The Fountain Lake Sportsman’s Club of Albert Lea will be holding its annual Ice Fishing Contest on Fountain Lake on Feb. 1. It will start at noon at the gazebo at Fountain Lake Park and end at 2 p.m.

The cost will be $5 per hole and there will be more than $1,000 in cash prizes. The club will also be selling raffle tickets. All the proceeds from this event will go to the Take a Kid Fishing Fund.

It’s a good time to exercise your fishing prowess or to just have a little fun on a winter afternoon. Who knows? It could be you that catches the “Big One.”

You can contact Ron Meyer at 507-552-1214 with any questions you may have about the contest.

In case you haven’t noticed there has been a shifting of the fish houses in the channel on Albert Lea Lake from outside the mouth of the channel to closer in. The following of the fish is what seems to be happening, I guess you could almost call it hard water trolling.

My Grandson, Trevor, has built a fish house this winter with some help from his Dad. He finally got it out on the lake last Friday and he couldn’t be happier. He has caught quite a few nice perch and some walleye in just a short time but most of the walleye were smaller. He and his friend Josh have caught an occasional 16-incher which is good eating in anyone’s book and catching the smaller ones is a good sign for the coming years.

It seems like the best perch bite is during the daylight hours and the walleye are biting better at night. I guess it doesn’t matter whether you’re fishing open water or the January “hard stuff” the fish tend to have the same tendencies.

Trevor says he will take Grandpa out to his house soon and I know I’ll be more than happy to take him up on it. If I can find the time I think I could really get into it. I don’t think it will ever become a “Grumpy Old Men” thing but I think it will be fun. I can now see how people get “hooked” on this type of fishing.

I haven’t heard much about the fishing on Fountain Lake but I’ve heard reports of some nice perch being caught on Freeborn Lake. I also keep hearing unsubstantiated reports of dangerously low oxygen levels in the lake. There is some speculation that the aerators should have been turned on much earlier. I sure hope that’s not the case and that it never gets to the point that it did in 2005.

A few fishing reports from around the state:

MANKATO — German Lake started giving up sunfish in 10 to 14 feet and crappies in 16 to 18 feet. The northeast bay and west side of Lake Emily is worth hitting for panfish. On Lake Washington, you’ll find panfish in 14 to 16 feet. Sucker minnows are turning pike in 12 feet at Little Jefferson Lake and in seven feet at Lake Francis. Lake Hanska continues to give up an occasional walleye in eight feet.

PARK RAPIDS — Walleye action is winding down with some fish being taken during lowlight periods in 30 to 32 feet at Long Lake and Potato Lake. Sucker minnows are producing northern pike at Straight Lake in 12 to 14 feet. Look to Fish Hook Lake for bluegills in 12 to 16 feet and crappies are being found suspended over 30 feet on Big Mantrap Lake and the Crow Wing Chain Chain.

RED LAKE — Despite the recent cold snap, walleyes can be had in 11 to 13 feet. Setlines and red glow hooks tipped with minnows are working best during lowlight periods. There is some midday action on the gravel bars out from Westwind in 11 feet as well. There isn’t much for crappies worth noting and a few big pike are being caught along with the walleyes.

RED WING — The Methodist area of the Mississippi River is producing walleyes and sauger in 21 to 30 feet. Salmos, jigging Rapalas, and BuckShot spoons are turning the majority of fish. The Baypoint Park area is kicking out panfish in eight to 10 feet and a few boats continue to hit the river, below the dam in 18 to 20 feet, for walleyes and sauger.

WATERVILLE — Panfish remain active in shallow water at French Lake, Lake Mazaska, and Roberds Lake. Look to Clear Lake for a few walleyes during lowlight periods in 18 to 20 feet. Sucker minnows are turning northern pike in the swimming beach area of Lake Tetonka during the day in less than 10 feet. Look for crappies in this area during the evening hours in 10 to 15 feet.

GRAND RAPIDS — Crappie action continues to be good in 17 to 20 feet at Big Splithand Lake, Lake Wabana, Big Cutfoot, Little Cutfoot, and Sugar Lake near Remer. Look for walleyes during the evening hours in 18 to 22 feet at Trout Lake and Sugar Lake. Bass Lake remains a safe bet for bluegills in 14 to 17 feet. Northern pike are hitting large minnows at Lake Pokegama and Rice Lake.

BATTLE LAKE — Walleyes remain active in 15 to 25 feet at Otter Tail Lake and West Battle Lake. Sucker minnows are the ticket for northern pike on the weedlines of Otter Tail, North Turtle Lake, and South Turtle Lake. Look for suspended crappies over 20 feet of water at Lake Blanche, Stalker Lake, and West Battle. Sunfish also are being found suspended over 15 to 20 feet at Rush Lake, Star Lake, Dead Lake, Blanche, and West Battle.

BLACKDUCK — Crappies and perch are hitting spoons tipped with waxworms on Blackduck Lake in 18 to 22 feet. Blackduck also continues to produce walleyes in 10 to 13 feet. Look to Island Lake for walleyes in 10 to 15 feet during the evening hours. Lakes such as Pimushe and Rabideau are kicking out bluegills and crappies in 15 to 20 feet.

BRAINERD/NISSWA — There’s an evening walleye bite with shiner minnows on Gull Lake in 18 to 22 feet. Spearing and angling has been strong for northern pike on Gull and North Long Lake in eight to 12 feet. Crappies are being found suspended over 20 to 40 feet on Gull, while Round Lake is the area’s best sunfish option in eight to 10 feet with glow jigs and Eurolarvae.

Here is some news from the DNR that may be of interest to hunters:

Temporary hunting rules to become permanent

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is accepting comments through Feb. 25 on a number of hunting regulations, including many temporary rules that would added to state game and fish laws this year. The proposals cover a variety of areas pertaining to deer registration; deer licenses, deer zone descriptions, deer hunter selection, bear hunter selection and prairie chicken area designation.

“The majority of these rule changes are technical and have been in effect as temporary rules for the past several hunting seasons,” said Jason Abraham, DNR season setting specialist. “We are completing a process to make these rules permanent.”

A copy of the proposed rules will be published in the State Register and available online after Jan. 20. A copy of the proposed rules is also available on the DNR Web site. Many of the rule changes were a result of simplifying deer hunting regulations. Those scheduled to be made permanent are: deer licenses for military personnel seasons and zones for taking deer by firearms zone descriptions for deer special hunt procedures either-sex permits and preference drawings taking deer by firearms or archery with early antlerless permits youth deer hunts youth special deer seasons bear permit procedures allow bear hunters second choice on application registration blocks prairie chicken permit area descriptions.

Comments may be submitted to: Jason Abraham, Box 20, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-4020 or by e-mailing Jason.Abraham@dnr.state.mn.us.

Until next time stay warm, play safe and enjoy the great Minnesota outdoors.

Remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers during the coming year.