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Ice fishing spots Minnesota 2018

12/5/2018

Red Lake (Upper and Lower)

This one’s a monster! Topping out near the 300,000 acre mark, Red lake (Upper and lower) gets the crown as it is the largest in the land of 10,000. Walleyes are the target in the neighborhood. Start on the east side and have nearly unlimited places to venture to.

Lake Minnetonka

Another large body of water is just west of Minneapolis on Lake Minnetonka. Carson Bay is usually one of the first bays to freeze, and there is a boat ramp there off of Minnetonka Blvd to unload the trailer. Head up to Maxwell Bay and North Arm bay. For additional info Look up TonkaFishing on Facebook and Instagram.

Island Lake

One of the best known lakes in the Duluth area, located just about 30 minutes north has all kinds of species to target. From dinner plate crappies to hard hitting Pike, getting into deeper water as the lake cools should put you in a great spot to catch.

St Louis Bay, Duluth MN

Photo courtesy John Weeks

This is an outstanding spot located between Duluth and Superior in the Lake Superior of Minnesota. Walleyes were reported to be running great through the first week of December, however, due to some over zealous tug boat operators, there won't be any additional fishing of the bay until probably January.

Ice Fishing Videos

Minnesota Fly Hatch Chart

11/14/2018

Before your next trip to the lake or river, check out the fly hatch chart and get the right lures before hitting the water.

Continued... Ice Fishing Gear Report 2018

11/7/2018

Back to 1st page of Ice Fishing Gear Report 2018

Starting at $19.19

Shakespeare Ugly Stik

The Ugly Stik brand is a perennial winner when it comes to fishing rods. Great for beginners to experts, I think just about everyone who's spent some time on the lake has used one of these in their lives. Here's the low-down on this years entry level ice fishing rod:
Like a lot of the Ugly Stik rods, the Shakespeare has an EVA foam handle with twist-lock reel seat for comfortable use. It comes standard with the Ugly StikGX2 spinning rod and 20 size spinning reel with 1 ball bearing and the EVA handle with twist lock reel seat. The Ported aluminum spool for lighter weight and added durability
Great for beginners to pros.

Vexilar GP1812 FL-18 Genz Pack 12 Degree Ice-Ducer

Being able to locate the fish under the ice is an obvious upgrade instead of trying to guess where they are hiding! Vastly improve your on ice experience with your own Vexilar and catch more fish. The Dave Genz Blue Box with
GP1812 FL-18 Flasher, 12-volt 7-amp hour battery with charger, built-in Ice-Ducer transducer, and instructional video will teach you the basics of use and with a little experience, you'll be on your way to catching more fish! The GP1812 FL-18 features Vexilar's popular three-color sonar flasher targets in green (weak), orange (medium), and red (strong) making reading the display simple and easy to understand. It offers six depth ranges of: 20, 30, 40, 60, 80, and 120 feet which will work for just about any lake in Northern Minnesota.
Base fits a five gallon bucket; easy-access semi-enclosed battery compartment. The unit carries a two-year warranty and one-year battery warranty

Starting at $419.99

Starting at $359.99

MarCum VS485C LCD Underwater Viewing System, 7"

Ok, so this is kind of cheating... but you'll catch way more fish, so, I'm all about advantage and filling my freezer.

The Marcum underwater camera has a 7 inch widescreen flat panel hi-res Monitor features switchable color and B/w LCD video out with a resolution of 800 x 480 Pixels. The rugged Sony super had II CCD has 1/3 inch image sensor and dark water LED Lighting perfect for the short, dark days of winter in the north.
This package Includes: 50ft camera cable, soft pack shuttle, Sun shield, 12-volt 7-amp rechargeable battery, 3-stage battery Charger and down-view/stabilizer fin and a one year warranty. Also Included soft pack shuttle, sun shield,12-volt 7-amp rechargeable battery, 3-stage Battery Charger.

