Minnesota Outdoorsman
Fishing Forums => Ice Fishing => Archived Ice Fishing => Topic started by: DDSBYDAY on November 11/10/14, 09:40:02 AM
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Please help our members out with current ice conditions.
As of today I have only seen ice in a minnow bucket. I would expect with the current drop in temps we should be seeing some of the smaller ponds and lakes getting iced over. :happy1:
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I am up in grand rapids mn. there was an inch of ice along our shoreline this morning at the cabin. and how do I know it was an inch........cause I had to bust it up to take the dock out. :bonk: :bonk: the bay was mostly froze over but not the whole lake. one small lake on hwy 38 coming in to grand rapids was completely iced up. looking at the temps up here for later in the week in the single digits will put some ice on the lakes!
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Sunday morning I was in a deer stand over looking a small beaver pond. At sunrise, the pond was open water. As the morning progressed, I watched the ice slowly form from the southern edge across the pond. By the time I left the stand around 11:30, the pond was 3/4 covered with ice. This was the first time I ever watch ice form on a pond. Some might think that's as exciting as watching paint dry but it was really cool to see.
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Hope this snow doesn't mess up ice around here. We got a foot today. Supposed to be cold later this week, though.
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Lake Osakis
I made this report for someone else on another site. Thought I would copy and paste to here.
Had cold calm weather last night and gained about another 50 feet of ice out in front of me. Took a drive around the lake this afternoon and this is my observation. The south end of the lake is frozen over all the way up to just north of Schelfhout Point. From there north the east side is frozen but the west side out to about the middle is still mostly open with ice occasionally extending out into the middle from the east side up to south of Crow Point. Miller's Bay is about three quarters iced over. From Crow Point it is mostly open with some ice on the shorelines mainly where the cattails and rushes are. There was a patch of ice extending out about 15 feet right where the Battle Point access is. Now for Manthey's Bay. The bay is about 85% iced over. Still some open water out in the middle towards the west end of the bay. The ice extends about 100 yards to the west of the 145th access. There is still a foot of open water at the shore of the access and widens out to about 10 feet to the right of the access. That's all I have for now.
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if you hadnt heard, red lake is froze over, walking out to first break. atvs by thanksgiving i am guessing
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was pretty neat coming home from up north today going thru outing. DDS's neck of the woods. Roosevelt was steaming up a storm! no ice on it though except for a small bay north of the bridge right around the corner from the bar off hwy 6.
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On my way through buffalo I saw 2 guys walking out and putting up their ice house. No fish is worth swimming with them.
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On my way through buffalo I saw 2 guys walking out and putting up their ice house. No fish is worth swimming with them.
+1 idiots
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All ponds and lakes along my morning drive along 694 are locked up this morning. Silver Lake in New Brighton is also ice covered. All have a small amount of snow on them.
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Central Nodak ponds are 5-9" know several that have been out... Up in Manitoba a friend sent pics of icefishing on the Red river north of Winnipeg with 5-7" and already catching some Greenbacks. BTW if you don't have tracked vechicle for fishing in deep snow in Winter the Red river is usually hot for big green backs from now until Xmas. Be carefull though 5" of ice can find verythin some where else on a lake. I use a mustang one piece suit this time of year..at least Ill get out..don't fish alone, carry rope, dry clothes in the truck, picks, no kids......hope to get out this weekend...
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I had to take back roads on my way to work this morning because the typical morons were playing bumper cars on the freeway today. There was at least 4 accidents along my twenty mile drive. I saw open water in a couple of places. Lake Johanna was about 90-95% covered. I could see one good open hole. All the lakes that are frozen have snow on them. I don't think it's a lot but some strong winds wouldn't hurt right now.
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It has been a long time since there has been a thanksgiving ice fishing event.
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I seen a fishhouse out on a local lake by Richmond on becker lake Monday nite. word is up north some fishouses showing up on lakes such as upper red, Winnie and lakes around grand rapids with some reports of 6 to 7 inches of ice.
