Trout opener moves beyond BWCAW

(Audio Below)-- January 16 marks the opening of the ice fishing season for essentially any and all lakes in northeastern Minnesota. That includes all trout lakes in the region, including an assortment of very popular fishing lakes for trout located up the Gunflint Trail.

This weekend’s opener follows the trout fishing season for lakes located entirely within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The first two weeks for that season came and went without much action to report. During the first weekend of the BWCAW trout season, the ice was thin enough that it kept many anglers away. During the second weekend, which was Jan. 9^th and 10^th, bitter cold swept across the region. This not only kept anglers away from area lakes, but many of those who ventured out found a lethargic bite from the fish, though there were reports of limits filled. With the opener this weekend, it’s important to remember there are specific rules that apply for ice fishing on a designated trout lake. Possessing live minnows or using them for bait on designated stream trout lakes is prohibited. Only dried, frozen, or brined minnows are allowed.

Fishing hours for stream trout on inland waters are from one hour before sunrise to 11 p.m. And in contrast to other lakes in the region, only one line is allowed in winter or when ice fishing on designated stream trout lakes. This is why it’s extremely valuable to know if the lake your fishing is indeed a designated trout lake. In the Gunflint Trail area, some of the most popular ice fishing lakes for trout include Carrot, Leo, Musquash, Ester and Ram. These are all designated trout lakes, meaning no live minnows can be used for bait and only one line is allowed for each licensed fisherman. It’s also important to remember that in addition to purchasing a Minnesota fishing license, one must also buy the $10 trout stamp if you plan to fish for trout or are merely fishing on a designated trout lake.

Conservation officers from the Department of Natural Resources are very likely to be checking area lakes this weekend. They remind everyone planning to fish that simply purchasing a fishing license isn’t good enough. One must have their license with them at all times while they are fishing lakes in Minnesota. Claiming to have left it at home after you purchased a license isn’t good enough. A conservation can write you a ticket if you don’t have the license with you while you fish. 

Conservation officers from the Department of Natural Resources are very likely to be checking area lakes this weekend. They remind everyone planning to fish that simply purchasing a fishing license isn’t good enough. One must have their license with them at all times while they are fishing lakes in Minnesota. Claiming to have left it at home after you purchased a license isn’t good enough. A conservation can write you a ticket if you don’t have the license with you while you fish.

The ice-fishing season for all species of trout runs through March 31. The ice fishing season for walleye and northern pike ends on Feb. 28.

And though temperatures along the North Shore and inland have been bitterly cold recently, some area lakes might not have safe ice. If you’re traveling by snowmobile or another motorized vehicle to reach your fishing hole, proceed with caution, particularly on bigger lakes such as Clearwater, Gunflint or Loon.