Ice Fishing Regulations - Minnesota Wheelhouse Do's and Don'ts

While permanent fish houses have long been a fixture on Minnesota’s frozen waters, the rise in wheelhouse ownership across the state and beyond is readily apparent each time you drive by your favorite lake.  Long-time ice anglers and casual summer anglers alike are drawn to the ice by convenience, effectiveness, and the fun “camping” aspect that is wheelhouse fishing.  I thought it would be a good idea for new anglers and old to review some regulations, but also get the straight scoop from a warden on how to best observe fish and game laws as they pertain to wheelhouse and permanent shelter fishing.  Kylan Hill, Conservation Officer (CO) from the Zumbrota, MN station helped answer a few of my own questions, and gave insight on what to expect when being checked on the ice.

“First off, anglers need an up-to-date shelter license for any non-portable shelter, with a portable shelter meaning something that is collapsible or foldable,” Kylan mentions.  “Even if occupied continuously, wheelhouses, skid-houses, and any non-portables need that shelter tag, including portables that are left on the ice overnight,” he continues.  Per regulations, you must also display the fish-house shelter tag you receive, along with name and address, or driver’s license number, or MN DNR identification number.  Kylan recommends the latter saying, “most anglers prefer to be discreet where possible, and it’s usually best to put it near the door or a window where it’s most visible.”

All of the above requirements are visible from the outside of the shelter, whether occupied or not, but what to expect when visited by a Conservation Officer while you are fishing?  Kylan offers, “we always first just knock on the door and announce ourselves.”  From there CO’s make sure everyone fishing has a valid license on their person.  “It’s probably one of the most common violations,” Hill says, “but with all of the digital means from your phone along with hard-copy options, there’s no excuse not to have a proof of license purchase with you.”  That can mean a screenshot image of your fishing license, a PDF of an online copy, or some of the more traditional methods as well, but either way, you will need it if you are fishing.

Your average check starts with licenses, but moves to fish, especially if fishing has been good.  Kylan states “CO’s are allowed to inspect coolers, conveyance, or containers that could hold a wild animal,” which in a fishhouse could mean about anything, including the kitchen sink.  “We’ve found fish in snowbanks, cupboards and cabinets, even toilets,” Kylan says, “and we keep an eye out for such violations, especially if there’s suspicious activity, obvious signs of fish cleaning, blood, or other observations that would lead us to believe fish are being kept.”  Remember that by engaging in a regulated activity like fishing, you are obligated to show your license and cooperate by showing your catch.  “Failure to do so results in a citation, and most anglers cooperate,” says Hill.        

Pay particular attention to any lakes with special regulations, especially if you are keeping, cleaning, and/or eating those fish.  Anglers must observe possession and length-limits specific to their lake of choice.  Those regulations are clearly posted at public accesses, and published in the regulations booklet you get with your license.  Hill offers, “You can always use your smart phone to research regulations as well, so especially these days, there’s few excuses for not knowing the regs for the lake you’re fishing.  A quarter of an inch over is still over, and anglers should measure carefully to avoid a citation.”

Hill also says, “You can’t possess dressed fillets in a fish house on special regulations lakes, even if a skin tag is attached; unless they’re prepared by a licensed fish packer, or you have legal length, fully intact carcasses to measure.”  Kylan states a key point, “Remember that if you’ve caught, cooked, and eaten a limit of a certain species, you’re done fishing for that day.”  He continues, “If an angler does choose to clean fish on the lake, they must be in the process of cooking them at the same time, as-in, hot oil in the pan.”  Bottom line, if you are going to cook and eat fish that you catch on the ice, you must fillet and immediately eat while saving all carcasses from your take.

Of course, any illegal activity regarding drugs or alcohol is subject to enforcement action, yet among some of the many illegalities officers observe in the field.  Hill says, “anglers sometimes get a bit too comfortable in their ice houses, and bring illegal substances and activities from home.”  It is good to remember that you’re on a public waterway for that reason, whether in the house, or outside on a snowmobile, ATV, or other ice vehicle.  Kylan mentions, “a good number of our checks involve making sure that vehicle licensing, registration, and safety equipment like helmets are in order.  Overall, safety is a great concern of ours out on the ice, so a safety checklist goes a long way.  For out on the open ice, picks, cleats, and a float suit or PFD are great items to have.  Inside of the house, a fire extinguisher and carbon monoxide detector is key, especially for home-made houses,” says Hill.

