Fishing Report 3-24-21

The ice has softened in Otter Tail Lakes Country. I had been ice fishing as much as possible until 2 days ago-when the ice thickness on the lakes that I had been fishing became very inconsistent and super chunky. How do you know when the ice is rotten? There are obvious visual cues; the ice has a pocky and rough texture and water no longer puddles on the ice-it simply seeps through like a sieve. It also changes color often; white, dark, very dark, and light (again). If the ice looks visually degraded and you’re still on a mission to fish-drill into it (by shore) and see how drilling goes. When augers struggle as they drill (because the ice falls apart when the blades “strike” it) it’s a sure sign that the ice you’re standing on is rotten. When ice is severely atrophied, it gets unpredictable. While rotten ice will still carry a load, it’s not quality and can simply give way without any warning; it does not crack when it’s ready to give way, you just fall through (I’m familiar with this). What I know most about falling through spring ice is that it’s shockingly cold! Just because it’s springtime and the air is warm, ice water is still ice water. If you do venture out on rotten ice, keep track of the sun because the sun will degrade the ice while you’re fishing on it and the walk back to shore could be sketchy. Ultimately, if you find yourself hesitating, wondering if you should head out on the dark rough ice, hoping that it’s strong enough to hold you up, it’s time to head home and pack away the ice fishing gear, grab your summer fishing stuff, and take your boat to the river. Enter spring and the 2021 open water season! It won’t be long and we’ll see waves rolling across the lakes again. With less Covid in the air, it should be a good year! Have a great spring and I’ll see you on the water.