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Out Willmar area their on Ringo,Foot Lakes yesterday.A young fishing buddy called and said 4-5 inches ice and he's coming to diamond today to fish the end of the bay we live.Good area for sunfish and nords at first ice.I may walk out there???3/4 mile to that spot walking,I dont trust the ice that much till I see tracks!
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Guys are fishing up near Detroit lakes, many of the smaller lakes have been rumored to have 4-6" of ice on them in some fishable areas, lots of snow mobile tracks.
Up on Minnewaska, the wind is pushing around the ice, but I think most of the lake is frozen. There were folks out on Reno all week (crazy guys are always out there early) I would imagine some of the bays have quite a bit of nice though.
Driving up last weekend hunting to Wadena, either the lakes were completely frozen, or they were completely open and steaming. I would think they are all frozen by this time as that was 5 days ago and we have had some cold weather since then.
Good luck out there and BE SAFE. Ill be heading to Minnewaska in mid December, expect a report on fishing. At this rate, people will be putting perms out by thanksgiving.
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6+ inches of ice on North Long near Brainerd today. :happy1:
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They are fishing Manthey's Bay on Osakis. Saw one out this morning on Schultz's Bay and one out between Battle Point and Buck Point.
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driving south on hwy 6 in outing Roosevelt had ice about 200 yards south of the bridge. the whole north side was iced over. but that wind today was pretty stout.
so DDS eventually that south side will have ice!!!!!!!!
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Thanks for the update Glenn. If the snow holds off long enough to get good ice I may stick around instead of going to Florida.
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Game On! Made it out today 7-8" of good ice.. Perch weren't biting but the Nortn were brought these two home for supper tomorrow night!
(http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t38/corny132000/IMG_1849_zps5c53267e.jpg) (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/corny132000/media/IMG_1849_zps5c53267e.jpg.html)
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sweet,nice job corney, looks like the perch beat of the nort.
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Drove up past Chisago yesterday, there didn't look like there was that much ice, all looked dark with open water in some places. There were guys out there though... looked crazy to me.
Im thinking the ice will be very iffy with this 45degree weather today.
Be safe everyone
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Drove up past Chisago yesterday, there didn't look like there was that much ice, all looked dark with open water in some places. There were guys out there though... looked crazy to me.
Im thinking the ice will be very iffy with this 45degree weather today.
Be safe everyone
I haven't been out on the lakes yet but I have a few buddies that have been fishing in the channel between Chisago and south Lindstrom this last week and they say they have 5 inches of Ice out there.
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The temps today should have taken care of any snow cover. Now a good blast of :cold: and this could be a good ice year. :happy1:
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I was gonna try to get out this week, but the combination of high 30's and rain makes me nervous. Hafta play it by ear.
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Near Duluth,
There's 6 to 8 inches over in Kimballs Bay on the St. Louis. Most of the river is getting a little ice cover, but there is still a lot of open water in the main channel.
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Starting to see ATV's and small wheelhouses coming out on parts of Lake Osakis. :happy1:
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Checked a couple of local lakes in the Bemidji area last night. One deeper lake (50+ feet) had only 5 - 6 inches. One lake had 9", that lake is fairly shallow (17 ft max) and another lake I checked had 12". All of the ice was very good, solid stuff but I'd hold off driving trucks for another week or two depending on the temps. Might be Christmas for the deeper lakes. Lows are only in the single digits for the next week or so, so I'd say it may be more like 2 weeks for most of the other lakes in the area unless we can get one or two more of those -20 nights. I hate it when it's that cold but I'm actually hoping we get just one or two more nights like that in the near future before we get any large accumulation of snow.
I was on Red Lake last Friday (Nov 28th) and there was 13" where I was fishing. Reports are that it is now in the 13 - 16" range and they are allowing 1/2 ton trucks and single axle wheelhouses out of some of the resorts.
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13-16 inches still aint enough for me to drive my vehicle out!! man I hope people use there heads!!!!!