From an angler perspective, I’ve been checked on the ice and believe respect to be a mutual commodity.  “Most anglers are great to deal with on ice,” offers Kylan, “but those who scramble inside of a fish-house when we knock on the door, or are uncooperative from the start usually raise a red flag.  As peace officers that protect our fish and game, it’s our duty to take those observations and dig deeper.”  Honesty is the best policy, and playing it straight from the get-go is the order of the day when meeting with an officer.  Kylan recalls, “I had a guy a few weeks ago that walked out of his house, saw me on the ice, then turn on a dime to run inside and shut the door.  I could hear him running around the house reeling up lines from outside the shelter, and knocked on the door to check him.  He said he had 2 lines down at first, but admitted to ‘three or four’ after I pressed him a bit.”

Avoiding suspicion is usually easy provided you’re not involved in suspicious activity I’ve found, and it’s always good to remember that observing fish and game laws is about more than just staying legal, it’s to promote the safety of our anglers and the future of our resource. 

Wheelhouse Eating - Cooking on Ice

Some of the best meals you’ll ever have are eaten outdoors.  In the thick of it, while back-country camping or cooking shore lunch on a rocky Canadian Shield lake.  Everything tastes better when you’ve hand-crafted it, worked for it.  Winter’s version of that in the North Country is a meal made on the ice, and with the advances in wheelhouses these days, our options are getting a whole lot better than just burnt wienies on an inverted sunflower heater. 

These days, more and more anglers have access to electric power on ice, a key cooking aid which removes some of the primal appeal, but makes up for it in opportunities to eat well.  Microwaves, refrigerators, and a myriad of appliances like crockpots, toaster ovens, and even blenders can make any ice house like your very own home kitchen.   Many wheelhouses already come with an oven, and frozen pizzas from them can certainly hit the spot.  Even when the crust is borderline burnt and the top is barely thawed, something warm to eat is always welcome.  That said, with a small bit of planning, we can do a whole lot better, for less money and effort than you’d expect.

Stock the Kitchen

First things first, you need to have some tools at your disposal, and on-hand staples are a necessity here just like at home.  Start with some basic cookware; hand-me-down skillets, a camping pot/lid, along with some measuring cups (dry and liquid) and silverware are a good start.  Ziploc bags, some paper plates, cups, and mugs are going to be needed too.  You’ll need knives to clean fish, cutting boards to fillet them on, and even some oddballs like can openers, kitchen towels, and hot pads.  The venerable crockpot is a great addition, but you can use the one from home in this application.  Then focus on some ingredients, mostly in the form of seasonings and spices, with most of the rest of the parts to any meal being something you’ll plan for on an individual basis.   

Cooking Fish

Put your fish-cooking gear together in a kit, as pots, stands, and the rest of the equipment is something you’ll likely be hauling into and out-of the fish house, rather than keeping as resident items.  I’ve cooked fish both inside and outside, and truly prefer doing the job on the open ice.  Some people complain of the smell of oil and fish, but the biggest issue I have is hot oil in an active environment.  Rattle reels go off, kids run to the bathroom, and the general chaos of a busy fish-house can make the scalding oil a scary proposition.  You’ll also make whatever mess there is from breading and crackling oil outside rather than in.  None of which sounds like great fun in high winds and cold temperatures on a pitch-black evening, but I’ve found it to be a small price to pay for a better and safer situation.  The key to frying quality fish is hot oil, so I prefer a cast-iron dutch oven to fry out of because it retains heat well, and make sure to use a thermometer for the oil and crank the propane just before you drop the fish in.

Oven Meals

For anyone who’s used a camper oven, you know that the heat comes from the bottom, in force.  Many a burnt pizza has been served from these types of ovens, and really the only solution I’ve found is severalfold.  First, find a rectangular pizza stone or similar buffer to put directly on the bottom rack.  Next, cook any items destined for the rack on a wire rack over a pan.  While this seems like a hassle, it’ll keep everything you put in one of these from burning on the bottom.  You’ll still get the crispiness and flavor, without the scorched flavor and overdone-ness. 

Getting Creative

I’ve had some really great meals in fish-houses over the years, and among them have certainly been a good number of soups and stews.  Many of these can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen, then simply dumped into a crockpot for warming.  A good many more have been homemade concoctions in the oven, steaks on an open grill outside, and especially morning diner-style breakfasts.  Coolers can be a great asset, especially inside your vehicle as they’ll keep items cold quite often without allowing them to fully freeze, so use that in your repertoire as needed.      

