Here in Leech Lake we love to ice fish. What better way to relax from your crazy life, then to be on the ice on a sunny winter day reeling in the fish. Here are some fishing tips that can help you get everything you want out of your Leech Lake fishing trip: Be sure to ask the locals and resort owners where the fish are biting. They are the ones who know the lake best and are always willing to give you the best experience possible. You will be sure to find the best walleye action a little closer to Walker, MN. While your there you can stop in town and grab a bite to eat and get warm before heading back out to the ice. Catching pike is not the challenging part. Finding them is! But, once you have found them a tip up, a heavy line with a wire leader, and a plain old hook with a live minnow will work wonders. Look into a fishing guides. There are plenty here in Leech Lake that would love to get you on the fish! Book a stay at one our lodges! There are plenty of places to stay here in the winter. Check out which places offer ice house rentals and guide services so you can get out on the ice today! We hope to see you on the ice this winter! Remember to look into our lodging packages to see where you can stay on your next fishing trip to Leech Lake, Minnesota’s Original “Up North”. Been yearning to catch some walleyes out on the ice? What are you waiting for? Leech Lake is known for its excellent ice fishing conditions, and this year is no different! The latest fishing report for Leech Lake says that fishing has been best off the north and south ends of Walker Bay in 25 to 35 feet. Another place to try your hand on Leech Lake is Sand Point, which has produced a few walleyes and the occasional perch in 10 to 12 feet. Main-lake walleye reports have been limited to a few fish on the 12- to 20-foot structure. If you decide to make the trip to Leech Lake for some ice fishing, why not make it a weekend event and book a stay at one of our many area resorts! The Leech Lake area offers a variety of resorts that are open in the winter and are the perfect place to relax after a long day on the lake and share you best ice fishing stories. Many of the resorts even offer ice house rentals, so you can stay on the ice your entire weekend! Renting an ice house from one of the area resorts is convenient and will allow you to spend the most time possible doing what you love, fishing! There is no better place to take an ice fishing getaway this winter than Leech Lake! Plan your trip today; we hope to see catch you soon out on the lake! Last weeks Leech Lake ice fishing post offered some great resort and lodging options for your next ice fishing excursion, many of which offered ice houses as part of their stay. However we have had requests for more information on options for Ice Houses in the area. So we have put together this great resource for finding Leech Lake ice house rentals. Whether you are looking for a deluxe sleeper unit or a simple and portable single person shelter, this comprehensive resource ensures you will find the perfect ice house for your needs. If you’re looking for lodging as well, remember to check out our post on winter lodging packages that include ice houses. The Leech Lake ice house rental is a tradition in the area. With such a large surface area, and sometimes chilling winds out on the ice, an ice house can be a wonderful way to increase the enjoyment and time you can comfortably spend out on Leech Lake during the chilly winter months. Enjoy heated interiors, electricity, full kitchen space, living area, and much more in some of the luxury units, or go purely functional with some great low cost portable options. We are certain this Leech Lake Ice House rental guide will help you enjoy a day or days on the ice in comfort, but if you want more comfortable options and to end the day in a warm cabin check out our recent post on Leech Lake resorts that offer Ice House’s as part of their winter lodging options. Want to know a little more about the ice and fishing conditions before you plan your Leech Lake ice fishing trip or rent a fish house be sure to check out our weekly fishing report to find out how the ice is and some of the hot fishing spots. We hope we see you out on the ice very soon! As ice has capped Leech Lake and we have begun to see people out ice fishing on Leech Lake where it gets thicker earlier around Pine and Stoney points, we are reminded that not everyone has the privilege of year round residence on Leech Lake. Fortunately the area has several great lodging options open year round, but more importantly some offer specialized Ice Fishing packages with guides and all, which can mean the difference between an average day on the ice (which visitors tell us is amazing), and an absolutely awesome day ice fishing that will make Leech Lake your lifelong ice fishing destination. This year we predict an extremely strong Walleye season compared to years past, based on the trends we have seen you will be seeing bigger walleye and more pulls than ever before. So book early and come prepared to catch big! Need more lodging options? While these options don’t offer ice houses or ice fishing packages they still offer extremely easy access to the lake and great options for those who have all their own gear or know the lake well. We hope this guide ensures you have a great time out on the ice this winter. Leech Lake ice fishing offers some of the most diverse options for ice fishing in Minnesota. With a truly wide variety of fish species and amazing guide and lodging options you will not leave Leech Lake without having an amazing ice fishing experience. Use our weekly fishing report to help plan your next Minnesota ice fishing adventure. See you on the ice! The first snow of the year offers a stark reminder that summer is gone and winter is arriving in whiteout style, but it also indicates ice fishing on Leech Lake is not far off. It is looking like we will be getting a thick layer of ice this year and if the amazing summer and fall fishing is any indicator, this ice fishing season should be extremely fruitful. It’s time to dig that winter fishing gear out from under whatever pile it has been buried under since the end of last winter and get everything prepped for long days on the ice. In that spirit we would like to share some Leech Lake ice fishing tips for our favorite winter fish, with all those new anglers and those that just need a little refresher, before the season starts. Bass may be less active during the winter months but that doesn’t mean you can’t find success fishing for them on the ice. In the winter months bass tend to become extremely lethargic as their metabolism slows with the drop in water temperatures. They aren’t lethargic the entire winter though. Warm and calm periods above the ice will see bass activity below the ice increase drastically. During these active periods bass will often leave the rocky humps they stick to in winter and