Weather and Ice: How Central Minnesota's Fishing Season is Affected

Today, the mercury climbed to the upper 30s, and rain filled the skies of Central Minnesota. For ice anglers, these conditions aren't exactly perfect. Glen from Outdoor News had some interesting insights to share. He thinks the current weather won't do major harm to the ice conditions. In fact, he says we're off to a good start compared to the past two years. It’s smart for folks with large ice houses to pull them off the lakes as a precaution. If we had sunny days instead of cloudy ones, the ice might face more trouble. Most area lakes are holding strong with 9 to 12 inches of thick ice. Even ATVs and trucks are cruising around, with trucks being common north of Brainerd.

Ice fishing has been a hit. It's great for the industry. Walleye and crappies are the top catches. Crappies can be caught even in the middle of the day, while low light times are best for walleye. Minnesota's pheasant hunting season continues until the end of the month. Glen thought it would be a great season, but heavy summer rains ruined many nests, taking a toll on the hunt. It’s likely to be an average to below-average season. Want to listen to the full chat with Glen? Check below!

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