The best meal I’ve had on ice?  Well it would have to be the Kaiser’s ribs.  As in Kaiser Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia.  Billy Lindner, famed photographer and Fishing Hall of Fame Member is a descendant of the personal chef to the Kaiser, and last winter he made his ancestor’s recipe for us on a filming and photo shoot.  Pork ribs, stewed in a rich and fragrant mixture of beer, broth, sauerkraut, and root vegetables were more than we could ever hope for after a long day’s work. 

Well, that’s about all I can remember (or disclose) about the Kaiser’s ribs, but I can tell you it beat any frozen pizza I’ll ever have by miles.  It also serves as proof that with a little bit of preparation and planning, you can eat as well or better in the fish-house than you do at home. 

What you Need to Know about Custom Ice Rods

Featured - Croix Custom Ice by St. Croix Rods

Photo Credit - Matt Addington Photography

It’s usually easier to view changes to a sport like fishing looking backwards, rather than in the present or especially future.  That’s why it’s difficult to call the custom ice rod boom we’re seeing now a revolution, given pioneers in the rod-making business like Thorne Brothers have been doing it for decades.  Yet, for as long as a these tools have been around, it seems that only in recent years are they gaining widespread acceptance throughout the ice belt.  That’s likely due to a number of factors, not the least of which is increased interest in the sport the last 10 years or so.  Having fished and followed this trend over the years, and in designing a number of custom ice blanks myself, I think it’s time we discuss their popularity, and why they’ve become such a hot-ticket item in today’s ice market.

First off, we’ve been here before in the open water side of the world, and the development of customized rod blanks to approach specific situations, lure types, and species is certainly not a novel idea.  I went to college in the mid-late 1990’s less than an hour from the St. Croix Rods factory in Park Falls, WI, and they along with G. Loomis were some of the early leaders in the space.  Around that time, higher modulus carbon fiber, which was lighter, stronger, and more sensitive, saw more widespread use and adoption in such companies.  As anglers realized their benefits for all kinds of applications, it set off a flurry of designs, lengths, and actions, which became more feasible to build due to the new materials and methods.

Yet in the ice rod market, true customized rods were all that was available in the beginning, where anglers would describe lengths, powers, and actions, along with thread colors, blank preferences, and custom signatures or artwork.  These were hand tied items, not mass-produced, but careful creations of a few talented artisans.  Today, that workmanship still exists, though be wary of the term “custom” and how it’s used.  True “custom” ice rods are a razor thin percentage of all custom ice rod sales, as most are rarely built to a customer’s individual input and specs for a number of reasons. 

First and foremost, that process is slow and requires much more time and effort as rod builders labor over lengths, guide-spacings, various colored threadwraps, and the like.  Then, they switch out and build something else completely different.  That’s why instead of being truly custom, they’re instead “customized” to fit sweet spots in power, length, and action that are more popularly saleable to the general fishing public.  It allows ice rod companies to build up inventory, and sell to the retail environment.  Even the most fervent of custom shops sell relatively few true customs, as it’s difficult to charge what it takes on a per-rod basis for that level of service. 

That doesn’t make the majority of these not-so-custom creations less desirable however, far from it in fact.  Most are still handmade and are major upgrades from your traditionally mass-produced ice rod.  At this point, I’d have a very hard time going back to stock rods, given the way these customized ice rods cover the full breadth of species and applications I love to fish.  Whether a true custom or customized, I’ll be taking advantage of new offerings and technologies in this space for some time to come.

Glass rods eventually gave way to solid carbon blanks, and carbon is still today the most heavily used material in custom ice rods.  These blanks are typically ordered in by an overseas manufacturer, and in some cases ground to spec depending on the rod being built.  Just like many years ago in the open water market, there’s only so many ways to mill these down to achieve differing powers and actions.  It’s a well-understood process, and some great rods feature solid carbon designs.  This year, the advent of tubular (hollow) design, which has proven so popular with the highest-end rods on the open-water side of the market, has been brought to custom ice rods by St. Croix via the Croix Custom Ice (CCI) lineup.  The result is an even lighter and more sensitive blank than other high performance custom ice rods to date.  I anticipate the exploration into tubular ice rod design to be in its infancy, though increased attention to ice anglers and their needs will surely lead to rapid development and possibly even different materials and methods.

