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By Ayanna Eckblad

This winter has been unseasonably warm compared to past years. While it makes spending time outdoors easier, it has put a hold on an important season for many Minnesotans: ice fishing season. So what is the outlook for ice fishing this year?

“It depends on the winter we get,”said Craig Soupir, Waterville Area Fisheries and Hatchery Supervisor for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “I think [the outlook] is good.” According to Soupir, Fountain Lake is one of the best in the area when it comes to ice fishing. This year, there should be an abundance of fish, including walleye, bluegill, northern pike and crappie.

Another contributing factor for fishing conditions this year is the recent drought. One of the biggest issues a drought can cause is winterkill.

According to the Minnesota DNR, winterkill is a phenomenon in which fish die due to low oxygen levels in water they live in. It causes damage not only to fish, but also for aquatic plants, especially during periods of high snow and ice coverage. Typically, shallower lakes have a higher potential for winterkill.

More information on this can be found at https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/areas/fisheries/westmetro/fishkills.html.

Fortunately for southern Minnesota, Fountain lake is stable and has not winterkilled in over 10 years. It has also received good reports this past winter and spring.

“Fountain Lake has been one of our better fisheries,” Soupir said.

Fishers on local lakes also have a good possibility of catching northern pike and smallmouth bass this winter. There should be a good supply of yellow perch in both Beaver Lake and Geneva Lake. Beaver Lake has some good walleye and panfish varieties as well.

Even though ice fishing is paused as people wait for the weather to cool down, there are other ways fishers can get a good catch.

“Don’t forget the rivers,” said Soupir. Additionally, due to the low amount of snowfall and high visibility, spearfishing is another option for people.

Soupir explained that it may be a couple of weeks before there is good ice coverage on the area’s lakes, and everyone should use appropriate caution when on the ice at any time.

People should be aware of lakes that use aeration systems. Lakes are aerated to stir up warm water from the bottom and melt ice to stimulate an increase of oxygen and plant photosynthesis, lowering the chances of winterkill.

“Lake aeration has the potential to prevent winterkill of fish, improve water quality or protect structures from ice damage,” Soupir said. However, it also poses a risk for people who are walking on the ice.

While no ice is completely safe, the DNR recommends waiting until there is 4 to 6 inches of good, solid ice on the surface of a lake before it is safe to walk on. There must be a larger amount of ice before vehicles can be on the lake safely.

For now, ice conditions in southern Minnesota are not stable. Ice had formed during a time of colder temperatures, but warmer weather has weakened it.

“For right now, be really careful,” Soupir said to all fishers. “Be careful and safe.”