Minnesota fishing reports

Chad Saffert with his 41-inch pike outside the Igloo Ice Bar; photo courtesy of LakeoftheWoodsMN.com Another outstanding weekend is in store for anglers, with a stretch of beautiful 50-degree days in the forecast!  While ice thickness is generally good, the access points to lakes and the inlets and outlets with current need to be approached with caution. Due to the warm temperatures, anglers should call ahead for the most current conditions. It is important to check ice thickness often since it can vary greatly from one area to another. Please remember that ice should never be considered totally safe, and anglers are encouraged to check ice thickness often. To brush up on your knowledge of ice safety, consult the Minnesota DNR's Ice Safety Guidelines. For rules, regulations and other helpful information on fishing in Minnesota, consult the DNR's Fish Minnesota web page. [Northeast] [Northwest] [Central] [Southern] Northeast Minnesota International Falls - Rainy Lake & the Rainy River The best fishing on Rainy Lake continues to be early in the morning. Anglers using minnows and a colored jig in 25-30 feet of water around Sand Bay are pulling in some walleye and sauger. Crappies have been more active around Black Bay where successful anglers are also using colored jigs and minnows, but a size or two smaller. There are some large northern pike being caught around the mouth of Black Bay. Area trails are in great shape right now, but there is a warm-spell in the forecast so call ahead for the most current conditions before you head out. The International Voyageurs Snowmobile Club posts the most current conditions, and the National Park Service posts conditions for the Rainy Lake Ice road and VNP Snowmobile Trails on the VNP facebook page. 800-325-5766; www.rainylake.org Ely Panfish anglers are enjoying mild temperatures and steady action on area lakes with good numbers of large sunnies and nice slab crappies being reported. Travel is best by sled or four wheeler, but some folks continue to travel by truck since most lakes have at least 16-inches of ice. Stream trout are still active, hitting small spoons and jigs with wax worms. Tip-ups with dead or salted minnows are also working well. Lake trout action has been good for anglers actively jigging tube jigs and small jigging rapala baits. Most trout anglers are sweetening up their offerings with either a minnow head or whole minnow – don’t be surprised if you pull in an occasional northern pike. 800-777-7281; www.ely.org Duluth - Lake Superior and inland waters The bite on the inland lakes remains best for consistent action. The crappies have moved off the shallower areas into deep basins, and the bluegills have also moved a bit deeper. Electronics are ideal for targeting these fish and determining what they will respond to. Tip-ups are turning northern pike and bass, as well as an occasional walleye. Setting up near structure or shallow vegetation edges will often produce well, especially during the feeding windows of dawn and dusk. Ice conditions throughout the area remain good, but anglers still need to use caution. Anglers fishing the St. Louis River are having to work hard to land a few fish. The best bite has been for anglers jigging a smaller blade spoon tipped with a chub after sundown. The river action should heat up as the end of the season approaches. Lake Superior shoreline anglers report a decent looper bite, with an occasional coho salmon also being taken. The best approach has been a long rodding spoon with a looper bug or floating wax worm. 800-438-5884; www.visitduluth.com Grand Rapids Anglers are eager to head out again this weekend, and take advantage of the warm temperatures and great panfish bite. Anglers having the most success are drilling 8- to 10-holes, using small baits, are remaining mobile, with nice numbers of crappies, perch and bluegill being reported. As the season progresses, look for perch to move to areas where the lake’s soft bottom meets the rocks, ideally in 12-20 feet of water. These areas offer larvae emerging from the mud, as well as small crayfish holding in the rocks. While perch will respond to minnows, the larvae and crayfish are their preferred forage late in the winter. Use “wigglers” or a #3 or #5 jigging rap with a couple of waxworms or small minnow head for the most perch. Remember, many consider yellow perch to be the best freshwater eating fish! www.visitgrandrapids.com Northwest Minnesota Baudette - Lake of the Woods & the Rainy River On Lake of the Woods, sonar units have been extremely helpful since most walleye and sauger are suspending 10-15 feet below the ice. A good bite is being reported in 29-33 feet of water in the main basin.  