move into weedy flats or towards the basin edges in the 10 to 25 foot depth range. Headquarters bay and the edges of Moonlight bay often offer the best bass fishing in winter months, and the immediate vicinity of Leech River can either offer amazing results or not a single bite in a day during the winter, so if you are feeling lucky you may want to try it. More than the right spot it’s important to have the right equipment for bass fishing in the winter. Tip ups are extremely unlikely to get you a single bite, when it comes to bass. You will want to be using a short rod and a very light line, combined with a very small jig, the larger jigs used in fall will not work during the winter. Combine an extremely small jig with a bit of wax worm and regular lifts and drops to keep bass interested. Bass fishing in winter is perfect for those who want a challenge and like to be more proactive while they are ice fishing, no tip ups when you are bass fishing. Walleye behave much the same as the do in the fall and spring during the winter months. look for them In the basins of Walker Bay and around drops in Agency bay. Walleye, being nice and consistent for anglers year round, giving the best chances to catch Walleye in the low light early mornings and evenings. If you are lucky and the Walleye are extremely active you may be able to get away with a tip up but your best bet will be to use a shortened rod and remain active at the hole. Medium-Small jigs are your best bet for Walleye in the winter, but in less active periods a jigging spoon tipped with bits of minnow can provide great results. Ice fishing for Walleye on Leech Lake, is certainly less challenging than Bass, but still allows you to be more proactive at the hole, and because the best Walleye fishing is near Walker it’s an easy task to go back into town get lunch and then head back out on the ice. So it’s freezing out or you just want to sit back and enjoy yourself on the ice while the tip up does the work for you, well that’s what northern pike are for. Pike remain extremely active and aggressive compared to most Leech Lake species in the winter. As the water cools pike will move to the edges of surrounding weed beds or near the deeper edges of bars. Sucker bay and Boy bay often offer the best northern pike populations during the winter months, it is important to find their depth though. Even if you are in the right area if you miss their active depth you will lose out on a lot of hits, so unless you have a camera you will want to drill several holes close together and vary your depths to find that sweet spot. Catching pike is not the challenging part finding them is, but one you have found them a tip up, a heavy line with a wire leader, and a plain old hook with a with a live minnow will work wonders. So if your in the mood to sit back, relax and watch for the flag to pop, target the areas where northern congregate find their depth and enjoy! We hope you will find our tips our lead to stellar results and a winter filled with fish fries. You might be asking but what about eelpout!? Well let me ask you something, would you share your eelpout fishing spots and tips? Besides we need to leave some challenge to Ice Fishing on Leech Lake. If our first snow has made thoughts of long days on the ice and freezers full of fish dance through your head, think about reserving your cabin or hotel room before they are all gone. We hope to see you on the ice very soon! Until then, enjoy the snow! Featured Member: Shores of Leech Lake Shores of Leech Lake is a resort, RV park and Marina located 2.5 miles north of town on Walker Bay, on the paved Heartland and Paul Bunyan trails. Shores of Leech Lake offers spectacular views of the lake, security of your boat on private docks, sandy beaches and access to tails and downtown Walker. For a great family vacation, you can bring your own RV or rent one of the rustic, lakeside cottages. The cottages are available for year round rental with owner’s onsite. There is a plowed public access to the lake for ice fishing this season ½ mile north of Shores of Leech Lake. Simply cross the channel between Kabekona Bay and Walker Bay, then immediately turn tight. Shores boat ramp works great for snowmobiles and ATVs. You can also access the state trails from Shores road. Lakeside cottages are on special for 2 nights, $199/night or three nights at $149/night. Learn more about Shores of Leech Lake and book online now at http://shoresofleechlake.com/ Twas the time before Christmas, when all through Leech Lake Well Minnesota, it’s that time of year again. When the houses are alight with twinkling bulbs and the tune of “Jingle Bells” once again fills our ears. Stars and angels will adorn the tops of trees, and the children are writing their lists to Ole St. Nick! While there may not be a lot of snow on the ground, our Christmas spirits are in full swing here in the Leech Lake Area. As the time old tradition goes, it’s a must to see Santa before Christmas! The First National Bank in Walker is inviting everyone to their open house from 11:30-1pm on Friday, December 7th. Bring the whole family to take pictures and let Santa know how very good you’ve been this year! Don’t miss “A Taste of Christmas” at the Northern Lights Event Center in Walker this Sunday. All proceeds from activities such as their silent auction will benefit the Tianna Country Club Capital Campaign. What better way to celebrate during this Christmas season than giving back to a good cause? We know we’re not the only ones in the Leech Lake area that like to procrastinate! If you need to squeeze in a bit of last minute Christmas shopping then check out Next Innovations Factory Outlet Holiday Sale in Walker. December 14th and 15th they will be offering a variety of home décor items and more at discount prices. So spring to your homes, and to your families give a whistle, Posts Tagged ‘ice-fishing’
Ice fishing tips
Tuesday, January 29th, 2019
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Ice Fishing Season Is Here
Tuesday, January 16th, 2018
Leech Lake Ice House Rentals
Tuesday, December 20th, 2016
Ice House Rentals on Leech Lake
Leech Lake Ice Fishing Guides, Lodging & Ice Houses
Friday, December 16th, 2016
Leech Lake Ice Fishing Lodging, Guide & Ice House Packages
Winter Lodging Options
Ice Fishing on Leech Lake – Tips and Tricks
Friday, November 18th, 2016
Ice fishing for Bass on Leech Lake
Leech Lake Walleye fishing in the winter
Ice fishing for pike on Leech Lake
Shores of Leech Lake
Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014
Christmas at Leech Lake
Wednesday, December 5th, 2012
All the people were stirring, like they saw a mouse!
The families were shopping to fill stockings with care,
While hoping that ice-fishing season would soon be there!
And away will fly that wrapping paper like the down of a thistle.
You’ll hear an exclamation, one of pure delight,
Happy Christmas Leech Lake, and to all a good-night!