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heading to LOW friday bring the big 20ftr plus, roger outa bugys is gona tow it out for me because of all the rough ice. i talked to him two nights ago and the lake area where they are putting houses had 13-14 by friday they feel it should be around that 15-17 mark which is my minumum. Game on people.
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:happy1: Good luck Boar. We will hopefully see you and momma bear in Ely. :happy1:
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HEY DDS!!!!!! even though I think your behind the shenanigans on the leader board :moon: :moon: I figured i'd still be a nice guy and let ya know Roosevelt is completely iced over. no activity on it yet though. there is what looks like some ice break out south of the bridge. my guess its an ice build up from the wind.
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Thanks Glenn. I'm thinking about heading up soon. Once I get the house out you will have to swing in for a sunset bite. It's hit or miss. Mostly miss but you never know. :happy1:
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Walked out from a residence on Bald Eagle Sunday. Ice was 6-7 inches. Snowmobiles and 4 wheelers seem to be pretty comfortable going wherever they want. The spot we went to was pretty quite. I actually was able to hook a nice shiner minnow on a waxie. It was mostly a test run to see if everything was working.
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I drove down to the public access on big Jessie today. there were 12 houses out. all but one on the east end by the access and most looked to be spearing. there were 2 good sized trucks on the ice. seen the blocks and not enough for me to drive on yet!!
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Walked out from a residence on Bald Eagle Sunday. Ice was 6-7 inches. Snowmobiles and 4 wheelers seem to be pretty comfortable going wherever they want. The spot we went to was pretty quite. I actually was able to hook a nice shiner minnow on a waxie. It was mostly a test run to see if everything was working.
I will be headed out to BE on Friday to try my luck for the first time this year.... Unless I change me mind and go to Demontraville. Im thinking the ice is in good enough shape that this warm spell this weekend wont affect too much. Just might cause some water on the edges to pool up.
Ill let you guys know where I go and what I catch (other than a buzz) :happy1:
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15" on North Long today. :happy1: Lots of trucks and houses out there. Fawk and I will be getting after them tomorrow.
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DDS Roosevelt is still iced over. no activity on the lake yet.
stopped by the cabin further north and the warm spell doesn't appear to to have hurt the ice one bit.
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DDS Roosevelt is still iced over. no activity on the lake yet.
stopped by the cabin further north and the warm spell doesn't appear to to have hurt the ice one bit.
I hit the lake of no fish Friday. I had a long weekend and was going to try to get after them. I grabbed the hand drill and auger bit and started punching holes. 8 inches for the most part with a pocket of 6 inches. The word on the street was there was still some open water on the South end. By Saturday the lake was pretty much unfishable with all the water on top. Sunday was even worse. I checked out in-front of our place on the north side of the bridge and found the springs to be chewing up the ice along shore pretty fast. The lake of no fish had frozen over and a few spots opened back up a while ago. A pressure ridge formed on the south end and with the warm temps we were staying clear of it. I have no problem being the first one crossing the lake in a vehicle as long a I have verified a minimum of 12" the entire way. There is no activity because it is not close to being safe yet. :bonk:
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12 inches :scratch: :scratch: :doah: :doah: man you got bigger gahoonas then I do. like most union thugs that are trained properly on safety I gotta have at a bare minimum of17 inches but prefer 20 to drive my vehicle.
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Yeh, I know you union guys rely on the ice thickness guy. I rely on myself. I honestly was told in town that there had to be 12-14". I did report back to the Union guys that they should mention that a scab came up with lower numbers. True story. I don't count white ice or care what the date is. :coffee: 12" of solid ice and I am good with the atv and the perm. Once the perm is out I will take the truck to it. Only on the lake of no fish though. If I don't know the lake I would prefer 20" with lot's of vehicle traffic.
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ATV those I GI out on 6 - 7 inches. Thought you were thinking vehicle. No scabs aloud and you must a consulted with the union safety director.
