DETROIT LAKES — The long range forecast looks very favorable for spending time on the ice, with a chance to be mobile and check out multiple areas.
It is always much easier during the brutal cold to fish in the permanent house, set up the portable in your prime location and hope for the best, or use it as an excuse not to even go out and try.
When the temps are above zero, the wind is minimal, and we have a little sunshine, it is a great time (and very comfortable) to hole hop and explore. Being mobile also increases your chances for success. I think finding fish instead of waiting for them to find you increases catch rates.
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Use mapping to find extending points, inside turn edges, or close in humps. Start drilling shallow holes and work towards deep water. Because I can’t remember like I used to, I etch the depth in the snow next to the hole.
You can get a picture of the layout of the area. Drop your locator in the hole to find the depth and possibly mark fish. Most times you will find fish deeper in the middle of the day and moving up shallower as it gets closer to dark.
Ice conditions are excellent with ice thicknesses of 20-25 inches all over the region. Some of the risky locations and ice thickness variations that still existed up until a couple of weeks ago, resolved themselves with the last bitter cold front and we have had minimal additional snow since then.
Up until the past few days, the weather has been very mild and the warmer weather and sunshine knocked the snow cover on the lakes down considerably.
Travel on the lakes is very easy now for the most part, but be cautious and avoid the hard packed drifts. We are trending cold again, but it doesn’t look like we have much snow in the forecast.
With snow getting hard packed and minimal snow, the plowed roads on Little and Big Detroit, as well as Sallie and Melissa are in great shape. Thank Mike Witt of Quality Bait for all his work plowing area lakes and keeping people fishing, and saying thanks with a few bucks will help defray costs, as it is not cheap to plow or fix equipment to keep plows running.
We are also at the time of the ice season when the derby starts. The region is rich with derby activity for the next several weekends. They are great social events and fundraisers for good community causes. They are also good opportunities to get the whole family together on the ice for fishing, food, fun, and fellowship. Kids love the chance to win a prize and are proud to weigh in a catch – and so are adults!
Check area chambers of commerce and local bait shops to find out about the fishing derbies in the region.
(Laabs owns Brad Laabs Guide Service in Detroit Lakes)