Ice Fishing Report 1-13-22

Ice Fishing Guide Service- Grand Rapids, MN

Winter is here with a bit of normalcy and the cold weather and mounds of snow are not unusual for Minnesota and especially the Grand Rapids area. On a positive note, it opens the door for many outside activities. Ice fishing is just one of the activities that are available and with so many lakes and species to catch, it’s no wonder that folks seem to be coming north every weekend to try their luck. The cold fronts of late have slowed things down at times, but with warmer consistent weather look for the bite to get better.

For walleyes, many of the area lakes are turning out nice fish early and late in the day. Some of the better lakes in the area to try are Trout Lake in Coleraine, Pokegama, Wabana, Big Splithand, Big Cutfoot, Jessie, and the north end of Big Bass Lake in Cohasset. Most successful anglers are drilling several holes in the same area and fish side by side holes with an active bait like a Northland Buckshot Spoon and minnow head and the other hole with a lively shiner or chub on a plain hook with a split shot. Many times the “Dead Stick” with the plain hook and minnow will outfish a moving bait. Make sure you change your bait often to offer a lively supper. Time and time again this will put fish on the ice when all else fails. Offshore structures can be your best bet for locations, but also with mapping as offered by Lakemaster can pinpoint specific points and flats that can produce walleyes in the winter. Also, don’t discount weed beds for many times on lakes that have substantial shallow water areas that can outproduce offshore structures. Many times scattered tip-ups with 3-4 inch shiners or sucker minnows can be a presentation that can put walleyes on the ice on flats that have cabbage weed beds.  This also can attract other species that occupy the same weed beds such as nice northern pike as a bonus.

Crappies, Bluegills, and Yellow Perch have been the most fished species of choice. With the recent snow, the accumulations have made travel on lakes a bit difficult unless on plowed roads or use of snowmobiles. Also, beware of slush areas off main plowed roads with the additional snow. Some of the better lakes in the Grand Rapids area to try panfish are Little Splithand, the bays on Pokegama Lake, Jay Gould Lake, Bass Lake in Cohasset, Bowstring, and Big Cutfoot Lake. Be mobile until you find pods of active fish. You may have to drill lots of holes and then use your electronics to hole hop.

Besides the noteworthy ice fishing, there are great Ski Trails, Fat Tire Bike Trails, groomed snowmobile trails, and foot travel trails to just explore. Go to Visitgrandrapids.com for all the information you will ever need.

Grand Rapids, MN Ice Fishing Report 1-4-22

Ice Fishing Guide Service- Grand Rapids, MN

Happy New Year to all Minnesotans and come visit us in Grand Rapids all year long. The start of the 2022 year has brought us lots of snow and very cold temperatures. It is winter that Grand Rapids and all the things one can do when visiting.

Ice fishing is in full swing and with the colder weather, conditions continue to improve. Ice thickness varies from lake to lake and safety should always be implemented when out on the ice. It never hurts to call ahead and find out conditions. Any of the bait shops in the Grand Rapids area can provide you with up-to-the-minute conditions. So give them a call before venturing out on the ice.

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Walleye fishing has been good on area lakes and the best times seem to be early and late in the day. Big Winnie has been providing additional options for good size perch and nice northern pike. Now with the additional snow, travel by snowmobile or on a plowed road is the best option currently. Most of the offshore structures are giving up walleyes and nice perch mixed, but moving can be the key to finding pods of fish that want to bite. A Northland Buckshot Spoon or Coffin Spoon tipped with a minnow head is a sure-fire way to attract either species to the hole. If you drill 2 holes close together put a Dead Stick presentation in the hole you’re not jigging in with a single hook spoon or plain hook and a split shot. The “Silent Partner” approach can be the ticket at times.

Other lakes in the Grand Rapids area that are also producing walleyes are Pokegama, Big Splithand, Big Jessie, Moose, and Trout in Coleraine. The panfish bite has been decent on area lakes and especially during the midday. Small creatures that excite bluegills and crappies get active as the day goes on. Drill several holes in an area and use your electronics to locate schools of active fish. The bite may only last a few minutes and by drilling several holes you can literally “Hole Hop” and find the school again. Small tungsten jigs, tipped with a wax worm or soft plastic, in the 1/16th to 1/32nd size are great choices to use on 4# test fluorocarbon. A St. Croix Rod to SCT 30LXF is perfect for detecting those lite biters. Many lakes in the Grand Rapids area offer outstanding panfish opportunities. Little and Big Splithand, Pokegama, Big Bass in Cohasset, Bowstring, and Big Balsam just to mention a few.