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After a very good start the ice conditions have not improved. 9 inches on the lake of No Fish in Northern Minnesota. I set a bottle of water out over the weekend and it did not have any ice formation what so ever. I fished Friday eve and was able to kick my holes open Sat. night. If we don't get a cold spell soon it could be a long winter. I saw a couple of small vehicles on Mille lacs. When I left this afternoon it was sleeting north of Garrison and started turning to rain south of that. The rain does kill the little bit of snow on the surface but without some below zero soon the ice might not be drivable until late January. :bonk:
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Might have driven by u yesterday afternoon DDSBYDAY on west edge of Millacs.. I was heading north to garrison to head west to nodak. Ice was good everywhere I fished on Isle bay this weekend and thurs and Friday pre fishing. Was a bit worried but 10-11" hard ice everywhere, didn't find any open cracks. Did see a lot of trucks out plowing and sat moving houses out deeper. With the forcast after next weekend it should be a LOT safer...remember its still early ice.... most dangerous time, wind rain and warm weather do make unstable areas. Fishing was tough but did bring in the 16 each day of the tourney, thanks for the tips from those that gave them. I fished deep on the mud flat that was in the tourney area... had to go micro tungsten white or gold jigs with single waxie matching the hatch( mayfly larvae). Finished in the middle of the pack. Winners sat on a crappie hole both days 32lbs of fish...they used hand lines sight fishing with jigs you need loops on to tie... learned a lot as not much of a crappie/ gill fisherman... know where to look now.
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Winners sat on a crappie hole both days 32lbs of fish...they used hand lines sight fishing with jigs you need loops on to tie..
Corny I make some of those. If you ever want to try them send me a pm. The hook eyes are so small that they will break if I get paint in them and try to open them up.
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According to Cookies Red Lake Report all the snow melted on the Red again. That would mean all the lakes south of there should be without snow as well. For us at the Lake of No Fish it is a good thing. We are still only at 9"s. I was hoping we would pick up a couple more by Christmas but it looks like that is out of the picture for now. I'm still praying for the snow gods to hold back for a while.
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I was out fishing on Minnewaska this past week - the ice was 12-14", cars and trucks everywhere.
I did hear a report from the Pope County sheriff's office that a truck went through over by the school landing. I haven't been able to confirm yet, but this was last week.
The ice was pretty strong after the high temps, but it hasn't had too many days of 'ice making' weather since.
Fishing was slow to average. Ending up catching 2 walleyes (one I threw back), and a few Jumbo perch around 10". Lots of small perch and northerns.
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DDS there was a fishouse out south of the bridge today. looks like he walked out from that little access in town.
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He had that out last weekend. He is fishing out of his ranger side by side most of the time. I think he puts that out in case the wife wants to come out. My concern is that ice heave that crosses the south end. I can get around it with the atv and portable but with New years coming up there will be more people and some not so bright ones. That current eats up the ice just a little west of that ice house in town pretty quick in these temps.
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man that ice turned dark today! wouldn't be surprised if theres no vehicle traffic by Thursday.
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I was out Sat. The ice was solid but the access was collecting water.
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I was out Sat. The ice was solid but the access was collecting water.
so was I DDS. I drove by a couple lakes mid morning and didn't notice the dark color then but man it turned dark today. no way is glenn driving out no more!!!!!
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Anyone up by Winnie? I'm heading up there this weekend. Hoping it will be safe for ATV still.
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Anyone up by Winnie? I'm heading up there this weekend. Hoping it will be safe for ATV still.
I am in grand rapids. went over to tioga beach tonite and there was 8-10 vehicles still on the ice. was water on the ice but still not looking to dark.
on the other hand I am seeing reports the ice in the cold spring area is deteriorating fast!
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UPDATE...........read that a vehicle went down on becker lake just west of Richmond. part of the horseshoe chain of lakes!!!!!!!
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Update: ice conditions are bad. :surrender:
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People still walking out here. Not me, I'm done. Time for open water. :stillfish:
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Time for pik on LOW :happy1:
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People are still driving on Lake Winnipeg, two more weekends of the season open!
