Most In-depth Mille Lacs Fishing and Ice Report 01/08/2022
Ice Fishing Mille Lacs brings you everything we know about Mille Lacs ice fishing and ice road access for January 8th, 2022, in a massive, lengthy one-page report/update.
Minnesota’s Biggest With Most Information Mille Lacs Lake Ice Fishing and Lake Ice Update
Ice Fishing Mille Lacs bring anglers updates from all the resorts, fishing guides, and bait shops around the lake in our mega Mille Lacs ice roads and fishing update and report. We bring anglers the best information about the current walleye and perch ice fishing bite to help increase their odds of catching fish during their ice fishing trip.
2022 Mille Lacs Ice Fishing Guides and tackle/Bait Store Lake and Ice Access Update
Garrison Sports Bait & Tackle
Give Garrison Sports Bait & Tackle a call at (320) 692-4477
Ice Report: The cold weather made us a little ice but unfortunately, not enough. We are finding a pretty consistent 8″ everywhere and more minor and fewer slush pockets! For this weekend, it will still be snowmobiles, wheelers, and side by side with portables. No wheelhouses quite yet.
We have availability in our day houses, and we will have the shuttle service out to the reef available again this weekend!
We are stocked up with all minnows, waxies, and red larva. Saturday is supposed to be beautiful; see you all this weekend!
Ice Camp Outfitters
Give Ice Camp Outfitters (320) 345-7111
The weather has been public enemy #1 since the season has started for our lake crew at Ice Camp Outfitters! They have been battling the snow, wind, extreme cold, and everything that comes with that. Fishing has been up and down in the areas we have safely been able to get to with our wheelhouse rentals.
- The best Water Depth is 27-30′ of water
70-75% Setline and Rattle Reel Bite
We preach it a lot, but it’s essential to have 14-16′ of tip line on your rattle reels. Customers have succeeded with small #4 & 6 red, glow white and pink hooks. They were hooking a medium/small size shiner or tiny sucker behind the dorsal fin. Jigging continues to be a great way to draw packs of fish into the area. It’s 50/50 if they smash the jigging spoon at first sight or if they slide over to one of your set lines. Customers have succeeded with 3/16th Oz Coffin Spoons in UV Glo Perch and Sneeze colors. Also, Green Perch Buckshot has been the bee’s knees, according to our lake crew! Very light & soft jigging, along with downsizing your bait presentation, has been the difference in putting more walleyes topside!
Cheers and tight lines this weekend!
Johnson’s Portside
Give Johnson’s Portside a call at (320) 676-3811
Steve from Johnson’s Portside shares one of his great Mille Lacs lake and ice FB video updates:
Cody Jorgensen Guide Service
Give Cody Jorgensen Guide Service a call at (715) 558-3483
Cracks are healing up great! Resorts are allowing trucks and single axels out. CHECK WITH RESORTS ON WHERE YOU CAN GO!
The majority of our fish are coming on 1/8oz buckshot and 1/8oz flutter spoons. Finding higher concentrations of fish in 26’-30’ feet of water.
If you’re looking to book a guide trip or maybe you’re looking to do a house drop call.
Tony Roach of Roach’s Guide Service
Give Roach’s Guide Service a call at (763) 226-6656
Ice Road and Fishing Reports from the Southside of Mille Lacs Lake
Beachside Resort
Give Beachside Resort a call at (320) 738-1420
We had many wheelhouses come out of our access that filled up most of our four roads on Ottos today, and the wind has started and is forecasted to blow up to 40 MPH until Sunday. The temps are also predicted to rise by about 30 degrees which can cause the ice to expand and do unforeseen things.
The strong winds will make plowing roads and spots next to impossible and could cause low visibility. We want people to try and stay put as there will be drifting snow. We will be plowing things out when the wind finally settles down and will be working to keep our main roads open for necessary travel.
That being said, we do not want any more wheelhouse traffic coming up in the morning until we see what we can do from a plowing standpoint. We wish mother nature weren’t serving up this weather this weekend, but we are at the mercy of the weather. We will have an update by noon on where things sit.
Good luck fishing, everyone!
Brandt’s Ice Fishing
Give Brandt’s Ice Fishing a call at (320) 532-3674
Good Morning All! It’s cold outside, but today is the day we’re opening the roads! Take it slow on the roads to keep them in the great shape that they’re in (10 MPH!). Please be careful with the cold and pack accordingly.
- Day Road Pass $15
- Weekend(Fri-Sun) $40
- Season $225
- Season w/ wheelhouse stay $275
- Rentals: We have some available for the weekend, so call us at 320-532-3674.
We’re excited to get started officially. It’s Brandts 60th Anniversary, so let’s have some fun this year! Don’t forget to check out our new apparel!
Brandt’s Lake Update
Ice: 16 “+ of ice on the ice roads and 14” office roads.