Elkton Outdoors Insulated Portable 3-4 Person Insulated Ice Fishing Tent

After a few seasons on the ice I have to say insulated is the only way to go. The Elkton portable hits the mark perfectly. Heres some of the highlights from the manufacture:

INSULATED & WATERPROOF: Built with three layers of quilted insulation and a water tight tarpaulin seal to ensure your Ice Fishing Tent stays warm and dry during your fishing trip!
EASY SETUP AND TAKE DOWN: Sets up and breaks down in only seconds! Simply follow the 30 second setup instructions and start fishing!
EASY TO PACK AND STORE: The included carry bag was designed to make packing easy! Made with an extra wide opening and draw string top and paired with adjustable backpack straps for easy transportation.
DIMENSIONS: This Ice Tent measures in at 70”x70” and 80” tall making it ideal for up to 3 people and all the essential ice fishing gear you will need for a great day of fishing!

INCLUDES: 1 Premium Ice Fishing Tent, Carry Pack With Backpack Straps, Ice Anchors & Tie Down Ropes!

Starting at $289.99

Starting at $44.99

Shappell 54" JET SLED-MULTI-PURPOSE SLED

Getting your gear from the vehicle to the fishing hole is always a big job. Make your trip a little easier and make sure you bring along a high side sled. The Shappell® Jet Sled® JS1 is ideal for ice fishing. With its rugged polyethylene construction and molded runners this unit is at the top of strength and stability. Specially contoured hull allows easy pulling by hand.

Dimensions: L 54" x W 24".

BustedTees - The Best Thing To Happen To T-Shirts Since Sleeves

Mr. Heater F232000 MH9BX Buddy 4,000-9,000-BTU Indoor-Safe Portable Propane Radiant Heater

This one is the must have of the season! Unless you are a snowman it gets cold on the ice. The Mr. Heater Buddy puts of an amazing 4,000- to 9,000-BTU radiant heater for spaces up to 225 square feet. Approved for indoor/outdoor use; clean-burning; nearly 100-percent efficient. With the auto shut-off the Buddy helps you out so you don't have to worry about what happens if it gets tipped over, if pilot light goes out, or if detects low oxygen levels. Fuel Consumption/Burn Rate (Gal/Hr) at 4000 BTU = 0.044 Gal/Hr, at 9000 BTU = 0.099 Gal/Hr. the fold-down handle; swivel-out regulator; connects to propane tank (not included) make this the perfect buddy for the ice house on any day on the lake.

Starting at $70.03

That's it, some of Ole Outdoors favorite products for the ice fishing season of 2018. If you have any other suggestions please drop us a line. (no pun intended) Thanks for reading!

Make sure to follow on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter for updates on gear, events and more!

High power Headlamp from Ole Outdoors

$24.95

Rechargeable Lithium ion batteries
Rated down to -40 degrees Fahrenheit
Fully customization headband for a secure fit
3 adjustable LED lights
Wall charger included - super long lasting LED bulbs

Ole Outdoors Pro Fish Strike Indicator | Super Bright LED w/ Crystal Clear Bell Alarms | Don't lose your fish in the dark!

$2.99 - $20.99

Ole Outdoors Fishing Strike Indicator

Guaranteed to stay together! We ensure every strike indicator is properly built to withstand the harsh conditions that Northern Minnesota hands out in the outdoors. 100% One Year Money back guarantee!

Ole Outdoors Pro Fishing Strike Indicator

Features:

Clip on your fishing rod easily – absolutely easiest, safest, most effective way to ensure you are alerted to fish strikes
Good for summer and ice fishing, works while on the river, shore fishing, on a boat!
Twin bells which signal a clear alarm you’ve got action and with the LED engaged you’ll be able to see the strike clearly even in the dark.
Perfect for pro’s and weekend warriors alike Ensure fishing rod clearly alerts you to the action on your rod.
1 year manufacturer guarantee on craftsmanship! (Does not cover battery)
Extremely sensitive to strikes from all species
The bells will essentially last forever. Light was still very bright even after 20 hours of night fishing!
Make sure to keep the barrier available to protect your battery when the strike indicator is not in use. This is your solution for both day and night fishing.
Running multiple lines? Got you covered! Just pick up another one out of the convenient 10 pack.
Highest quality materials – bells are guaranteed to stay put!
One year no questions asked return policy
Simply remove the barrier (cardboard) protecting the battery connection to activate the hyper-bright LED.
Clip will work on virtually every rod and set up.
Simply clip to your fishing rod, and wait for the action to begin.
Suitable for any fishing rod and skill levels.

