The bite begins! There are reports of a few walleyes being caught on the Starbuck end of Lake Minnewaska in around 15-17 feet of water according to Brock at Last Cast Bait and Tackle. “The walleyes are biting on Lake Emily on the east side and people are out there with four-wheelers and permanent houses. The walleyes seem to be biting on rainbow chubs and shiners on Waska.”

Reports show nine inches of ice on Minnewaska as of Friday. Sunfish and panfish are biting near the DNR access in Glenwood. The crappie bite is good on Lake Mary and in the bay on Lake Reno. The bite is best shortly before sunset and in the wee hours of the morning. 

Remember to stay safe on the ice. According to the DNR, no ice is 100 percent safe and new ice is safer than old ice. Ice does not freeze consistently, so one place with 10 inches of ice may be two inches of ice less than a foot away.  And as snow accumulates on top, the freezing process is slowed.