This year, New Ulm saw temperatures as high as 55 °F on Dec. 7, with several other days above 40 °F and more projected to clear that high in the future. In fact, according to accuweather.com, there won’t be a single day with a high above 32 °F before Christmas day.

All those days above the freezing level have prevented ice from forming on the lakes and rivers of southern Minnesota, which in turn has prevented ice fishing from beginning in the area.

Even Lake of the Woods, a popular fishing site in the boundary waters of Minnesota, has yet to form enough ice to be safe for ice fishing.

“On the south end…ice continues to form and make progress on Lake of the Woods,” a fishing report post on lakeofthewoodsmn.com from Dec. 12 reads. “A strong NW wind this week pushed ice up to the south shore, getting rid of some open water. The hopes are the colder temps will lock everything in. Resort ice guides are monitoring ice thickness, staking trails where there is ample ice and flying drones over the forming ice to stay on top of current conditions.”

Jason Kuester, the president of New Ulm Area Sports Fishermen, said that generally around late November, lakes and rivers are ready for ice fishing to begin. This year, however, he expects to have to wait until January at the earliest.

“Usually by about the 20th of November we’re beginning to be able to get out on shallow ice,” Kuester said. “Usually over the last 10 years, that’s been the average… I’m hoping that we’re going 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 be out even by January 1st.”

Kuester is an avid ice fisherman himself, getting out as much as he can in the winter moths. Kuester’s favorite spots are lakes Hanska, Washington and Marion, which he says are beginning to get covered by a thin layer of ice. Another spot which he says does currently have 10-12 inches of ice is lake Winnbigosh, just west of Grand Rapids. However, anything in Southern Minnesota is still in the two to four inch range.

Instead of ice fishing, Kuester has been enjoying deer and pheasant hunting, and is planning on taking a trip up north to do some ice fishing in the few lakes that are frozen over.

Kuester added that eager ice fishers still need to be cautious when venturing out on ice, and to not be too impatient.

“Make sure you know your ice,” Kuester said. “Check with your local bait shops and make sure that everybody is being safe out there. There is no safe ice, so make sure that you’re checking it before somebody falls though.”

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recommends there be at least four inches of solid, clear ice before attempting ice fishing, and many areas of southern Minnesota are not near that thickness in mid December.

Brian Wendinger, a New Ulm fisherman, ice fishes frequently each winter has been unable to hit his favorite fishing spots so far this season.

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

However, with his usual fishing holes not yet holed up by ice, Wendinger has turned more towards hunting in his free time.

“Since there hasn’t been much fishable ice close by, I spent more time in the woods deer hunting,” he said. “Now it’s time to change gears and get the ice fishing gear ready to go.”

Wendinger said he heard that, a couple of weeks ago, a few people were out on lakes in the area as temperatures dipped to the single digits, but hasn’t heard of anywhere that could support ice fishing since the warm up.

Until the rivers and lakes freeze over, southern Minnesotan fishermen will have to find other ways to spend their time, patiently waiting for nature to run its course.