All of which is a long way of saying we live in a great day and age of ice angling.  Just as we’ve grown accustomed to technique-specific live-bait and jigging rods on soft-water, we’ll become just as spoiled with sight-fishing and spoon rods for the hard-water.  The result will be just as impactful as it was 20 or so years ago for me the first time I picked up a rod designed for properly fishing a jig.  I learned feel, mental mapping of the bottom, current, and sway, all while being able to detect bites and drive a good hook home with much more effectiveness.  All of these attributes led to a better presentation, and thus, more fish both detected and landed.  It’ll be the same for a whole new generation of ice anglers that embrace today’s customized ice rods.  Eventually, they won’t remember what came before them, and likely won’t fish with much else.            

The Scout House Concept

Photo Credit - Matt Addington Photography

The first time I’d heard of a “scout house” was in the late 1980’s on Minnesota’s Lake Mille Lacs.  I was fishing as a boy with my dad and his buddy in a converted camper that we comfortably spent a few nights catching fish in.  Action there was slow but somewhat steady, though we had word of better fishing through a man referred to as “Sanders” that had several permanent houses across the lake.  Some of those houses were more mobile than the overnight 5th-wheel style campers like the one we were staying in, and we eagerly headed to the edge of some mud flat on the north side of the lake to sit in the scout house one evening.

What happened next was a defining moment in my young ice-angling career, as we cramped in tight quarters to catch a mixed bag of walleyes and jumbo perch, literally one after the other.  No flashers, no GPS, and really no clue to the bite other than the intuition of a Mille Lacs Lake veteran whose name may or may not be real.  Maybe the more important “no” is that there were no other people.  No other trucks, no roads plowed to our location, and no other fish-houses within miles.  These days on Mille Lacs there’s fewer secrets, and more people, but the principle of a scout house is just as valuable there and across the ice-belt.

Last year was my first owning a drop-down style fish-house, and it really opened my eyes to that style of ice angling.  I’ve fished out of many of them previously, but until you own one and starting living the realities of where you’ll be fishing, how you’ll get on, and most importantly the safety of your rig on ice, it’s difficult to predict in advance many details of your winter fishing.  After spending the season in one, I must admit, the creature comforts along with the fact that your family is more likely to fish with you, can make it hard to get out on the ice in anything else.  In fact, I know a fair number of wheelhouse owners that have gotten rid of their old portable shelters.

That’s where the road forks however and I’m reminded of the scout house scenario above.  There’s quite the lull, especially early-ice, during the many weeks where wheelhouse anglers are waiting for driveable ice, yet there’s ice enough to walk and potentially use ATV’s and snowmobiles on.  That’s where even the most fervent hard-house owner should consider a flip or pop-up style portable shelter as their scout house of choice.  Owning one without the other seems a bit limiting to me, especially given the relative cost differences between the two groups.  It’s easy to spring for a small portable shelter after you’ve spent a big chunk of change on a permanent house of any style.

My experiences with the wheelhouse were unsurprisingly that the best fishing I had came on spots that I had put some time into scouting and fishing previously.  That was true for the spots I came to later in the season, but also spots that I fished within days of one another.  That means for anyone dragging a wheelhouse around, a portable shelter of some kind is just as valuable an asset, especially if you’re fishing a few days in a row. 

So many wheelhouses are dragged up to incredible fishing destinations, plopped down on a likely looking spot, and ridden out for the remainder of the trip whether fishing is good there or not.  With hydraulic or crank-up features, snap-in hole covers, and quick cutting electric augers out there, why not setup with the hope of finding something better?  Better yet, plan and expect to move.  We all know it’s easier to transport and setup a portable than to drop and bank a hardside, so hit the lake this winter with plans to explore the space outside of your hard-sided house.

Another alternative that makes the scout house such a deadly part of the 1-2 punch, is that you can use it for more than just finding fish.  I can think of many scenarios last winter when the hardside bite was all about camping out during low light periods, but fish could be had during daytime with a bit of mobility.  That way, you don’t have to necessarily move the big wheelhouse to stay on the fish, rather, you fish early and late out of it while enjoying a day-time bite elsewhere.  That can include other lakes for panfish, or even a break from the wheelhouse on shore.  My observations have been that too many people hole up in their drop-down fish house and miss out on all the other great fishing to be had in an area.

