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Staff photos by Ari Silvey Ice was slow to form on the Minnesota River in New Ulm, with a few thin pieces sticking to the shorelines and in the river’s bends.

NEW ULM – The average December high temperature in southern Minnesota is just under 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

This year, New Ulm saw temperatures reach 55 degrees Fahrenheit on December 7, with several more days above 40 degrees Fahrenheit and more expected to exceed that high in the future. In fact, according to Accuweather.com, there won’t be a single day where temperatures exceed 32 degrees Fahrenheit before Christmas Day.

All those days above freezing prevented ice from forming on lakes and rivers in southern Minnesota, which in turn prevented ice fishing from starting in the area.

Even Lake of the Woods, a popular fishing location in Minnesota’s border waters, has not yet formed enough ice to be safe for ice fishing.

“At the south end… ice continues to form and make progress on Lake of the Woods.” reads the fishing report post on lakeofthewoodsmn.com as of Dec. 12. “Strong northwesterly winds this week have pushed the ice to the south shore, knocking out some of the open water. The hopes are that the cold temperatures will shut everything down. The resort’s ice guides monitor ice thickness, install tracks where there is ample ice, and fly drones. Fly over the forming ice to stay informed of current conditions.

Generally in late November, lakes and rivers are ready to start ice fishing, said Jason Kuester, president of the New Ulm Area Sports Fishermen. However, this year he expects to wait until January at the earliest.

“Usually around November 20th, we start being able to get out on the shallow ice.” Koester said. “Typically over the last 10 years, this has been the average… Hopefully we’ll be out by the first of the year, but with all these 40s and 50s in the air, it’s going to be tough to even get out by January 1.”

Kuester is an avid ice fisherman himself, getting out as much as he can in the winter bed. Koester’s favorite spots are Hanska, Washington and Marion lakes, which he says are beginning to be covered by a thin layer of ice. Another place he says currently has 10 to 12 inches of ice is Lake Winnebegush, just west of Grand Rapids. However, anything in southern Minnesota is still in the 2 to 4 inch range.

Instead of ice fishing, Koester enjoys hunting deer and pheasants, and is planning a trip north to do some ice fishing on the few frozen lakes.

Koester added that avid ice anglers still need to be careful when venturing onto the ice, and not get impatient.

“Make sure you know your ice” Koester said. “Check your local bait shops and make sure everyone is safe out there. No ice is safe, so make sure you check before someone falls.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recommends having at least four inches of solid, clear ice before attempting ice fishing, and many areas in southern Minnesota are nowhere near that thickness in mid-December.

Brian Wendinger, a New Ulm angler, often misses every winter’s icefish to get to his favorite fishing spots so far this season.

“I enjoy the Madison Lake and Hutchinson areas [for ice fishing]”,” Fender said. “There are quite a few lakes within a few miles of each other.”

However, with his usual fishing holes not yet blocked by ice, Wendinger has turned more towards fishing in his spare time.

“Since there wasn’t a lot of huntable ice nearby, I spent more time deer hunting in the woods.” He said. “Now is the time to switch gears and get your ice fishing gear ready to go.”

Wendinger said he heard that a couple of weeks ago, there were a few people out on lakes in the area with temperatures dipping into the single digits, but he hasn’t heard of any place that could support ice fishing since the warm-up.

Until the rivers and lakes freeze over, anglers in southern Minnesota will have to find other ways to spend their time, patiently waiting for nature to take its course.

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Ice fishing is a popular winter sport that has captivated outdoor enthusiasts for generations. As the temperatures drop and bodies of water freeze over, avid fishermen and women don their warmest gear and head out onto the ice in search of the perfect catch. From its long history as a survival technique to a beloved pastime, ice fishing has evolved into a social and competitive event, drawing in anglers from all over the world. With the rising popularity of this winter sport, new developments in equipment and techniques continue to emerge, keeping ice fishing a hot topic in the news and a source of seasonal employment in many regions.

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