The fishing locally is good.  That's according to Glen Schmitt from Outdoor News.  He joined me on WJON today.  Schmitt says there can be a January slump but he's not seeing that right now.  He says the fish are active and that includes blue gills, crappies and walleye.  Schmitt says ice conditions throughout the local area aren't thick enough to support permanent ice houses and large vehicles but he says he's seeing plenty of portable ice houses, ATVs and people walking on the ice.  Schmitt says there is not a lot of people on the lakes right now and because of that lack of pressure the fishing will remain good.

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Schmitt says it's difficult to predict if the extreme cold weather we are dealing with this week will make enough ice to support permanent ice houses and larger vehicles within the next couple of weeks but it is possible.  He says even though northern Minnesota has had colder weather throughout the winter so far they've also had a lot more snow.  Schmitt says some of the northern Minnesota lakes have plenty of slush on the lakes but he anticipates that slush freezing during this cold snap.

Schmitt says the weather changes we've been dealing with can be challenging for anglers.  He says Saturday appears to be a great day to go out and fish with temperatures close to 30 degrees.  Schmitt says the "fun factor" with fishing goes way down when temperatures dip well below zero.

If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Glen this week it's available below.

 

 

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