Local Ice Fishing Faces Tough Conditions This Weekend

Ice fishing locally has become more challenging in the last week.  Glen Schmitt from Outdoor News joined me on WJON.  He says lake access has been very difficult due to a lack of ice along shorelines.  Schmitt says he tried to get on a local lake with his ATV last week and wasn't able to do it.  He says there is a fair amount of ice on local lakes in the middle of many lakes but there has been a significant amount of melt in shallow areas.  Schmitt says the large amount of snow expected this weekend will harm ice conditions even more.  He says "we may be out of luck" with ice fishing locally.

Ice Fish Up North

Schmitt says interested ice anglers could drive about an hour north of St. Cloud and find adequate ice fishing conditions.  He says there are areas in southern Minnesota where lakes and rivers have opened up enough for open water fishing.  Schmitt explains we are in a unique time where anglers could still ice fish in the state but could also experience open water fishing in other locations.

Lake Mille Lacs

Lake Mille Lacs walleye regulations were announced this week.  They largely remain the same as what was announced last year.  Schmitt says anglers can take 3 walleye if they are 17 inches or bigger with 1 over 20 inches.  The State angler harvest allowable limit was set at 105,300 pounds which Schmitt says is down a bit from 2025.  He says right now the lake is in great shape and every thing looks good for Mille Lacs.

Deer Hunting in Stearns County

Stearns County has been in a shotgun only zone in Minnesota since the early 1940s for deer hunting because the deer numbers were very low.  Schmitt says this is not a safety issue.  He says deer numbers in Central Minnesota have grown considerably since the 1940s.  Schmitt says the State Legislature passed a law in 2025 allowing for rifle use throughout the state.  He says it has been left up to individual counties to enact the use of rifles.  A meeting to get input from county residents has been set for April 7 in Melrose.

If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Glen Schmitt, click below.