Ice conditions report 12•26•24

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 checked ice on Otter Tail Lake on Wednesday, 12/25/24. Ice thickness varied from 12-13 inches. Only drilled a few holes. There were some full size fish houses out on the lake. Ice looked clear, which is a good sign. Please note, the MN DNR recommends 18-20 inches before you use a full sized truck to haul a fish house. Snow isn’t really a factor. The temps have been mild recently. We gained a couple inches of ice since we measured on 12/20/20. We saw on the Facebook that Vacationland Resort has their fish houses out on Otter Tail Lake. We talked with a local fishing guide who said he was seeing anywhere from 7 to 14 inches on another large lake. As we said, ice conditions vary, so proceed with caution.

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 weekly updates on ice conditions in Otter Tail County, MN 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.