Report from the Dock
The first open-water fishing activity of the “spring” was reported this week. Even though it’s only the middle of March, the ice is mostly gone and anglers have started fishing from shore or in boats from central Minnesota to points south. The crappie bite has been slow, with most fish still being found deep, mainly over areas that hold them during the latter portion of the ice-fishing season. Water temperatures are not nearly warm enough to drive these fish into the shallows at this point. As for ice fishing, it remains an option, but you have to travel quite a ways north. Even where walkable ice remains, fishing pressure has been almost non existent due to uncertain ice conditions. The warm weather earlier this week extended across the entire state, and it really took a toll on the ice that remained. Shorelines and current areas have busted open in many areas, and main lake ice deteriorated a lot since last week.
Leech Lake Report
With the exception of a few cracks on the main lake and some shoreline deterioration, the ice seems to be hanging in there. With that, there hasn’t been much angling pressure and the few people going out have been walking. There has been some limited activity for perch in Agency Bay and Sucker Bay, and a few anglers are walking on Shingobee Bay looking for crappies – with limited success.