Be careful when ice fishing in early winter

Ice fishing season has begun in the Bemidji area, but extreme caution is advised when venturing out.

Small to medium sized lakes will be frozen on November 26th or 27th and Lake Bemidji is expected to be frozen by the end of the week. On the smaller lakes there is a layer of ice of more than 10 cm and on the medium-sized lakes there is a layer of ice of 2 to 3 inches.

The ice on the larger lakes is very thin, but with colder weather forecast that will change quickly. Now that the lakes are covered we should be in good shape for the winter fishing season if we don’t get any big piles of snow until we have 8-12 inches of clear ice.

When you head out, make sure you check the ice thickness every few feet with a spud bar, wear a swimsuit or life jacket, a good set of ice cleats on your boots, and wear ice picks around your neck. Ice axes can help you get back onto good ice in the event of a breakthrough.

If the ice is early, it’s also a good idea to fish with a friend or two in case something happens.

There are many months of ice fishing ahead, so don’t rush to get out on minimal ice. I am taking bookings for fish house rentals on Lake Bemidji and hope to have them available on the lake before Christmas.

Contributed

We hope you have a safe and enjoyable time on the ice and please remember to practice selective fishing so we can continue to have great fishing opportunities for years to come.

Dick Beardsley owns and operates Dick Beardsley Fishing Guide Service in Bemidji. He can be reached at

(218) 556-7172

And

[email protected].

For more information, see

www.dickbeardsleyfishingguide.com.

Dick Beardsley owns and operates Dick Beardsley Fishing Guide Service in Bemidji, Minnesota, and writes a weekly fishing report.