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Every lake I have driven by in the cities has pretty horrible looking ice and about 10-20 feet of water between the shore and the ice sheet.
No one will dare venture out there. The season is done down here.
I like next to the Mississippi River and I am thinking about heading out as soon as the weather warms up. There wont be any rising water since there was no snow this season and most of the rivers are already melted.
Otherwise ill be headed down to SE MN and do some catch and release trout fishing. The streams SHOULD be in good shape with the lack of snow - I will be taking a look soon.
:happy1: TIME FOR OPEN WATER FISHING!!! Ice out will be in less than 2 weeks down in these parts. Windy and warm weather should chop it up nice.
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driving into work this morning that lake orono in elk river is really beginning to open up. the 2 lakes I go past on 94 aren't opening up much yet around the shorelines but sure are turning darker each day!
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reports from "up nort" are ATV and foot travel. thick ice but all honeycombed.
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Bemidji area
3/19/15
:coffee: ................
The meltdown of the lakes in the Bemidji area slowed down this week, with the return to more "normal" temperatures for this time of year.
There is still plenty of ice away from the shoreline on most lakes, but the ice along the shoreline is degrading from all the melting snow and ice.
The old snow cover is gone from the lakes, but the below freezing overnight temperatures this past week have helped stabilize the ice conditions on the lakes. Anglers should still be able to get out on most lakes this weekend if they want to extend the ice fishing season.
Anglers are on their own when deciding how they are going to deal with the ice conditions late in the season. ATVs are the best way to access the lakes right now, but there were still a few anglers driving vehicles on the lakes this week.
The angle of the sun is from the south during the spring, so the east and south shores of the lakes tend to melt slower than accesses on the north and west sides of the lakes, because they spend more of the day in direct sun.
Anglers need to realize the ice on the lakes melts on top and below the bottom of the ice. Anglers drilling holes in the ice is similar to taking a core sample. Anglers can learn much about the ice by watching the ice as they drill their holes.
The top of the ice will begin to break in chunks that look more like cubes than shaved ice. The middle of the ice will hopefully be hard and drill slower. The bottom of the ice will begin to saturate with water, so it will look like anglers are hitting water before making it all the way through the ice.
The critical part is how much of the ice is still hard and coming off as shaved ice. Anglers need to have enough hard ice to support whatever weight they are putting on the ice.
Dark objects in the ice like reeds or wild rice speed up the melting process, with each piece of weed sticking through the ice acting like a straw in a drinking glass, by helping the moisture seep through the ice.
The same is true about rafts of dead weeds that freeze into the ice late in the fall. These dark areas absorb more heat in the spring, causing the ice in those areas to melt more quickly.
As long as temperatures stay below freezing at night, the ice should be stable enough for ice fishing, providing anglers are walking or using an ATV. The days of driving vehicles on the ice are quickly coming to an end.
The perch bite has been good on most of the larger lakes, but anglers usually have to sort through a lot of smaller perch to catch fish big enough to keep.
Some of the larger perch are still holding on the edge of the drop-off, but close to the areas where they will spawn as soon as the ice is off the lakes.
Perch lay their eggs in strands on the remnants of last years' standing vegetation, so some standing weeds or reeds is the critical factor in deciding where perch will spawn.
Crappies and sunfish have also been active on many of the smaller lakes. Members of the sunfish family spawn later in the spring, so any late ice movements are related to feeding.
Water temperatures are usually the critical factor in deciding where crappies and sunfish feed after ice out, with the fish staging-up nearby on late ice.
The first place anglers from the Bemidji area are able to get their boats into the water is usually on the Rainy River, which has a spring season for walleyes.
The Birchdale access is usually the first place to open up for anglers from Bemidji, which could be happening sometime in the next week.
Fishing is usually best on the Rainy River early in the season, while the water still looks like coffee with no cream. When the spring rains begin and water levels start to rise, the water clouds-up quickly and fishing slow down significantly.