Guaranteed you’ll have more opportunities to catch fish on your next adventure!

Ole Outdoor High Power Hyper Long life LED Headlamp

$105.95

The HR20 is a versatile USB rechargeable headlamp with extensive run-time, extremely light weight and impressive output for outdoor use. A CREE XP-L HI LED delivers 1000 lumens impressive flood light. Powered by 1 pcs of 18650 Li-ion rechargeable battery or 2 pcs CR123 Lithium batteries which will provide the run-time of 360 hours to the headlight. Rotary infinite brightness adjustable, which practicality enhances outdoor applications. Utilizes patented reflector vacuum coating cup with floodlight and spotlight, can be called as “outdoor lighting artifact”.

2018 Ice Fishing Report -Getting geared up for ice fishing 2018

11/7/2018

From ice houses to under water camera, here are some of the top picks to make sure you get more fish per trip this season on the ice.

Ice fishing season is just weeks away in northern parts of Minnesota, expecting some lakes to be ready by the 20th of November if we're lucky.
This only leaves a few weeks to lock down our gear for the season so here's the line up for our frozen sport...

MuckBoots Men's Arctic Pro Hunting Boot

The Hobo Adrian has the bold look and striking style you've been looking for!

These super comfy synthetic and fabric arctic books sport a synthetic sole and with pull-on hunting boot featuring waterproof shaft and upper with stretch-fit topline. With a molded outsole and double reinforcements at instep, heel, and Achilles these are stuffed with 2mm thermal foam underlay to keep the cold from coming up through the sole.
The story began in 1999 with the sole purpose of building the most comfortable, high performance footwear on the market. The need for a more comfortable boot for use in messy and tough conditions led to the design of The Original Muck Boot Company brand footwear. Every boot in the line is expected to deliver the same 100% waterproof quality and comfort that inspired the original footwear.

Starting at $107

Starting at $26

J.B. Icelandic Artic Trail -40 Below Winter Sock (2 Pairs)

Really difficult to spend the entire day on the ice if your tootsies are frozen. Only using the finest quality of easy care wool in our socks because it is such a versatile fiber. The wool is breathable and it is great at helping regulate body temperature by keeping your feet dry and wicking away moisture helping prevent blisters and control odor.

X-Hi Cushion - Full terry cushion for extra warmth and protection

And, these are MADE IN CANADA, so you KNOW these guys know what they're doing.

Content- 85% Pre-Shrunk Wool & 15% Nylon

Starting at $209

Striker Ice Predator Bibs

Straight from the manufacturer:
The Predator Suit is for those that roam the open ice, always pushing, never stopping.
You fear stagnation more than cold, with your enemy being sweat and bulk.
The Predator Bibs solve one of the most fundamental problems on ice; staying warm but not too warm.
The Predator enjoys lighter insulation than the Climate or Hardwater, to keep you more nimble, all with breathable Hydrapore to keep you less sweaty and more steady.
Zip up the vents and batten down the magnetic storm flaps when temps dip, but know that you’re in control of your own comfort.
Know that you can adapt to the conditions and outlast the cold or beat the heat.
And with knee padding that is almost unnoticeable, you can pray to the ice as long as you feel the need.

Frabill I3 Jacket

The Frabill 100% Nylon, Waterproof, windproof, breathable 300 denier nylon taslan shell, 100% seam sealed ice fishing jacket is the bee's knees when it comes to staying afloat and warm this winter.

With its 3M Thinsulate insulation at 150g and the self-rescue feature set: ice pick holsters, Frabill Ice Safety internal label, drainage mesh, and includes Frabill Self-Rescue ice pick set this jacket will help save your life should the bottom fall out below you. a couple of other features include and adjustable hood with sun visor and hand warmer pockets with tricot lining.

