January 22nd, 2025
***Fishing Report***
Lake Trout - Overall, lake trout anglers were not disappointed for lake trout opener. Many anglers reported catching good size lakers with white flukes, tubes, Swedish Pimples and bucktails. Key depths were 30-50 feet of water, with flats and large main lake points, close to very deep water, were the best locations to find active lakers. Live suckers suspended 10-15ft under the ice also produced lakers.
Stream Trout - Stream trout fishing hit with a bang for just about everyone who targeted them. Majority of groups reported that they had caught their limit before noon on opening day and threw back another limit. Small jigging spoons, tipped with a wax worm or dead minnow, and fished 5-10ft under the ice, was deadly. Anglers targeting brookies found brookies tight to shorelines in 6ft of water or less. Dead minnows on a small jigging was very effective here.
Walleye - Walleye fishing continues to be slow. Anglers catching any walleyes have been catching them over night on dead sticks. Bright glowing jig tipped with a minnow has been the ticket for getting bites. Best depth continues to be in that 25-30ft of water range. Deep rocks or mud flats have both good areas to fish.
Eelpout - Eelpout reports have begun to pop up. Anglers have been finding eelpout in shallow water in 5-10ft of water. Shallow rocks and shallow rocks near creek mouths have been areas to target. Jigs loaded with minnow chunks or smelt chunks and fished close to the bottom. Many anglers have been reporting that the eelpout they are catching are full of crawfish.
A happy angler sits proud inside his blue ice shack holdin' up a hefty lake trout caught January 22nd, 2025 in the Ely MN area near the BWCA – this one's got those telltale spots, olive-bronze sides, and a big head gapin' wide after hammerin' whatever deep bait he was workin'. Bundled in a hooded jacket and Koturi Tackle beanie with sunglasses perched, he's smilin' ear-to-ear under the bright LED glow, flasher screen lit up nearby showin' marks, and the shack's cozy setup keepin' the cold at bay with heater hummin' and gear organized. Lake trout fishin' in late January stays prime up here – fish huggin' structure in 30-60 feet, aggressive on tubes, flutter spoons, bucktails, or rattling jigs with sharp lifts and long pauses to imitate fallin' baitfish. The tube jig fall or spoon flutter triggers those charges from below, especially when ya reel away to make 'em chase. These winter lakers mix with walleye, northern pike, stream trout shallow, crappie slabs, and more for non-stop bites. The quiet inside the shack, blue walls reflectin' light, snow outside the window – that's the magic of BWCA ice fishin'. Head to Arrowhead Outdoors, voted #1 Bait and Tackle Shop in MN, for tube jigs, spoons, heavy setups, and our popular ice house rentals to chase lake trout, eelpout, tulibee, whitefish all night in heated comfort. Winter's deliverin' – get after these deep-water beasts!