Best place to take kids

[cledwyn]

My four year old son is all about fishing.  We really got into it this summer. I am having a blast but nearly clueless. Now we are into ice fishing and have been out on the few lakes around the metro. We have been to Gervais, Harriet an Pickerel with minimal to no luck. Where would be a "hot" spot to go? And I mean hot in the sense that my four year old will at least see a fish over a couple hour timespan. He is as jazzed about a 6" crappie as a 6#401 northern.  So you don't need to betray the "real" hot spots,  I'd be happy with whatever hints you might have.

[Hagigun]

I have been to Gervais as well. We didn't catch much either. Few small perch and 2 small walleyes...real small.

I live in White Bear so it's easy for me to say, not sure of your commute...but if you go right off Bellaire beach on White Bear Lake and just follow the crowd, you literally have to catch fish.

I have been there 4-5 times. Each time the 4 people we have been with have caught 10 plus per person easy. We are by no means experts. 1st year doing this. We now actually have Flashers, so we try new spots to find fish away from the crowds...but you can't go wrong there. Our first few times we caught less without the flashers, but not necessary here.

Mostly small Bluegills by day, switching to crappies at 4pm or so.I have even shown up at 7:30pm and hammered crappies 5-9inchers and even got a 10.25incher as well. The bite stopped around 10pm. But then the next week we left still catching small crappies at 11pm.

All times of day, bluegills and crappies. Not huge by any means, but not all super small either. Primetime 4-7pm would be best, but not necessary. It is crowded, so beware of that, but you can almost always find a spot and catch fish. Waxies, minnows, bring both, but each tends to go hot and cold. So switch when 1 bait cools off.

[cledwyn]

Fantastic, I thought I would take the boy out this weekend to White Bear Lake and see what all the hullabaloo is about. I think if we are even half as successful as you've been it would be a blast! Hopefully some of the edge comes off this cold.  Not sure if I want to try the ice shelter and heater for the first time when it is this cold.