Made in the USA or Imported

Starting at $91.99

Shop the Salute to Service Collection at Fanatics

Starting at $19

ThunderCloud Winter Trapper Hat w/Face Cover

Unless you have a woolly beard, you're going to want this hat to protect you from the harsh winter winds. Features include:

Faux fur trim and inner lining for added warmth
Removable snap on face mask protects your mouth & nose from the cold
Adjustable chin strap buckle offers a secure snug fit so hat won't blow off
Maximum head, neck, & face coverage from the harsh cold, wind, rain, & snow
Perfect winter accessory for extra warmth & insulating while trapping, hunting, fishing, hiking, boating, camping, backpacking, and more

Frabill FXE Gauntlet Glove

Don't really want to stick your hands in the icy cold water? I don't blame you, except if you're ice fishing, you're going to have to anyways. Best to be wearing gear that can take the cold so you don't have to.

Features:

The FRABILL FXE Gauntlet Glove, Black (750) leaves winter defenseless while claiming the title of being the best handwear ever engineered for the rigors of ice fishing. The mid-forearm length, gauntlet-style glove delivers unprecedented protection against wetness shouldered by SnoShell waterproof, windproof and breathable membrane.

Starting at $26

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Know your regulations - on the ice 2018

11/7/2018

Chats with the DNR officers can be a great time to find out about spots and tactics, unless you're doing something unknowingly (or knowingly) that is illegal. When I started fishing during the summer I failed to remember only one line per person can be used (unlike on the ice where two lines are allowed) and had a very nice officer not write me ticket after an honest conversation.

Clearly it's in your best interest to follow the regulations unless you really want to pay a large 'donation' to the wildlife fund.

Here's the bag limits for inland waters for the 2018 season. (This may not include ever regulation, so for more information you should go download the DNR PDF here)

I hope you find this information useful, for more fishing tips, trips, and gear check out our other blog posts and visit the Ole Store for more gear.

Author

Hello all, my name is Michael Kearney. I be posting everything from outdoor gear I like to picks of projects we're working on. Hope you enjoy all the stuff I do.

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Foundry Build and trial run

10/23/2018

So Ethan suggested we put together the backyard foundry using the tutorial from Grant Thompson - The King of Random.

We did our bet to follow along and build as close to specs as possible. The foundry itself worked well however we did run into an airflow issue. We couldn't maintain enough heat to get the cans all the way to liquid and stay that way.

Ended up with aluminum sludge instead. After a closer inspection the blower was mostly clogged with mouse nest. We cleaned out the nests and will take another shot at it.

Unfortunately, the cover fell apart (did not add steel wool) and will need to another one before we will try another run through.

Over all we were quite satisfied in the trial run, learned a lot and look forward to trying again in the near future!

Thanks for reading,

Michael & Ethan
Ole Outdoors

Top must-see travel destination - Big Sucker River

10/22/2018

WOW! Northern Minnesota isn't necessarily the place for light camping in mid-October typically, but we lucked out and got a 60 degree day, 50 degree night, and stroked Brookies into the evening.

Although it's catch and release from now until the season ends at the end of the month, we enjoyed catching a hungry bunch of trout and enhanced our skills while taking in the natural beauty of the Superior hiking trail. Be ready for a hike though. We came to the trail off of a logging trail. Certainly not designed by for Kia Optima, but we made it most of the way back.

It'll take you about a 1/2 mile walk through back country, picking your way through unimproved land and logging slashing. Well worth the effort this day!

After several hours of successful fishing and a couple dozen catches we went to work getting camp set up and dinner made.
The campsites were outstanding, didn't look like anyone had bothered to bring a hatchet or ax back with them for some time. Good news is we did and had plenty of firewood for the evening.

The hike out was just as awesome with temps around 45 degrees.

Couldn't have asked for a better overnight adventure!

Author

Michael Kearney is a partner at Ole Outdoors who enjoys sharing adventures with those who seek it!

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