We’re closing out 2025 and heading into the New Year with winter finally feeling a bit more like winter, even if it hasn’t been a picture-perfect Northwoods deep freeze. It seems we’ve got that coming later this week. The snow we got Sunday into Monday will have a big impact on “getting around” out there – slush is going to be the name of the game for a while. Let’s hope the predicted cold holds.
Ice thickness continues to vary across the Eagle River area. Overall, ice is decent, though it still remains pretty classic “early-season”—uneven, variable, and very dependent on location. Snow cover (a bigger issue after the storm), pressure cracks, and shoreline heaves are still factors to watch closely, …
Winter is here, but it’s hard to tell on some of those warmer days! Thankfully, the nighttime temps are still getting cold enough to hold the line and we’re seeing generally good conditions. That said, it’s still early ice, and while progress has been fairly steady, it remains uneven. Most areas are improving daily, but caution and patience are still essential for anyone heading out, especially in areas where snow as drifted or there are visible heaves.
Ice thickness continues to vary widely from lake to lake. Some larger lakes that stayed open longer earlier this month are now holding surprisingly good ice aside from some heaving and shorelines, while smaller or snow-covered areas can be far less consistent. …
Let the ice fishing begin! We’ve started seeing folks come through for bait and out ice fishing on the really small lakes that locked up early. These are the desperate and brave anglers who are willing to go out on as little as an inch and a half, which we can’t recommend.
Ice thickness throughout the area varies greatly, and a drive around to check out some lakes will show you that. As always, use extreme caution in the beginning of the season. Spud as you go and keep your eyes and ears open. Things will be much safer soon given the weather we’re expecting and as long as we can avoid a big dump of snow, we go a pretty perfect set-up for a great season! …
As we head into Thanksgiving, the rhythm of late fall continues to define conditions. Over the past week, fishing felt very “winter-waiting-room”: silent woods, low sun, and lake water cooling into the upper 30’s especially on cold mornings. The cold has brought skim ice on smaller and medium sized lakes and the clear water and settled structure made for very deliberate fishing for those going out. Truthfully, right now 98% of those who want to be outside are either hunting or waiting for ice. In light of that, let’s talk about early-season ice fishing.
The first ice of the season provides good enough fishing for walleye and panfish anglers to be worth the risk for many. As always, …