Woods & Water by Dick Herfindahl

With the beginning of a new year we have been experiencing some extremely cold weather which is no revelation to any of us who live here. The good news is that the ice is now thick enough and safe enough for hard water fishing. There are always exceptions to each rule and when it comes to ice safety we must always be mindful of the fact that even the safest looking ice can hold a surprise or two.

The ice can sometimes be a little unstable when it comes to getting close to bull rushes or other vegetation protruding from the ice. I speak from my own experiences when talking about this. As a kid I spent a lot of time on the slough between Goose and Fountain Lakes. Most of my bad experiences came as I walked on the ice that covered the flowing water of the creek. There were actually two different safety hazards to watch for; the first was the ice covering flowing water may not be as thick as it should be because of the current. The second was the vegetation that was next to the creek bed could create air pockets and weaken the ice.

Either I was not a quick learner or I just liked to live on the edge; either way, I came home with one or both pant legs frozen solid on more than one occasion. If I had to guess; I’d have to say that I had little regard for my safety because I always felt that the water was just not that deep. The downside of that was that frostbite can set in when you have frozen pants and a boot or two full of water. With all of that being said I can look back and truthfully say that the time that I spent exploring that area was truly part of what is referred to as “the good old days.”

From what I have been hearing from some fishermen is that the fishing around the area has been pretty good. Fountain Lake has been active and; depending what part of the lake you fish you may be rewarded with some descent sized crappie. My grandson Trevor and one of his friends caught quite a few crappie on Fountain in the 10 to 11-inch range; that’s some good eating in anyone’s book.

There are numerous fishing shelters on Fountain Lake and there are also a fair amount of shelters on Pickerel Lake as well. I have only seen one or two shelters on the channel by Frank Hall Park and only one has remained for any length of time. Trevor, my grandson said that he had tried the channel last year but the carp were so thick that you couldn’t see bottom, much less any game fish. I find it hard to understand why in a matter of a few years we gone from having a whole village of houses on the channel catching fish to virtually nothing. I’d have to guess that the rough fish have pretty much taken over that lake.

Folks must always be mindful of the size and limit regulations of all species. You may have only one walleye over 20-inches in possession per fisherman; this is on your person or in your freezer. There are also many changes in the fishing regulations in the works for the upcoming 2018 season that will take effect in May. The current regulations for walleye, sauger, northern and bass are good until the 25th of February. There is no closed season for perch and panfish.

Here are some answers to questions that have been popping up frequently when discussing ice fishing:

• All non-portable ice shelters must be licensed.

• Wheeled fish houses are not considered portable and must be licensed.

• An annual shelter license costs $15 for residents and $37 for non-residents, not including issuing fees that may be charged.

• A shelter license is valid from March 1 through April 30 of the following year.

• A shelter license is not required on border waters between Minnesota or Wisconsin, Iowa and North and South Dakota.

Spending a few hours on the lake doing a little hard water fishing can have its own reward. It is more than just catching fish; it’s also about being there and enjoying one of Minnesota’s favorite pastimes

Until next time; always use caution when venturing out on the ice and take the time to enjoy spending some time in the outdoors.

Please take some time to honor those who have sacrificed so much for the freedoms we enjoy today. Also take some time to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice, those who served and those troops serving today.