Hello Sportsfans!  And welcome to the weekly chase here on Lake of the Woods.

Let’s get right to it.  Good fishing!  That’s the line on our winter start-up.

Using the little Jeeps / Geos…  The guides are transporting customers to the main lake in our comfortably heated and enclosed utility trailers.  We are traveling on 10” to 12” of ice.

Quite surprising how it all came together so quickly!  In the past, if memory serves, it seems as though after the “initial freeze” it usually takes about twelve to fourteen days before we can start fishing on the Big Traverse.  Obviously, such was not the case this year!

From initial lock-up to dropping a line in the water…  It took all of about six days.  Pretty crazy.  And then again it has been 20-30 BELOW ZERO up here!!

Back to the ice fishing…  YES…  We are catching fish.  Matter of fact a pretty respectable “early ice” bite.  Good mix of walleye and sauger…  And if you’ve seen the Ballard Facebook page…  SOME DANDY TROPHIES!!

Most of the action is taking place in 20-24 feet of water.  A traditional starting point for the guides, with our fleet of fish houses.

No real secrets…  Keep the presentation light…  And JIG-JIG-JIG.

We have a few busy days from now just prior to Christmas.  And after that…  More FUN and GAMES.

Cheers to the season everyone!!  Set the hook!!