Ice Fishing Guide for Lake Winnie in Minnesota
Nestled inside northern Minnesota's Chippewa National Forest, Lake Winnibigoshish is one of the state's premier fishing locations. Anglers, both local and tourists, come to Lake Winnie--as the locals refer to it--throughout the year to catch an assortment of fish. As of 2008, the most abundant fish in Lake Winnie were northern pike, walleye, yellow perch and white sucker fish.
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Lake Winnie
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Lake Winnibigoshish, which means "miserable, wretched, dirty water" in the Ojibway language, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in northern Minnesota. The fifth-largest lake in the state, Lake Winnie spans more than 56,000 acres and is nearly 70 feet deep. Lake Winnie plays home to more than a dozen species of fish, and for the past ten years the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has stocked the lake with more than 500,000 whitefish.
The Fish
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Perhaps the most sought-after fish for area anglers, the walleye is plentiful in Lake Winnie. Walleye can be caught throughout most of Minnesota's many lakes, can weigh as much as 20 pounds, but are generally in the 3- to 15-pound range at adulthood. Yellow perch are even more abundant than walleye, and the 4- to 10-inch fish are caught more than any other fish in Lake Winnie.
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Licenses and Fees
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Fishing on Lake Winnie requires a state-issued license. Licenses, which are issued by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, can cost anywhere from $8.50 for a single-day pass all the way to $40.50 for a two-week pass for non-residents. Licenses are available at the DNR's St. Paul offices or can be purchased through the mail or online. Licenses are valid for summer fishing as well as ice fishing.
Equipment
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Unlike fishing in the summer months when all an angler needs is a rod, a reel and some bait, ice fishing requires more equipment and preparation. Winter temperatures on Lake Winnie are generally subzero, so all ice fishermen should dress appropriately and use an ice-fishing shelter. Anglers will also need a good auger to break through the ice, as well as a pair of ice cleats and a spud bar to measure the thickness of the ice.
Warning
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Due to the extremely cold weather and unpredictable ice thickness, ice fishing can be dangerous for those who are unprepared. Before undertaking an ice fishing expedition, you should know how thick the lake's ice is. It takes at least 4 inches of clear solid ice to support a person on foot, 5 inches for a snowmobile and 8 to 12 inches for a small car or truck. Local bait shops will generally have accurate information on ice depth.
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References
- Photo Credit ice fishing image by Inger Anne Hulbækdal from Fotolia.com
