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Weather and Climate News
Mathew Holding Eagle III

Minnesota fishing guides cautious due to warm winter conditions

A bobber sits in a hole
A bobber sits in an ice-fishing hole in January, 2023. The 2023-24 ice-fishing season has been plagued by warm weather hurting ice conditions.
Stephen Maturen for MPR News

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In Bemidji Northcountry Guide Service owner Matthew Breuer said this winter is far from typical.  

“I’ve never seen anything like this and not like in my over 20 years of guiding. In my over 40 years on this planet, I’ve never seen a winter this warm. I’m still grouse hunting and I’m not trudging through snow or wearing anything extra. I’m like treating it like late fall,” Breuer said. “I can never remember the ice being this inconsistent and snow free this late into the season.”  

Breuer said despite winter being the most profitable time of the season his service is not putting ice houses out until conditions improve. 

Further north, Lake of the Woods Tourism Executive Director Joe Henry said area guiding businesses haves been ice fishing for several weeks including with ice houses. He said fishing guides have been regularly checking thickness and are marking areas that are safe.  

Some fishing guides in the northwest are not putting ice houses onto lakes until conditions improve. They are also contending with the recent law enforcement announcement of access limitations on some parts of Upper Red Lake due to safety concerns.   

Henry, says this season is off to an unusual start, and ice anglers should be careful. 

“It’s just a weird, weird year,” he said. “If you can work through a resort or outfit or somebody who has been working the ice and knows the conditions where they’re going to be taking you. That’s very important this year, don’t be taking chances. It’s not a normal year,” Henry said. “Going out on their own is where people get in the most trouble.” 

While Henry said the later-than-usual start to the ice fishing season has hurt business he’s optimistic the weather forecast will change in their favor.

According to law enforcement violating restrictions on Upper Red could result in a misdemeanor charge and fines.