April 20th, 2022
***Fishing Report***
Crappie - Late ice crappie fishing slowed this last week as colder then normal temps and several fronts brought several more inches of snow to the area. Crappies continue to only be found in small groups of 3 or 4 crappies and they seem to be on the move. 20 feet of water and around the edges of deeper holes has been the place to be if your going to find them. Anglers have been marking crappies close to the bottom and catching them with soft plastics, waxies or crappie minnows, tipped on a small tungsten jig.
***Ice Report***
This has become a common question for both anglers looking to fish late ice crappies and anglers looking to fish walleye opener this year. Ice thickness currently ranges from 27” to as much as 37”. Current areas are very slowly starting to open up, but other then that there is very little signs of ice out coming anytime soon.
This scene from the April 20th, 2022 report embodies the stubborn grip of winter in Ely MN's BWCA-area lakes—an angler hunkered down on thick ice, holdin' up a solid crappie fresh from the hole, its silvery-black body shinin' under the gray sky against heavy snow cover. The frozen lake sprawls wide, pines risin' distant for classic Northwoods isolation, with small tungsten jig rod or tip-up rigged with soft plastic, waxie, or crappie minnow nearby over a drilled hole. Ice thickness held massive at 27-37 inches, with only very slow openings startin' in current areas—no full ice-out in sight anytime soon. Late crappie action slowed from the week before as colder-than-normal temps and several fronts dumped more inches of snow, keepin' fish movin' in small groups of 3-4. Anglers marked 'em close to the bottom in 20 feet of water or edges of deeper holes, temptin' bites with soft plastics, waxies, or crappie minnows tipped on small tungsten jigs. This shot captures the real late-ice grind: crisp cold air, deep snow blanketin' everything, cozy setups amid the chill, and a modest crappie reward for those stickin' it out. At Arrowhead Outdoors, we were pushin' tungsten jigs, soft plastics, live waxies/minnows, and patience tips that week—same today for late-ice crappie holdouts or gearin' up for walleye opener. These Apr 2022 reports offer honest transitional guidance: swing by 1810 East Sheridan in Ely for fresh minnows, crappie jigs, heated shack rentals if still needed, and updates. Subscribe on arrowheadoutdoorselymn.com for weekly scoops—nothin' like squeezin' the last crappie bites before the big thaw up here in the Northwoods!