Ely area ice and fishing report-March 6th

[greatoutdoors]

Lake wide travel on both Snowbank and Burntside Lake is best by snowmobile or ATVs with tracks, but is manageable with 4x4 vehicles.  The recent snowfalls and gusting winds have created minor drifting, making travel slower.  There are still a few areas that have some slush, but are far and few between.
Fishing for lakers has been slow, with most of them hanging near the bottom.  Use small spoons (1/8th, 1/4 Forage minnows, Buckshot Rattle spoons, #4 & #5 Swedish Pimples, Kastmasters, Gapen Flickers, Linde Ratt'ln Flyers, etc) all tipped with a Berkley 1 inch Power Nymph and jig slowly. Other options would be Linde Flyers tipped with a 2 inch Power Smelt, Northland Airplane Jigs (old style, 3/8ths oz) or 3/8ths oz White Ken Ketch Bucktail Jig, tipped with a 3 inch Power Smelt.
With a bit more snow predicted, lake conditions may change for the better or worse, will keep you posted.
Snowbank does have a plowed road which goes through Smitty's that will give you easy access, and there are for the most part, no roads plowed on Burntside (with one short one from the Passi Road being the exception.)