December 5th, 2023

***Ice Report***

Early ice reports varied greatly from angler to angler, last weekend, from not enough to walk on, to 7” of good clear solid ice was reported. Thickest ice was commonly found in sheltered bays and close to shorelines. Further out from shore people ventured, the thinner the ice quickly became.

***Fishing Report***

Pike - Tip up fishing for pike was a popular choice last weekend as anglers were able to find good ice on popular pike bays. Medium to large suckers and frozen smelt proved to be very effective. Anglers focused their efforts in shallow, weedy bays, in 5-10 feet of water. 

Walleye - While thick enough ice to walk on, out to walleye spots, was somewhat limited, anglers managed to find some walleyes at the mouth of shallow bays and weedlines. Anglers fishing here caught walleyes with buckshot spoons, tipped with a minnow head and a minnow fished under a tip up, in 15-18 feet of water. Best fishing was right at sundown. 

Jaw-droppin' wide panorama of a frozen Ely MN lake captured on December 5th, 2023—early winter perfection in the BWCA area! Thick, dark blue ice covers the expanse under a crisp, clear sky gradin' from deep blue to soft sunset hues near the horizon. A small pine-crowned island stands alone in the center, while bare birch and aspen line the near shore with marshy edges and scattered reeds pokin' through. The distant tree line is a dense mix of dark evergreens and lighter hardwoods, catchin' the low December light for that classic Northwoods glow. Ice shows good early thickness with some surface cracks, bubbles, and thin snow spots—ideal scoutin' for lake trout, stream trout, tullibee, and eelpout as the season ramps up. Rent a heated ice house from Arrowhead Outdoors to stay warm and productive out there! Grab top fishing tackle like jigs, spoons, and tip-ups, plus hunting gear and camping gear for your full Ely winter lineup. Stop in for gear, bait, and the freshest tips!