Ice conditions report 1•6•25
By Your Inner Otter
We begin each ice conditions report with a reminder that ice on lakes/ponds/rivers is never 100% safe. You are responsible for checking ice thickness should you choose to travel out for some ice fishing . Just because you see someone else in a spot or with a vehicle, hard house etc… That doesn’t mean the ice is safe between you and them. You should always proceed with caution and drill holes off the beaten path to check for variations in thickness. We have seen as much as 3-4 inches difference in a very short distance. It could be 14 inches in one spot and 10 inches in another. That means if you were in vehicle you would run the risk of falling through.
We are making ice now. The recent cold temps have done their job and firmed up all of the slop that was on Otter Tail County, MN lakes around Christmas. We were on Otter Tail Lake Sunday night and found 15-16 inches of good clean ice. Even caught a couple walleyes in 16 feet of water on a set line, plain hook and shiner. Please note, the MN DNR recommends 18-20 inches before you use a full sized truck to haul a fish house. There is absolutely no snow on the ice. Ice cleats are a MUST. Hard to even drill a hole without them. We had to dig in our heels so to speak from time to time.
We checked the ice on the east end of Rush Lake on Sunday, 12/29/24 and found 13-15 inches of ice. This doesn’t mean there is 15 inches of ice on the entire lake. The east end tends to freeze first. As we said, ice conditions vary, so proceed with caution. The forecast looks favorable for more ice to be made. Might even be at 18 inches by the weekend.
We have 5 members who offer fish house rental. Vacationland Resort & Barky’s Resort are on Otter Tail Lake. Meister Guide Service & Lightfoot Outdoors usually have fish house rentals on Otter Tail Lake as well. If you are looking for a different lake, just reach out and ask them. Lock Jaw Guide Service also offers fish house rentals. Their houses aren’t typically on Otter Tail Lake, but they should be on fish.
We will do our best to provide updates on ice conditions in Otter Tail County, MN throughout this winter. We highly recommend you bring safety equipment should you venture out. You will need a measuring device, throw rope, ice picks, throwable or wearable pfd, ice picks & ice cleats.