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Ice fishing is not the only activity available in the winter with prime snowmobiling, cross country skiing trails, snowshoeing and even Fat Tire biking trails becoming more of an opportunity. Couple that with great restaurants, and motel and hotel accommodations, and Grand Rapids continues to be a destination for all seasons.

Grand Rapids Guide Service

Lyle Unger

To contact and check availability for a guided ice fishing trip.

Ice Fishing Report 12-21-21

Ice Fishing Guide Service- Grand Rapids, MN

Winter is always a slow process and an exciting one. In the Grand Rapids area, there is so much to do. Winter brings enjoyment with ice fishing, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and fat-tire biking. Come ice fish and explore the hundreds of miles of groomed and off-road trails. The beauty of the Grand Rapids area is that all seasons make this destination one to add to your list of places to visit.

There are so many lakes to try out your ice fishing skills. If walleyes are your passion, there are countless lakes to try to catch trophy-size fish. When the ice conditions improve, there are several lakes that can produce walleyes in the 8-9 pound class as well as eating size walleye. Big Cutfoot, Big Splithand, Deer, Pokegama, and Trout lake produce big walleye every season. Most often early in the day and the last 2 hours are some of the best times to do battle with big walleye. A lesser thought of approach is daytime weed beds that can hold the biggest of walleyes during the day, especially during low light conditions.  Tip-up fishing with a lively shiner or small sucker minnow can be just the meal they are looking for. Drill several holes along the edge of the weeds and change your tip-up position every 20-30 minutes. There may be a few pesky northern pikes that may come calling, but this can be a great presentation for catching big walleyes.

A most sought-after species that gets little attention until March and early April are the Yellow Perch that are located on nearly all our area lakes. Many anglers across the ice belt come to several of our lakes in search of the fast action of Yellow Perch. Not a very finicky fish but, they can be caught in great numbers and are an awesome species for the table. Big Winnie has had a reputation for jumbo Perch for decades and anglers from Wisconsin and Michigan have made yearly trips to the big lake for consistent fishing. Winnie provides great habitat for producing good numbers of larger Perch and that is what draws the anglers. Other lakes in the area to try for big Perch are Bowstring, Jay Gould, Big Splithand, and Pokegama. Drill several holes in depths of 8-20 feet around rocks and weeds and hole hop until you find them. A small spoon tipped with a minor hear or a couple of wax worms will do the trick.

Merry Christmas to all and put Grand Rapids on your list of places to visit during the holiday season.

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Grand Rapids Ice Fishing Report 12-15-21

Ice Fishing- Grand Rapids, MN
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Tom Neustrom with this nice winter crappie caught on a Grand Rapids, MN area lake.

Cover photo caption: Orin Paulson catching fish while ice fishing with his family on a Grand Rapids, MN area lake.

With changing weather conditions upon us people can expect changing ice conditions on all lakes in the Grand Rapids, MN area. It’s advisable to take a spud with you when venturing out on the ice and checking the ice every five to fifteen feet. If you hit it three times and the spud goes through back off and do not venture any further.

Right now, the panfish bite has been very good, and when we look at panfish we look at lighter presentations. You don’t want to fish for crappies and bluegills with the same setup that you would fish northern pike and walleyes with. A four-pound test fluorocarbon is an excellent choice that will hold a larger fish. The one thing about fluorocarbon that is significant is when using smaller and lighter jigs it will sink faster. Tungsten jigs are a modification that you need to invest in. Even for their size they sink faster and get to the fish faster, even with a light line. When fishing panfish, whether crappie or bluegill, two-euro larva or just one wax worm can be the ticket for finicky biters. One of the keys to finding active panfish is drilling several holes in the same area. Then we do a technical called “whole hopping” where we use our electronics to find schools of fish. You must chase them at times because you can pressure a school of fish and they will move off quickly. This is one of the reasons we drill many holes where we find a school of fish because most often, they don’t move extremely far. Always have a couple of rods set up with different colors baits of a similar size and you may even go to plastics on one of the rods versus live bait. When panfish become active, both presentations will put fish on the ice for you. Some lakes to consider: Splithand Lake, Bass Lake in Cohasset, Little Moose Lake,

Walleye fishing at this point has been good, but the conditions of the ice must improve in order to get to offshore structures. Shoreline breaks are your best bet early and late in the day. Many times, we like to use a “two-fisted Method”. One hole you fish a jigging spoon like a Northland buckshot rattle spoon, with a minnow head. And in the other hole either a plain hook or a small spoon with a chub or shiner. This is a way that many times you can attract fish to the hole by jigging the spoon and calling them in. Once they are attracted to the spoon, they won’t strike but they will bite the live minnow. Both methods are extremely good at first ice. Places to consider Big Splithand Lake, Moose Lake, Bowstring Lake, Graves Lake, and Jessie Lake.

