As ice fishing explodes in Minnesota, fish management becomes more crucial
Category: article
Jan 11th, 2019 by Keith Worrall 519
Modified Jan 11th, 2019 at 11:33 PM
Ice fishing gets easier — and more comfortable — but at what cost?
No one knows how many hours Minnesotans spend ice fishing each year.
But it’s millions. Many millions.
The state’s three most popular ice fishing destinations — Lake of the Woods, Lake Mille Lacs and Upper Red Lake — account for more than 5.5 million hours alone, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Yet one thing is certain. Increasingly, anglers are wetting lines in the confines of a highly mobile shelter on wheels that offers the comforts of home. And they are doing it with ever-improving high-tech equipment. This makes fishing easier and more fun. It also makes fish management more challenging.