Area lakes behind average ice-out dates

[Lee Borgersen]

 Area lakes slightly behind average ice-out dates.

 
  By: Paul Nelson, Bemidji Pioneer

2011 ice fishing season is over. The ice on the lakes is turning grey and beginning to rot, with the ice pulling away from the shoreline on most lakes.

Anglers are in a holding pattern, waiting for the ice to go out. Once the lakes are ice free, anglers can immediately begin to fish for perch, crappies and sunfish while they wait for the walleye opener on May 14.

The average ice-out date for Lake Bemidji is April 26. On Lake of the Woods the date is April 29 while Leech Lake’s average ice-out date is April 27, Lake Winnibigoshish’s is April 24 and Lake Minnetonka’s average ice-out occurs on April 13.

A good indicator for Lake Bemidji is to watch when the ice goes out on Lake Minnetonka in the Twin Cities, which is not ice-free yet. That would put the ice out date for Lake Bemidji a few days past the average ice-out date.

Anglers have a short window of opportunity to fish for pre-spawn perch right after the ice goes out on the lakes. Perch spawn when water temperatures are in the low 40s, so they begin spawning almost as soon as the lakes are open