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Author Topic: Metro mid March ice fishing  (Read 1580 times)

Offline Fish-patty

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Metro mid March ice fishing
« on: Mar 17, 2019, 11:52 AM »
This is my first year ice fishing in MN after fishing 50 plus years in central N.Y. Normally my best fishing would be first ice and mid to late March for panfish. Recently I have been scouting around the metro lakes after the snow melt and absolutely no one is out fishing? I noticed people drive up to a lake and turn around because they cannot drive on the lake do to slush but no one will walk out even with two foot of ice. I’m still interested in panfishing but don’t want to be the only person out there alone. What to do?

Offline JonPerry

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Re: Metro mid March ice fishing
« Reply #1 on: Mar 17, 2019, 01:34 PM »
Treat it like early ice & go as light as possible 1st time out wearing cleats with a spud & spikes along for safety.

Offline Fish-patty

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Re: Metro mid March ice fishing
« Reply #2 on: Mar 18, 2019, 01:04 PM »
Jon, I agree with treating things like first ice. But I just don’t understand why no one is out there? Back in new CNY there would be a small to mid size group of us out there making everyone feel safe fishing together.
Thanks.

Offline JonPerry

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Re: Metro mid March ice fishing
« Reply #3 on: Mar 19, 2019, 08:14 AM »
It may be because of all the slush & water on the ice & fair weather ice fisherman that don't want to get wet. When I lived down there I fished until the ice was questionable no matter how much slush there was.

Offline marquette

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Re: Metro mid March ice fishing
« Reply #4 on: Mar 22, 2019, 12:01 PM »
I was in southern Maine and New Hampshire in December and early January.  Ice was still walk out conditions.  I don’t know but maybe walking out is common a lot of the winter.  Here people were driving on the ice by Christmas albeit this may have been a week or two earlier than normal.  If the ice fishing culture is to walk out some if not all season then walking out late ice doesn’t seem unusual and equipment is geared towards walking. Here since we drive out almost all season most of us aren’t equipped to walk out. Bigger heavier fish houses, 30 lb augers, used to having more tackle along. Also here if people want to fish late season they go north for 3-4 hours so they can use a 4 wheeler or snowmobile to get out.  I scouted 3 north metro lakes yesterday and only saw 1 person out on the ice.  Slush was deep so to my fishing partner and I we decided it wasn’t worth it.  We checked Green, Lewis and Fish.

 



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