Anglers using a glow red, pink or gold jigging spoon with a rattle, along with a dead stick are doing better than those with just a jigging rod and tip up. Minnow heads and tails are out-producing whole minnows. Jumbo perch are often in the mix. The Rainy River is giving up nice numbers of fish during morning and evening hours. It is important that anglers work through a resort or guide if not very familiar with the river. The snowmobile trail is staked from Wheeler's Point to Baudette on the river -- do not deviate from the trail unless you are aware of the most current ice conditions. At the Northwest Angle and Islands area, fishing has really picked! A dead stick is still producing the most fish when the presentation is set less than a foot off the bottom. Less turbidity has favored more natural colors. 800-382-FISH; www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com Walker - Leech Lake Fishing has heated up on Leech Lake! The walleye bite was strong over the weekend on the main lake during evening hours and overnight. The Goose Island area, Stoney Point and the Pelican Island area offered anglers consistent action for both keepers and large fish, with most of the larger fish taken overnight. Buckshot rattle spoons in glow colors tipped with a full minnow produced the most fish. A set line on a rattle reel with a plain hook and rainbow was a close second in producing fish of all sizes. Walker Bay continues to kick out smaller fish, with the bite moving back to the shoreline areas.  First Point, Cedar Point and Breezy Point all produced fish over the week. As anglers start to move into position on sharp shoreline breaks to catch the infamous eelpout, they have been greeted with a few active walleye as well. The perch bite is picking up, with most active fish coming from depths of 12-16 feet on the main lake around Goose Island. Eelpout activity is starting to increase as they approach their spawn. For the most action, use glow spoons tipped with 2-3 minnows.  The Eelpout Festival is just around the corner. While the ice is rough, ice conditions remain very good throughout Walker Bay and all parts of the main lake. 800-833-1118; www.leech-lake.com Park Rapids Northern pike fishing has been very good, with a number of 28- to 30-inch pike reported. The best approach has been a tip up with a large golden shiner on a chartreuse hook suspended 2 feet off the bottom on the weedy flats in 8-12 feet of water. Although the weather will stay warm, ice conditions are good and should remain good for the next week or so. Panfish are very active in 6-8 feet of water the last few days. Anglers are doing well using just a small glow bug jig tipped with a wax worm. 800-247-0054; www.parkrapids.com Detroit Lakes Ice conditions remain good in the Detroit Lakes area, however conditions will deteriorate through the weekend and into next week due to slush developing on the surface -- ice thickness should remain good. Ruts may be a problem on the more heavily traveled lakes and community fishing spots. The results of the “Poles and Holes” derby on Little Detroit Lake last weekend were a good indicator of how active the northern pike are in the shallow weeds. In fact, panfish, bass, and northern pike are active on most area lakes. The walleye bite has been slow, but some anglers are taking fish from the sharp breaks leading to deep water. 800-542-3992; www.visitdetroitlakes.com Central Region Otter Tail Lakes Area Another stretch of beautiful 50-degree days are in the forecast for this weekend. While ice thickness is generally very good, the access points to lakes and the inlets and outlets with current need to be approached with caution. The fish are biting, but seem to be adjusting to the additional daylight. It will take some experimenting to determine the best window of time and colors to use. 800-423-4571; www.ottertailcountry.com Isle/Onamia - Lake Mille Lacs As of Friday, Feb. 10, a good "night bite" was being reported by Lake Mille Lacs anglers. It usually started a little before sunset and continued through the night until an hour or so after sunrise. Most of the fish came in on rattle reels with a whole minnow on a lightweight glow jig. During the day, anglers had the most success using a slender spoon, tingler or hawger spoon tipped with a piece of minnow. The daytime fish were more active on the mud flats than on the gravel. The best location was a turn or edge that hadn't been heavily fished. Northern pike was decent for those using larger suckers under a tip-up in 10-14 feet of water. The ice was expected to “flex” due to warm temperatures. Anglers were urged to cross any cracks or heaves on a bridge. 888-350-2692; www.millelacs.com Southern Minnesota Lanesboro - Southeast Bluff Country trout streams As of Monday, Feb. 13, most area streams and rivers were slightly off in color with a normal to somewhat high water flow. Fisheries staff reported that blue-winged olives were seen on Trout Run, and fish were rising to midge adults and pupa. As of Thursday, Feb. 16, fisheries staff reported that most braches of the Whitewater Stream were clear with a normal water flow. 800-944-2670; www.lanesboro.com Anglers may obtain fishing licenses 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by dialing 1-888-665-423