Every year, thousands of anglers hit the frozen lakes in Minnesota for a fun ice fishing vacation. If you are thinking about planning a late winter ice fishing vacation, you will want to keep ice thickness safety at the forefront of your planning. Much like the weather, ice conditions ebb and flow with the ever changing temperatures throughout the state. Nobody wants to be a headliner in the local news featuring broken ice and a fishing trip gone south, so we have a few helpful pointers to stay safe on Lake Mille Lacs.
When is Ice Out on Lake Mille Lacs
Every season for ice is different. However late into the season ice lasts is completely dependent on Mother Nature, and she doesn’t always have the same idea from one year to the next. On average, ice out on Lake Mille Lacs is around the beginning to middle of March, but has lasted into early April or as soon as the end of February. The best way to keep track of when ice out is expected to be, check in on the ice conditions through Mille Lacs fishing reports. The Red Door Resort fishing report is published weekly to make sure everyone is up to date on all of the different condition changes throughout the year and include ice thickness safety tips throughout the winter MN fishing seasons.
Ice Thickness Safety
Ice thickness safety is one of the most important aspects of making sure you have a safe and successful trip out onto the ice.
If you are unfamiliar with a body of water, it can be hard to tell where there would be thinner ice. One of the best aspects of Lac Mille Lacs is that there are several local services that monitor ice conditions closely. Check in with resort staff on ice conditions when you arrive as conditions can change within a matter of days so that you know the most current information.
Considering changes in the ice can happen quickly, there are a few important things to remember before traveling on the ice. Don’t venture beyond areas that have been labeled as safe, stick to the ice roads because they have been mapped out to cover areas that are known to be thicker ice, and don’t stay out on the ice if a thin ice advisory has been issued. Traveling on foot lasts longer than vehicle travel on the ice, but it’s vital to make sure the ice is strong enough to hold adequate amounts of weight.
One helpful idea for late season ice fishing is making sure you have waterproof gear and extra changes of clothing. Since it’s warmer, the ice and snow will have some level of melting, especially when running a heater in a fish house. With melting ice, comes various levels of flooding and you are on a lake, so expect that clothing is likely to get wet at some point. By having waterproof gear and changes of clothing, you can make sure you stay warm and dry. Cold weather and wet clothing isn’t a good mix, so make sure you are prepared.
Don’t Let That Last Ice Fishing Vacation Swim Away
Although we are getting closer to the end of the ice fishing season in Minnesota, don’t let that last ice fishing vacation swim away. Check in with the MN ice fishing regulations and catch the walleye limit while reeling in other fun winter catches like northern pike and panfish. As long as you keep ice thickness safety in mind while out on the ice, there’s still time to squeeze in one last ice fishing adventure before we start gearing up for open water fishing.
