Staff photo by Fritz Busch Aidan Wieland, left, and Aaron Kilgore, both of New Ulm, take a look at ice thickness on Sleepy Eye Lake despite cold temperatures Thursday. They said they’ve fished Lake Hanska, Clear Lake south of Gibbon and the Cottonwood and Redwood Rivers earlier this year and had some fishing luck.

BROWN COUNTY — The recent cold temperatures may not feel so good outside, but one good thing about it for fishing is ice is forming on lakes and rivers.

Sleepy Eye Sportsmans Club member Lynn Krenz estimated Sleepy Eye Lake ice depth at 7 or 8 inches.

“It’s probably gaining up to an inch a day in the cold weather. I hope we get a good base of ice, like 10 to 15 inches before we get heavy snow. You need to be careful with ice. It’s never totally safe. People need to know ice depth before they go out on it,” said Krenz.

Last winter, the weather was too warm to hold the Sleepy Eye Sportsman’s Club Ice Fishing Derby that brings many people to the lake on the first Sunday in February. There was no on-ice fishing, but on-shore festivities included a grand raffle, general item raffle, other prizes, bean bag tossing in Sportsmans Park, lunch and refreshments.

New Ulm’s 54-degree temperature on Jan. 31, 2024 broke the all-time high temperature of 49 degrees for that date, set in 1995. Water was ponding on Sleepy Eye Lake on Jan. 31.

In a normal winter, there is a foot or two of ice on Sleepy Eye Lake when the ice fishing derby is held.

Friends Aiden Wieland and Aaron Kilgore of New Ulm took a look at the ice thickness on the southeast corner of Sleepy Eye Lake Thursday.

They said there was enough ice on the lake to walk on and then some.

He didn’t have any fish yet late Thursday afternoon as the sun was setting, but Kilgore had fond memories of fishing on Sleepy Eye Lake last summer.

“I got a couple walleyes and ate them too. They were pretty good. First I was shore fishing, then I went on my dad’s buddy’s boat in the center of the lake,” said Kilgore.

Kilgore said he’s also enjoyed fishing on Lake Hanska and Clear Lake south of Gibbon.

Wieland said he’s fished Sleepy Eye Lake, the Cottonwood River in New Ulm and the Redwood River.

R & R Bait & Tackle owner Francis Rieger of New Ulm said Lake Hanska ice fishing has been good.

“They’re getting up to 22-inch walleyes at both ends of the lake. People are using fathead minnows, crappies and shiners in portable fish houses,” said Rieger.

He said other fishing reports include pike and sunfish at Sleepy Eye Lake, walleyes and saugers in the Minnesota River near the Highway 4 bridge, walleyes and perch at Lake Crystal, perch and sunfish on German and Jefferson Lakes east of Mankato.

Rieger said Clear Lake by Gibbon is low but is open to fishing through Feb. 23, 2025.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) opened Clear Lake in Sibley County to unlimited fishing, allowing anglers to harvest fish that would likely not survive the coming winter during low water conditions.

The DNR will begin to lower Clear Lake water levels by about 4 feet to improve fish and wildlife habitat. The lake has been overwhelmed by common carp, causing turbid water and impeding aquatic plant growth.

After Clear Lake water quality improves, the DNR plans to stock walleye, northern Pike, yellow perch and bluegill in it.

The DNR recommends people use the proper safety gear such as an ice chisel, auger or cordless drill to measure ice and bring a foam life jacket or flotation suit, tape measure, ice cleats, a rope and a friend.

Four inches of clear, newly-formed ice may support one person on foot, while a foot or more of old, partially-thawed ice may not.

Ice may be a foot thick at one spot and only an inch or two a few feet away.

People that fall through the ice should not remove winter clothing. It may trap air and provide warmth and flotation. This is especially true with a snowmobile suit.

Place hands and arms on an unbroken surface. A pair of nails, sharpened screwdriver or ice picks are handy.

Kick feet and dig in with ice picks to return to solid ice.

Lie flat on the ice and roll away from the hole. Go to a warm, dry, sheltered area and re-warm immediately. Seek medical attention in moderate to severe cases of cold water hypothermia.

The DNR recommends at least 4 inches of ice for foot traffic, 5-7 inches for snowmobiles, 7-8 inches for side-by-sides and ATVs, 9-12 for a car, 13-17 for trucks and more than 20 inches for heavy duty trucks.

For more information, visit https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/