Fishing Reports for News Years
12/26 Ice Fishing Report Outright Angling Leech Lake
Everywhere I have checked in Walker bay I have found 6″-12″ of ice, but it’s a little too variable to be confident, so we are checking as we go. There are a few active cracks, one from First Point over to the city park, and one from Sand Point heading south to about 2nd Point. I have found 3″-4″ in areas around Minnesota Island in Steamboat Bay, caution should be used. The bite has been decent on shoreline breaks, and on the humps in 20-26 feet of water.
The main lake really varies too. The southeast corner of the lake near Whipholt and Trapper’s Landing Lodge probably has the best ice on the lake with a fairly consistent 12″-15″. I have noted some thinner ice between Pine Point and Goose Island and off of Stony Point access. I have also heard reports of thinner ice to watch out for between Battle Point and Bear Island. Please, make no assumptions or educated guesses about ice thickness. Check with a resort, or set out on foot and check ice often when ice thickness is unknown. The walleyes and perch are indeed hungry, and another week of cold temps should give us many more options out there. Fishing has been hit-or-miss for me on the main lake, but we haven’t come close to exploring all of our options out there.
Cheers and hook-sets!
Captain Phil Bauerly- Leech Lake
Lakewood Lodges Fishing and Ice Report Video
Trappers Landing Lodge
Ice conditions continue to improve in the Leech Lake area. With cold temps in the near future we should be able to continue to make ice. Ice thickness still continues to vary from area to area. We are starting to see more traffic in Walker Bay with ice 8-10″ at this time. People are walking out, using ATV/UTV or snowmobiles to the first breaks or near humps. At Trapper’s Landing Lodge on the Main Lake we have 10-13″ of ice out to Pelican Island and points east. People are using ATV/UTV and snowmobiles and we have a road staked out to Huddles reef. We plan on finishing a road later this week and will have our Glacier Ice Houses set and ready to rent starting December 26th.
The walleye bite has been good in the early hours and the last low light hours before dark. 15-25 ft of water along the shoreline breaks or points. Sand Point area is producing perch during the day in 8-12 ft of water and walleyes in the evening in 16-20 ft along the breaks. Please still use caution on all lakes in the area with ice conditions and thickness that continue to vary.
The local smaller lakes are producing great panfish action. Ice still will vary from 8-13″ on most of your smaller lakes so keep checking as you go. The crappies have started to move off the weeds and are on the edge of the basin while the bluegills are not far behind them but can still be caught in the left over weeds.
The Red Lake bite continues to be strong. With more pressure through the last weekend the fish are starting to scatter. Most Resorts have opened their roads to ½ ton trucks and single axle wheel houses. 13-16″ of ice is being reported. 12-14 ft seems to be the magic number; find some areas with quiet ice and less traffic. Set lines during the day are working well and aggressive jigging with jiggin’ and rippin’ raps in the low light hours. Check with your local resorts for the most up to date ice conditions and maps.
Our Ice House Rentals are filling up fast, call 218-836-2500 to book your Leech Lake Ice Fishing vacation. The Merit is open Thursday – Saturday with some great daily specials, join us for dinner or come in for a beer & tell us about your big catch! For more up-to-date reports stop by Reeds Family Outdoor Outfitters or Trapper’s Landing Lodge before heading out on the ice. Good luck and be safe on all your outdoor adventures!
