Ice north of Bagley

Last two days have fished north of Bagley and the ice is ok at best.There might be about 2″. If you don’t stand to close to someone your ok until the water runs out the hole and you have to move anyways.Great fun tho!!!! Fish are there to be caught but they are real spooky because of every time you walk around the ice cracks real bad.Everyone really think before you just up and walk around on this early ice ,it can get real tricky fast.Mostly gills are being caught with a odd crappie and perch thrown in for good measure.Have fun but BE SAFE!!!!

Bass Bull, fished the same backwater today. The ice is a bit scary (one guy fell through today) but what a bluegill bite. I don’t think too many people left this afternoon without a nice mess of gills. Sure wish the crappies were a bit more active though.

Stopped by guttenburg on my way home from Prairie Duchean and talked to three guys coming off the ice and they each had a half of five gallon pail full of nice gills and the ice was 3 to 4 inches! Plan on going this weekend up to Bertam back waters do you think their is enough ice down that way as I would say that is only 20 miles south of Bagley

Redman, welcome to FTR and yes, there is good ice at Bertam, but, if your not familiar with the area I would stay away or fish with someone who knows the area. With the dredged backwaters walking on thin ice could be deadly. Their is a good bite in the Bagley area right now that is probaly a much safer option in my opinion.

Do you do much ice fishing on the Iowa side? I’ve heard that Bussey produces some fish but I’m not familiar with any of the other backwaters for ice fishing.

Yes I fish Bussey at Guttenberg and plan on going with my son in the morning! A friend of his got his limit of 25 nice gills this morning but said there was a lot of little ones to sort thru but what he kept were nice! We also fish Lake Mcbride and that should be good for crappies this winter as they caught alot this fall but they dont run to big about nime inches. I have fished alot this fall along the rail road tracks east of the bertam boat ramp but have never tried ice fishing the area but their is fairly deep water about 7-8 feet so it should be good and there should not be current back in those pot holes! let me know how you do at bertam as i want to give it a try!

Redman

Hey redman; I predict brown lake will be good this year, & agree that Mcbride will have it’s share of 9 inchers. Be carefull of the Highland area at Mcbride though & I give it probably another 10 days for safe ice. {John}

Just got back from Bussey at Guttenberg and the fishing was great! My son and I brought home 50 nice gills and caught fish steady for four hours! Ice was about 3 inches and fishing from tent ice got pretty sloppy so had to move a couple of times! A great day to be out! How did the Bagley fishermen do?