Groundhog Day 2012 has come and gone, and Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow – which means six more weeks of winter (at least when he gets it right 39% of the time). If the next six weeks are anything like the recent “winter”, then highs in or near the 40s and near constant fog aren’t quite the land of 10,000 winter escapes which Minnesotans have come to expect from early February.
As we reported back in mid January, annual events like the Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza were already being impacted. Mother Nature continues to dampen the hopes and dreams of anglers all of the snow belt, but we have compiled a list of ice fishing activities for you. The information below is current as of this posting, but please use the provided contact information to verify the status of an event before you travel too far to participate. If you do venture out, please remember our ice safety tips, or use this as an opportunity to dust off your summer rods and go find a nearby dam for some open water fishing in February.
Chanhassen February Festival (Lake Ann - Chanhassen, MN)
Chanhassen’s “February Festival” will occur this coming Saturday from noon to 3:00pm, with the festivities kicking off at Lake Ann Park. The main event boasts over 800 fishing holes ready and waiting for eager anglers (and tempts willing participants with over $6,000 in fishing contest prizes and $3,000 in prizes for spectators as well). For those of you looking for something other than fishing (or dragging along family members who are looking for a distraction while you indulge your need to sit on a sheet of ice), family-friendly activities are available in and around the park – including the chance for ice skating, a sledding hill, bingo games, prize raffle, plenty of great food options, and a reminder of crisp fall days gone by – the chance to roast smores over an open fire. Organizers anticipate upwards of 2,000 fishing contest participants and spectators, so plan ahead for parking. As of this posting, the event is still on – but be sure to call the city’s special event hotline at 952-227-1128 for up to the minute updates.
Lake Francis Fishing Contest (Lake Francis - Elsyian, MN)
Elysian might be a bit of a drive from the metro area, but we promise that it will be worth it. The fishing contest kicks off from the east side access at 1:30pm on Sunday, and for the next two hours raffle prizes will be awarded every thirty seconds! The proud anglers of the four largest fish take home anywhere from $10 to $100, and the top six places overall pay anywhere between $50 and $1,000. Tickets are available for $1 at the lake the day of the contest, and in many area businesses (the Minneapolis Fishing Examiner picked ours up at a gas station in Waterville), and each ticket not only enters you in the raffle, but also entitles the holder to a cup of their famous “hunter’s stew” (winners need not be present to win – but the cup of stew offer is only good for those in attendance). Free minnows will be provided by The Pit Stop in Elysian, and we recommend giving them a call at 507-267-4560 for up to the minute updates about the event.
UPDATE: Just got off the phone, and according to one source it sounds like the tournament is still on - with the following conditions: no holes will be pre-drilled (bring an auger), no bait will be provided, and no driving on the ice (basically, fish at your own risk). All of the same prizes mentioned above will still apply. After verifying with another source, it sounds like officially the fishing portion has been canceled (the above sounds more like "fish while you are there if you want to"), but the hunter’s stew will still be served and all merchandise and big prize drawings will still take place from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at the Lake Francis swimming beach.
MapleLake Ice Fishing Derby (Maple Lake - Maple Lake, MN)
Ice conditions have been deemed too dangerous for the annual Maple Lake Ice Fishing Derby, but according to event spokesman Nick Olson the Friday night pre-party (starting at 6:30pm) and Saturday’s arctic plunge will continue as planned.
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