Ice Fishing Tips from Tom

Grand Rapids Early Ice Fishing & Ice Safety

Ice Fishing Guide- Visit Grand Rapids, MN

This week’s early ice fishing in Grand Rapids and ice safety blog is presented by: Tom Neustrom, professional angler, and professional fishing industry representative.

Every year we always stress ice safety. Always remember that there is no ice that is truly safe. There is a guide 4 inches walking, 6-8 inches four-wheelers, 11-15 inches for ATV, and small pickups. These are good guides for travel on ice.

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For the ice anglers that went out in the fall for checking options for fish. Early ice can be a good time to catch fish. Panfish most often will stay in the locations where you find them in the fall (open water), and first ice. Specifically, when we talk about walleyes, they usually at first ice will be moving around primarily not in the fall locations. They are very food-oriented and will be constantly chasing baitfish. Most often they will be set up on the edges of the structure and strategically move upon those structures using those pathways for several weeks. To have a better understanding of this, walleyes have similar routes that they will take whether early or late in the day. It is a good assumption that if you want to try to catch walleyes in the day during the winter, look for lakes with snow cover and offshore structures. Again, this shows you that walleyes like low light options, your opportunities are better late in the day when it is not specifically light out.

Darkhouse spearing is another popular ice fishing sport that is especially good early in the season. Northern pike is not affected by cold weather as other species of fish are. Even though walleyes are cold-water species northern pike are truly very active in the winter. Most Darkhouse spearfishermen will use a large sucker minnow or a decoy to call the northern in. It is a great sport, and many people still enjoy sitting over the top of a large hole watching a fish come into the target area. As we get into the later part of the season, Darkhouse season is not as good as early in the beginning of the year. Northern pike is still a good species to pursue even after the first part of the season. Most anglers that pursue northern pike later in the season will use a function called a tip-up. You can put out two per angler, and pandemonium will occur when fish bite. It is a fun sport to try in the winter. Make sure you contact local bait shops in the Grand Rapids area: Thousand Lakes Sporting Goods, River Rat Bait, Fred’s Bait & Tackle, L&M Fleet Supply, and Winnie Trading Post are good sources of information for not only ice conditions but where several species of fish maybe biting.

Grand Rapids Ice Fishing Report 3-10-21

**NOTICE** this will be our last ice fishing report. We have been informed that the ice is starting to separate from the edges of area lakes and natural springs are opening up under the ice. There have been reports of several side by sides falling through the ice on area lakes. Please use caution while out on late ice. Right now walking out on the ice is the best recommendation.

DSC 4159Guest: Tom Neustrom, owner of MN Fishing Connections shares this week’s Grand Rapids, MN area Ice Fishing Report.

OOPS. What happened to winter? Ice fishing has taken a hit this last week with the weather and it appears at best there may only be a week or two fishable ice on some of the lakes in the Grand Rapids area. The landings are getting sketchy on several lakes and precautions should be taken soon to get on and off the ice. Shelters should be removed now rather than later as to insure their removal before additional damage is done. Any travel on ice should be done on side by sides, 4 wheelers,  snow machines, or foot travel. It appears in the 30 day forecast we will not have weather to form or secure ice that will be safe to travel on.

If there is an opportunity to fish in certain areas, the weather can play a big difference in locating pan fish right now. Over the years we have noticed that small bugs will occupy several depths just under the ice as the melting can create warm water caverns that attract these critters. This will normally happen during the daylight hours and afternoon. At times sunfish and crappies can be caught just below the ice 3-5 feet beneath and the action can be fast. It doesn’t happen everyday, but at late ice it’s something to keep in mind. Your electronics can be a helpful asset to locations of these suspended fish. The Humminbird Helix Ice 7 has allowed anglers to mark fish just under the ice with incredible accuracy. Lite line and small baits will be you best choices when it comes to catching these late season pan fish. One of the dynamite ice baits late in the season is a VMC Tungsten Bull Fry or Tungsten Fly Jig baited with a wax worm. Panfish gobble them up and it will put bluegills, crappies, and jumbo perch on the ice for you in the above mentioned conditions.

