Northwood Pond Hockey Championship (McKinney Lake) Feb 11
  • Frozen Fairway Golf Classic (Hale Lake) Feb 25
  • Frederick Douglass: In the Shadow of Slavery (Reif Center) Feb 10
  • Simply Sinatra (Reif Center) Feb 14
  • Dragons and Mythical Beasts (Reif Center) Feb 16
  • Legally Blonde: the Broadway Musical (Reif Center) Feb 21
  • Blind Boys of Alabama (Reif Center) Feb 25
  • Weekly Live Music, Bingo, Meat Raffles, and other events that happen at fun local places to eat & drink.

View the Grand Rapids Event Calendar for the full list and details of the upcoming winter events to help you get out of the winter slump HERE.

DSC3540 1024x684 1 Winter Recreation

Grand Rapids is known as the outdoor mecca of the north. Surrounding Grand Rapids is over 1 million acres of publicly accessible forest land. There are over 1,400 area lakes perfect for ice fishing. There are over 2,000 miles of trails to fat tire bike, cross country ski, and snowmobile on. Over 13 outdoor trail clubs keep the trails well groomed and maintained. View the Trail Conditions before you arrive to know which trails will be perfect for you and your friends and family to enjoy. There are many places to recharge in Minnesota’s nature: Chippewa National Forest, Lost Forty, Scenic State Park, Avenue of the Pines Scenic Byway, Edge of the Wilderness Scenic Byway and George Washington State Forest. Getting out in the winter wonderland will help you get out of the winter slump because it gives you a fresh perspective. The American Heart Association has said that being in nature helps reduce stress. Grand Rapids, Minnesota is a charming small town that can give you an opportunity to relax, reconnect with loved ones, and recharge within Minnesota’s nature so that your perspective remains fresh.

Snowmobiling Resized 2 1024x683 1 Snowmobile Trails – There are twelve Itasca County Snowmobile Clubs that keep our 300+ miles well groomed and in prime condition to ride through tamarack bogs, under tall pine forests, and over frozen lakes. You can access these trails from in town lodging properties to access gas, fun places to eat & drink, and also connections north, south, east and west to ride to other communities. The famous Taconite Trail starts in Grand Rapids at the Itasca Fairgrounds where there is lots of parking for trucks and trailers. By riding south to Hill City, Minnesota you can access the Soo Line which runs to Wisconsin.

Cross Country Skiing – Thanks to the Northern Lights Nordic Ski Club, there is over 200KM to ski in the greater Grand Rapids, MN area. Cross country skiing is the perfect sport where all members of the family can view northern MN forest trails. Along these frozen trails you will view northernn MN wildlife like deer, owls, and other birds that remain here in the winter. Ardent Bicycle and Mt Itasca offer rentals.

Fat Tire Biking Resize 1024x683 1 Fat Tire Biking – The greater Grand Rapids, MN area has become a premiere destination for mountain biking. The Grand Rapids and Itasca Mountain Bike Association keeps Tioga Recreation Area winter trails well groomed for fat tire biking in the winter. Tioga offers over 25 miles of single track mountain bike trails that are multi-level and a skills course too. Within 100 miles you can ride 145 miles at 4 different professionally built mountain bike trails. Visit Ridge The Range for more information.

Snowshoeing resized Snowshoeing – In the Grand Rapids, MN area there is over 1 million acres of public accessible forest land that is perfect for snowshoeing. A few of our favorite places to snowshoe are: Simpson Creek and Lost Forty in the Chippewa National Forest. Tioga Recreation Area is also a great place to snowshoe. Just remember to walk flat footed to not create divots in the freshly groomed trail. And cross the trail at a 90 degree angle.

Skating, Downhill & Sledding – What would winter in northern Minnesota be without ice skating, pond hockey, downhill skiing and sledding? Mt Itasca is the perfect place to downhill ski, snowboard, snow-tube and cross country ski. They offer rental equipment on site. There are many outdoor skating rinks where you can ice skate and play pond hockey.

Find more information about winter outdoor recreation HERE.

18033122 1505950616102025 8779788604272335442 n Fun Area Attractions – For a small town, Grand Rapids has a lot of fun places to be entertained, learn about Minnesota History, and embrace stunning works of art and view performance art. Here are just a few places to note: Judy Garland & Children’s Discovery Museums Itasca County Historical Society & Escape Room, MacRostie Art Center, and The Reif Center. There are several places where you can create and learn: MacRostie Art Center, Stained Glass with Class, and the Itasca Community Education. You do not need to be a resident to participate in any of these opportunities. By viewing each of their websites, you can see upcoming classes that they offer, and most of the time you can sign-up and pay online. View Itasca Area Attractions HERE.

