Tips for deep snow

98% of my ice fishing is done on the Mississippi River and i walk everywhere. However, myself and a bunch of my buddies are headed to Long Lake by New Auburn WI for a little ice fishing weekend looking for crappie. We booked an airBNB right on the lake and luckily there is a community area right in front of the cabin. We were planning on taking ATVs but I am guessing with the amount of snow up there that they will be worthless. I’m also guessing that there won’t be any plowed roads on the lake so trucks will also be worthless.

I have a smitty sled i made that i will be bringing, will also have snow shoes and a shovel. I usually move a lot to look for fish but i think this may be more of a “set up shop and wait” type trip. Any other tips for fishing in deep snow? We will have plenty of beer to kill the time.

The Smitty will help. There’s really not a lot more you can do. I’d be cautious about bringing any vehicles aside from sleds on the lake right now if your snowfall is as bad as what I’ve been experiencing in central MN. I’m starting to find nasty slush pockets under the snow that will get a vehicle stuck terribly.

If its a community spot with shacks , chances are someone plows a road to it

catmando wrote:

If its a community spot with shacks , chances are someone plows a road to it

I believe there are permanent shacks in the area so perhaps someone will plow to them. I dont mind walking. Some spots i walk to on the river are over 3 miles round trip but in this kind of snow you really gotta want it to even go half that distance

Bass Thumb wrote:

The Smitty will help. There’s really not a lot more you can do. I’d be cautious about bringing any vehicles aside from sleds on the lake right now if your snowfall is as bad as what I’ve been experiencing in central MN. I’m starting to find nasty slush pockets under the snow that will get a vehicle stuck terribly.

Good call, i hate driving my truck on the ice anyway.