Roads: Stakes out to Sloppy Joe’s Reef
Vehicle Traffic Allowed:
- 1/2 Ton Trucks w/single axle wheelhouse
- 3/4 Ton Trucks Hauling Nothing
- 1 Ton Trucks Hauling Nothing
- Diesel Trucks Hauling Nothing
DO NOT PARK NEXT TO YOUR HOUSE TO AVOID FLOODING
For Wheelhouses Needing a Spot Plowed:
Check-in at the office, and they will put you on the list.
$25 to plow out one spot for a wheelhouse.
10 MPH ONLY!
We’ve Worked Hard on Our Roads This Year
Please help us keep them friendly and safe!
Castles Resort – Hunter Winfield’s
Give Castles Resort a call at (320) 676-1100
Today, we are out of the bay and east over towards Malone’s and grassy island, and we are allowing half-ton pickups and single axle wheelhouses. We also have our rentals out with some openings this weekend; come on out and get some fishing for $15 per wheelhouse per day.
Lyback’s Ice Fishing
Give Lyback’s Ice Fishing a call at (320) 676-8740
Lyback’s Ice Fishing’s January 7th, 2022 Mille Lacs Blog Report
Yesterday the bite was pretty quiet during the day for most with mainly smaller Walleye and Perch, But late afternoon into the evening, the bite was OK for the people in 18 feet or less.
The wind and snow from the day before were enough to make it plowable on the east/west roads, but the main roads stayed pretty clear. I plowed spots for houses; the guys pulled blocked and banked. We got 15 houses on the ice and ready. The girls in the office will call first thing this morning which made it out yesterday. Today, they will notify the customers as it goes on the ice to come up for the weekend and plan with short notice.
Single vehicles with a curb weight of under 6000lbs will be let on the ice. If you don’t know, Google it. Paid seasonal customers only with single axle wheelhouses weighing under 4500lbs (show the office the proof of weight, no more just saying so.) and a tow vehicle under 5500lbs. will be let out of the access. No weekend wheelhouse drive-ins until I take care of my paid seasonal customers. You will be REQUIRED to have chains on the truck before going out. Or you will be paying for a plowed spot. As ice conditions improve, they will change. Portable fishermen, I would recommend a snowmobile.
When asked if he had chains for his truck, the first one let out yesterday and said yes. I went out without them, dropped his house, and made a “race track” back and forth thru the fishing area where he went to get his house in the spot he wanted… creating a mess for me for when we do plow a road up there in the future. (Apparently, it isn’t necessary to drive slow off the roads on thinner ice…..) There is a 4-6 inch difference from the ice on the road to what’s off under the snow. If there were chains on his truck, he could have driven slowly up to the area he wanted and parked and not made a mess. Here’s an example. Yesterday I made two passes to start a new road north of Gull Reef. I went out, turned around came back alongside the first pass. I went back and moved it over.
After three runs thru it, small cracks were zig-zagging the road I had plowed with water shooting up from them, from the weight of my truck. I left it alone uncovered 2 hours later, we pulled houses over it. Areas just off the road where those cracks went got slushy under the snow were still open and slushy. Remember that next time you think it’s OK to drive fast thru 8-12″ snow on 13-15″ of ice. It will freeze. Eventually, it just will take a lot longer.
Keep a Tight Line!
Eddy
Wilderness Warmth
Give Wilderness Warmth a call TODAY at (877) 423-8747!
We have plowed and staked roads out to just north of King’s hump. We have plowed roads into most structures and posted signs with names of structures. The main roads are in excellent condition after the cold snap. Ice depth on the main lake structure varies from 12 “-13.5” under the snow, so drill your way into your location when leaving the roads.
Remember, ice is never safe, so be patient and check your spots by drilling first.
We will be open to 3/4 ton trucks with single axel wheelhouses for the weekend. We will plow spots on Friday starting late morning when it warms up if you need a spot. Forecast Friday morning-22°. We will also be pulling some private houses, so please be patient. We recommend tire chains. If you decide not to wait and leave the road, then you should be OK.(bring a shovel also)
See everyone this weekend.
BE SAFE AND HAVE FUN!
Ice Road and Fishing Reports from the Westside of Mille Lacs Lake
Randy’s Rentals
Give Randy’s Rentals on Mille Lacs a call at (612) 961-8360
Randy’s Rental’s is on Mille Lacs plowing ice roads for sure!
Max weight of your wheelhouse no more than 6500 pounds
Ice Road and Fishing Reports from the Eastside of Mille Lacs Lake
Agate Bay Resort
Give Agate Bay Resort a call at (320) 684-2233
We got Archers Ave. Plowed today and plowed out the areas that had drifted in from the wind yesterday. We pulled out part of our rentals and set up the ones we had rented for this weekend.