Rapids Brewing 3 2 1024x619 1 Fun Places to Eat & Drink and Shop! 

Grand Rapids offers a wide variety of fun places to eat & drink. From locally owned craft breweries, a wine bar and the restaurants that the locals go to. From rustic and charming to fine dining, from American fare to cultural cuisine, you will find great places to dine in greater Grand Rapids, MN. Find fun places to Eat & Drink HERE. Downtown Grand Rapids is a great place to find locally owned boutique style shops that offer one of a kind items like Minnesota art, home decor, clothing, shoes, jewelry and vintage finds. There are lots of places to shop around the greater Grand Rapids, MN area too. Find great places to shop HERE.

Cozy Lodging Winter Cozy Lodgin 1024x681 1

No matter if you are an  indoor or an outdoor person Grand Rapids has something for everyone,, and all ages. You will find a wide variety of cozy lodging places to stay overnight or for an entire week. These year-round lodging properties offer a wide range of amenities and locations. From conveniently located in town Hotels/Motels, Bed & Breakfasts, Air B&B’s to Resort Cabins and Vacation Home Rentals. The choice is yours, and you can search on https://visitgrandrapids.com based on the amenities you are looking for, date and price range through Book>Direct online booking system.  To book your stay click HERE to find the perfect place to stay to get out of the winter slump.

You can start your planning by downloading the Grand Rapids Visitor Guide. This guide offers a wide variety of seasonal articles, event highlights, things to do, places to eat & drink, and places to stay. Learn more HERE.

Ice Fishing for Trout in Grand Rapids, MN

Ice fishing for trout
Ice fishing for trout

Ice Fishing for Trout in Grand Rapids, MN

Trout Fishing by: Tom Neustrom

The winter season continues to move along and there are numerous opportunities to take advantage of. Besides the good ice fishing options there are great snowmobile trails, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing. The Grand Rapids area has many options to enjoy the seasons and winter is just one of them.

Winter angling has been tracking its normal opportunities and with the winter trout season opening, it gives anglers another species to pursue. Itasca County has numerous lakes loaded with Rainbow, Brown, Splake, and Lake Trout. A Trout Stamp is required to angle for trout which is added to your current license. Except for Lake Trout, lite tackle is most often your best option. Most trout lakes are gin clear, and trout can be pretty spooky characters and finessing them at times is critical. Four to six pound test monofilament is required and if you intend on using braided line then consider using a 3-4 foot section of fluorocarbon leader rather than straight braid. Small baits are the best option for most species of trout. Small spoons, jigs and a variety of plastics, are needed to chase trout in the winter. Live minnows are not allowed on designated trout lakes, but attaching wax worms or euro larvae are allowed. That additional taste can make a difference. Some of the small jigs to consider fishing winter trout are Northland Tackle’s Mud Bug, Tungsten Mini Smelt, Tungsten Mayfly, and Tungsten Bloodworm. Each of them have that micro appearance that are trout catchers. With the Mud Bug attach a couple wax worms and you’re in business. The Forage Minnow Fry or Forage Spoon are also good options and attach several euro larvae and you set the table.

For Lake Trout a slightly bigger offering may be the answer and spoons are the calling card. Fished in deeper water than Rainbows and Browns, a stiffer rod and eight to ten pound test will be a better choice. With somewhat large jigs like the Buck-A-Roo or Deep V Bucktail can be great options when chasing Lakers. A strip of sucker belly cut into strips can be a great bait when fishing winter Lakers. Depths of 40-80 feet on lakes that contain these bigger fish may require beefier tackle. St. Croix makes several ice rods that can handle lakers.

Some of the good lakes to try in the Grand Rapids and Itasca County area for Lake Trout are Pokegama (Sherry’s Arm), Caribou, Trout, and Bluewater. For Rainbows and Brown Trout there are several lakes that can be good choices. Kramer, Tioga Pit, Erskine, Moonshine just to mention a few. You may have to snowshoe into some of the smaller lakes for they are located in Non-Motorized areas.

Trout fishing is just another example of the multi species opportunities that exist in the Grand Rapids and surrounding areas. Stop by Thousand Lakes Sports and ask Grant, Mark, Sam or Bryce where some of the best options to catch trout and what you will need. They are a great source of information throughout the year.