I have often mentioned there are times when I have the urge to head north to the cabin in the dead of winter just to spend a few days hanging out and ice fishing. This past week, my grandson Trevor had been trying to get a couple of his friends to go up for an extended weekend of fishing.
Trevor had always talked about heading up there in the winter and had finally decided to give it a try. The plans eventually fell through and I could tell he was a little disappointed, but he is young and there will be plenty of opportunities ahead for him.
Yes, I’ve often thought about spending time there, and I actually did so last April when a friend and I went up for a few days to do some work on the cabin. While we were there we received about 8 inches of new snow.
It rained first and then turned to snow which caused a power outage. It didn’t affect us though as we had no electricity. It did cause a lot of trees to fall under the weight of the ice and snow so we literally had to saw our way out because of trees blocking the road.
I’ve been at the cabin in April a couple of different times but never to do ice fishing. Last year, the ice was actually off most of the lakes by the time we went in April, so going a little earlier might be better if I want to get in any ice fishing. This is still a dream of mine; Trevor and I just might make that trip in March.
I would really enjoy sitting in the cabin on a moonlit winter evening watching the fire blazing away in the woodstove while the wind is busy moving the fallen snow from place to place. This is what I’d call living my dream but that, however, is a story to be continued later.
If you are not all that excited about venturing out onto the ice this winter, there is an alternative that may turn out to be a very rewarding experience. Trout fishing in the Southeastern part of the state is open now and might just be the fix that most open water fishermen are seeking. With that said, the Minnesota DNR has issued the following news release:
Southeast trout streams offer alternative to ice fishing
If the thought of sitting around and staring through a hole in the ice doesn’t exactly jibe with the idea of fishing, take heart — there’s an alternative even in the coldest part of the year.
Winter trout fishing opened on Jan. 1 and continues through March 31 on about 135 miles of trout water on 38 stream reaches in southeastern Minnesota. Fed by warmer groundwater, many streams there remain relatively ice free all winter, and the trout living in these streams more often than not cooperate with anglers to provide excellent winter fishing opportunities.
This winter’s trout season may find DNR fisheries staff conducting an angler survey. Anglers may find a postcard questionnaire on their vehicle at the end of a day’s fishing, or they may encounter a clerk asking a few questions.
Until next time, go out and enjoy the many things that make winter a special outdoors. Remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason that we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.