Tomorrow we need to plow Flamingo Road and pull out the rest of the rentals. We should be done by about noon. After that, we will begin pulling private houses and allowing wheelhouses with season packages to go out. Wheel houses must check-in before pulling out.
We will be closed to daily wheelhouses this weekend, but we will be open to daily access for portable fishermen with ATVs or snowmobiles on Friday and pickups on Saturday. No enclosed trailers behind the pickups, however.
Appeldoorn’s Sunset Bay Resort
Give Appeldoorn’s a call at (320) 676-8834
We know everyone is antsy to get out on the ice, but we’re only as good as Mother Nature allows us to be.
Your safety is and always will be our number one priority as we decide about our ice access. We ask that you please don’t get frustrated with our staff as we navigate the changing ice conditions, cracks, slush, snow, drifting, and fluctuating temps. This is the time of year our ice crews earn their keep as they put themselves on the line to establish the roads we need for the rest of the season.
With that said, we have decided to hold off one more weekend for wheelhouse access. We would like to see more ice under our main roads before allowing out traffic. Yes, we have our rental houses out in the bay and are unavailable for this weekend. As the crews see fit, we’ll slowly be bringing them out past Doe Island over the next week, starting with the lightest houses. We will still be limiting our guests to one vehicle per house, up to a half-ton truck.
Our access is open for those with sleds, wheelers, or side-by-side that would like to get out this weekend if you’re not staying in one of our rentals.
Tight lines, everyone. Stay tuned for more updates!
Castaway’s Resort
Give Castaway’s Resort a call at (320) 684-2380
With the extreme up and down with temps this weekend, we’re going to limit weekend/day passes to only half tons with wheelhouses.
Roads are open for our private houses and wheelhouses with season passes. We will not be blocking or banking this weekend.
DO NOT PARK RIGHT NEXT TO YOUR HOUSE. DRIVE SLOW!
Mac’s Twin Bay Resort
Give Mac’s Twin Bay Resort a call at (320) 676-8709
We have plowed out to our road I, near hawkbill. We have opened to 1/2 ton pickups and single axle wheelhouses. We will see what tonight’s storm brings as far as snow to make other decisions for the weekend.
We are working on getting houses out in the next few days. We are finding most ice over 12 inches. Some cracks are still healing. I will see what the weather brings in the next few days but anticipate letting out half tons and single axel wheelhouses by the end of the week.
Nitti’s Hunters Point Resort
Give Nitti’s Hunters Point Resort a call at (320) 676-3227
We are pulling out skid houses, and you will need to be here to get out. We have gotten much snow, so please be patient with us while moving snow to get you to your spots. We’re looking at about 13-16 inches of ice right now.
Wheelhouses and vehicles are allowed out of Hunters with a season pass. Out of Liberty Beach, we are allowing vehicle and wheelhouse traffic. There is a shack down there to get a pass, and it will be all weekend. Thank you.
Just from Nitti’s Hunter Point Resort Shares a Lake Ice Update via YouTube
Ice Road and Fishing Reports from the North End of Mille Lacs Lake
Barnacles Resort & Campgrounds
Give Barnacles Resort & Campgrounds a call at (218) 678-3122
Ice Update: Unfortunately, the lake changes daily, which makes life a little more difficult to make calls. After evaluating the lake this morning, we decided not to open to public traffic this weekend, including four-wheelers, UTVs, walk-ons, etc.….. If you are a seasonal customer, we will do our best to get you out. However, we have some restrictions, so please check into the bar.
Red Door Resort
Give Red Door Resort a call at (218) 678-3686
Red Door’s Mille Lacs Ice Report 01/06/2022
Ice Roads
As the ice continues to build, the Ice Team is working diligently to expand the roads (both width and distance covered). The road system spans the east and west 1st break and east 2nd break. A crack earlier in the week has thus far prevented the creation of a full west 2nd break road, but fully establishing the road may occur this weekend. The trunk road to the flats is not yet in as we are being extra cautious with some thinner ice spots. The Ice Team is cautiously optimistic that the flat’s roads will be able to be created soon, hoping that it will be ready for traffic next weekend. In the meantime, a snowmobile is an ideal choice for getting to the flats. ATVs and side by sides also work. We would simply recommend chains as the drifts can be sizable getting to and out on the mud.
Weather Outlook
With 16″ of snow last week and 3″ of snow this week, there is too much white stuff on the lake, and it’s providing more insulation than we would like. That said, it’s great to have cold temperatures (i.e., double-digit negative lows in four of five days). Winds will be blowing on Saturday and Sunday, with both days seeing gusts – out of the south and northwest respectively – in the mid-to-high 20 mph range.
As things continue to unfold, we will provide at least weekly updates. We look forward to hosting you on the North Side of Lake Mille Lacs!