WE had a great ice fishing season this past winter and activity was strong throughout the cold water period. With the lack of normal snow, ice conditions were good and anglers were out in force. Make sure you get your 2021 Fishing License and check the rules book for new changes.

Grand Rapids Ice Fishing Report 2-22-21

This week’s Grand Rapids Ice Fishing Report is brought to you by Tom Neustrom, a professional fishing representatives, and owner of MN Fishing Connections. Header image of Jeff Johnson, co-owner of Northern Drift Outfitters showing a nice tullibee (white fish).

As we countdown to the last week of angling for walleyes and northern pike, start to think beyond the box to other species that are available. Late ice panfish can be some the best fishing you might experience throughout the winter. Another example of a species that isn’t talked about much is the tullibee. Averaging from about one to two pounds, tullibees are found in many lakes in the Grand Rapids area and can provide great action on ultra lite tackle and can be a terrific source of smoked or pickled fish as well.

Many of the deep clear lakes have good populations of tullibees and once located, the action can be fast. This time of year tullibees are most often located in depths of 30-50 feet and with the use of you electronics san be fairly easy to locate. Scan you Lakemaster chip on your Humminbird graph and seek soft bottom areas off edges of deep water . Tullibees are bug eaters and that is usually their food of choice. In their larvae stage, may fly and other suspending critters attract tullibees seeking an easy meal. In the Grand Rapids area there are key lakes to check for tullibees. Loon, Pokegama, Winnibigoshish, Deer, Trout, Little Bass and Swan lakes are all good choices for tullibees.

Tackle is pretty simple and can be crossed over from pan fishing with the use of 4 pound test monofilament and small pan fish type jigs. Bait can be somewhat optional  and there are two general methods that both work equally as well. With the small jig fished just above schooled tullibees,  bait with one or two wax worms, or euro larvae and  slightly twitch in small jigging motions. Theothermethod is to take a small to medium gold or silver spoon. Remove the treble hook and attach an 8 inch dropper with a small 1/32 nd or 64th ounce bait with a wax worm or two. The flash of the spoon will attract the tullibees in and the small bait will catch them. Both presentations are very functional and successful when chasing tullibbes.

If you prefer not to smoke your own tullibees,  S&S Meats in Grand Rapids is a great place to drop off your catch and have them take care of that for you. They do a wonderful job and can have them back to you in a few days.

Thank you for sharing your recent Ice Fishing success stories and pictures with us!

Grand Rapids Ice Fishing Report 2-17-21

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Tom Neustrom with a nice winter walleye.

This week’s Grand Rapids Ice Fishing Report is brought to you by Tom Neustrom, professional fishing industry representative and open water fishing guide owner of MN Fishing Connections. Photo: Arlene Goltz caught this nice walleye on a Grand Rapids, MN area lake while fishing with Jeff Johnson, co-owner of Northern Drift Outfitters. Looking for a memorable experience check out our Ice Fishing page for guide suggestions.

As we get into the last few weeks of walleye season, there are a few small adjustments that can help to put a few fish on the ice. This last 10 days have been the coldest weather of the entire winter and the metabolism of all fish species slows down. Only species of trout remain relatively active and unaffected by cold water temperatures.

Over time with the frozen water period extending itself, times of day and bait size

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Travis, Amy, Aiden St. Pierre, Brian Goltz, and David Rykhus caught these nice perch while fishing with Northern Drift Outfitters.

can make a big difference when angling for walleyes. Deep water breaks associated with points and edges are key spots to ambush migrating fish. Early and late in the day can most often be the key times of the day to try for walleyes. Smaller baits such as 1/16th to 1/8 ounce spoons tipped with a minnow head can make a difference. With the smaller spoons you may have to switch the treble hook from a size 8 to a size 4 for better hook ups. Vary your jigging movement to less aggressive and most often just slightly twitching your rod tip can trigger additional bites.

Pay close attention to your electronics and many times the bottom reading will appear to be a lump and that could be just the walleye that in some cases is coming into investigate. In the second hole a dead stick with a medium to smaller fat head or shiner minnow can be a difference maker. Above the plain hook attach a small glow bead and shorten the length between the split shot and the hook to lessen the movement of the minnow. It can make a difference when a slow moving walleye comes shopping and doesn’t want to chase a quicker moving bait.

