Ice anglers are already squatting above holes on some of the metro lakes, braving the thin ice in an effort to catch some fish. It is hard to believe that they could have safer ice than we do on the Gunflint Trail, but many of the mid-state lakes are shallower, which allows them to freeze faster in the fall and melt sooner in the spring.
Deep water lakes throughout the northland will take longer to freeze, and this year they seem like they are not going to ice over at all.
January 1st is the Minnesota Boundary Waters opener for lake trout, and this year I will not be participating, at least on opening day. Years ago I would have spent January 1 recovering from the previous night out, but this year I will be watching the Iowa Hawkeyes win the Rose Bowl while everyone else tests the ice conditions.
There will be a handful of safe lakes to fish on opener, but anglers will have to play it safe and test the ice thickness often while hiking on them.
The traditional hot spots for opening day on the Trail have been Duncan and Daniels lakes to catch lake trout, and those lakes are small enough that they have been frozen for a while now. Hiking into Daniels on the Border Route Trail from the Clearwater Road might be the safest route since West Bearskin may not have safe ice yet. The trail has not been broken by anyone yet, but the snow packs easily and should set up once a few people walk or snowmobile over it.
Lake travel shouldn‘t be that difficult on top of the snow, however there is a good chance of finding hidden pockets of standing water above the ice. Wet spots could have thinner ice and should be avoided if possible, and again remember to check ice regularly along the way. Just because one area of a lake has six inches of ice, does not mean that the entire lake is safe to walk on. Many of our lakes have currents from rivers, swamps, and springs that hinder ice production and are dangerous even during the coldest weeks of the winter.
Play it safe this opener and save some lake trout for me to catch on the 2nd. Go Hawkeyes!
Cory Christianson has worked as a fishing guide on the Gunflint Trail since 2000. If you have any fishing or wildlife reports or stories to share, send an email to: christiansoncory@hotmail.com or call 218- 388-0315. You can also visit Cory’s website at Gunflintfishingguide.com.
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