Some of the lakes in the Grand Rapids area that are good season ending choices are Wabana, Trout, Pokegama, Moose, Swan, and Big Cutfoot. Any of these lakes have good populations of walleyes and can provide a good opportunity for success.

What To Do When You Are In A Winter Slump

Even in the cold of winter Grand Rapids, MN has indoor and outdoor fun!

What’s Going on This Week in Grand Rapids

Tuesday-Sunday: The Fat Forest 14 is virtual. Sign up on the GRIMBA website to race 7 miles or 14 miles on Tioga Recreation.

Tuesday: Harry Potter Trivia with UnWinded Up North. Trivia begins at 7pm on Facebook Live or in person!

Wednesday: Zocial Diztant Trivia at Zorbas. Trivia begins at 6:30!

Wednesday: Artist Talk Series with Monika Lawerence. Join at 6pm on Zoom. Click HERE to get to more information and the Zoom link.

Thursday: Live music at Rapids Brewing Company. Stop in and see Mckeon Hugh Roberts at 6pm.

Saturday: Pond Hockey is one. Head out to McKinley lake and have some hockey fun. For more information on how to sign up click HERE to be directed to their Facebook page.

Saturday: Bundle up and bring the kids out to McKinney Lake on February 20th for some family fun. From 11pm-2pm compete in a snow sculpture competition! For more information and to register contact Myrna Peterson at 218-301-6028.

Saturday: Join the traveling art pub and Timberlake Lodge from 5:30-7:00pm and paint the “Bright Winter Sunset”. The cost is $35 a person and food and beverage is additional. Click HERE to learn more and sign up.

Winter Recreation

Grand Rapids has over 1,000 lakes perfect for ice fishing and in Itasca County alone there are over 600 miles in snowmobile trails. In addition, to that there is a wide variety of snowshoe and cross country skiing trails for all levels. Of hit the slopes at Mt. Itasca for tubing, snowboarding or skiing.

Drive Up For Some Winter Fun!

No matter if you are an  indoor out outdoor person in the winter, Grand Rapids has something for everyone. To book your stay click HERE to find the perfect place to stay to get out of the winter slump.

Grand Rapids Ice Fishing Report Week of February 8, 2021

Header photo caption: Guests found success while fishing with Jeff Johnson, Northern Drift Outfitters on a Grand Rapids, MN area lake. If you are looking for a memorable ice fishing trip, give Jeff a call: 218-259-8893.

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Professional fishing industry representative and fishing guide, Tom Neustrom.

This week’s Grand Rapids Ice Fishing Report brought to you by Tom Neustrom, owner of professional guide service: MN Fishing Connections.

The extreme cold weather of late makes ice fishing rather difficult unless you’re in a nice warm shelter of some type, but make no mistake there are many hearty souls that have been out trying their luck. Fish, especially walleyes, are hard to catch in these conditions. One thing to remember that even with the drastic cold temperatures, consistent weather, no matter can trigger a bite at peak times of the day or night. Fish, as all animal life, need to nourish their bodies, and will look to find food, even it’s  smaller in size. Their metabolism slows down and small fragments of food is still food. Smaller baits this time of year will be far more productive then larger ones that we have used earlier in the year. Again there are shorter windows, but they have to eat. Many times the dead bait rods with a live minnow will get the bite. Shorten your distance between the hook and the split shot as to decrease the movement and action of the minnow. This can limit the minnow’s movement and make it a lot more appealing to walleyes that are not as active. Some of the lakes to try late season walleyes are Pokegama, Moose, Trout, Big Split Hand, and Big Cutfoot.

Panfish can be relatively very similar. Smaller baits will most often be the choice and until weather stays even more consistent, moving and drilling several more holes maybe the best options for success. As stated in previous columns a couple waxies or 3-4 euro larvae without a lot of jigging action can be your best presentations for cold weather panfish. They to are effected by cooler than normal can have an adverse effect on getting bit. Using your electronics and hole hopping can put a few more fish on the ice. Those soft tip rods, like the St. Croix CI32ML XF is my go to rod for late season panfish and can be utilized as a great dead stick rod for jumbo perch, big crappies, and finicky walleyes. Some late season panfish lakes to give a try are Little Bowstring, Big Bowstring, Dunbar, Pokegama, Cutfoot, Little Sand, and Little Splithand.  Call some of the bait shops in the Grand Rapids area and get some up to the minute information when you are venturing out in the Grand Rapids area.