Of course, take heed to ensure that your mobile approach is truly mobile, as the last thing you want to do with the scout house is weigh-down that side of your angling experience as well.  Pack light, bring a smattering of what you’ll need, and make sure to make mobility the primary focus here.  Limit yourself to a lightweight auger option, flasher, a few rods, and one or two jacket sized tackle boxes.  More than anything, you’re looking for the presence of fish on the flasher.  Do your best to catch a few to confirm that they’re a target species so you don’t drag the big house over for a school of small perch.  From there, take cues on what the bite is telling you. 

With so many anglers these days are considering the jump to a wheelhouse, don’t forget about how both permanent and portable systems can work together.  Use each to their own advantage, and maximize the fun and comfort along the way.      

2018 - The Year to Buy Big-Ticket Items?

Photo Credit - Ben Larson - In-Depth Media Productions

Products featured: Strikemaster Solo Lazer, and the Otter XT Pro Resort

Big expenditures in hunting and fishing tend to be rare for most people.  For the most part, the outdoors has always been a rather humble sport, available to all in some form regardless of social status or financial means.  Growing up, squirrel hunting economics were driven by the best deal you could get on a brick of .22 ammo.  Trout and panfish didn’t seem as picky as they are now and crawlers were free to pick.  Even deer hunting was done with a hand-me-down Bear with poorly fletched aluminum 2117’s that flew just as crooked as they were bent.  

Today, we spend more on that which we enjoy, and I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing.  Gear and gizmos that expand the experience or otherwise make for a more enjoyable outing aren’t taboo in my mind, provided they don’t determine the pleasure you take away from doing what you love.  The trick for almost all of us is always getting the most for your buck, and doing without until the time is right. 

Given what I’m seeing in all aspects of the outdoors industry, that time may be now or at least very soon for big-ticket purchases.  I’m talking about the many-hundred or multi-thousand dollar ones.  Boats, fish-houses, trailers, and even rifles or bows.  While I’m not involved in the day-to-day operations of all categories of outdoors manufacturing, it doesn’t take somebody plugged-in to know that the world is looking to be more expensive for years to come.  Here’s just a few of the indicators and reasons why. 

Anything metal from deerstands to augers like this Strikemaster 40V will be more expensive by this time next season.

Raw goods and materials costs rise over time, and tariffs are at least in the short-term, influencing prices of steel and aluminum.  That is not an indictment on anyone or a political stance; it’s a material reality that makers of anything metal are facing right now.  When their costs go up, yours will inevitably creep upwards as well, the degree to which depends on timing, inventory, and a host of other variables that are more difficult to predict.  While these source materials may drive the largest portion of future increases, there’s other factors at play as well.     

Consumer buying behavior has also changed from what we’ve come to know over the past few decades, even the past few years.  The brick and mortar retail market has contracted somewhat, and online sales have shifted business models for retailers everywhere.  Amazon and other internet power players have aided in an overall loss of retail floor space, and in-turn our local hunting and fishing re-supply efforts have changed as well.    

With consolidation comes a lack of choices, and typically increased cost of all products.  Many goods that ship well or are relatively low-cost will always be somewhat price-protected, but larger, more expensive items you’d likely want to see in person before buying will still need to live in the retail spaces we’ve always purchased from.  Even those that buy shotguns, ice augers, or fishing electronics online have likely spent some time in person with that product, whether out with a buddy or in taking the time to stop by an industry show or sport shop.

Especially with larger items, service provided by retailers is still vital to the help that consumers need with those products.  These days you can buy anything anywhere, but not knowing how, when, or why to use it defeats the purpose of purchasing it in the first place.  There’s also the fact that things don’t always work as advertised and may require additional work or maintenance that keeps people happy with shops that do a good job.  That said, even though your average hunter or angler may be buying at an independent retailer or other local store for whatever level of service they provide, the product itself is not immune to price increases due to overall market consolidation.         

Lastly and perhaps most importantly is the topic of financing a large purchase.  We live in a time where borrowing money is extremely cheap, especially compared to previous decades.  Especially in boats and fish-houses, financing options will play a big role for customers everywhere.  With recent indications that the Federal Reserve Bank may increase its benchmark borrowing rate several times in the next few years, you’re likely to pay higher interest on any large item you finance moving into the future. 

All of which is not a cry to dig up the coffee can in the yard and throw your money at a large hunting or fishing purchase!  I will however, make no hesitation in saying that if you are buying in the foreseeable future, you’ll likely pay more the longer you wait.  It’s true that no one can fully predict the future here, and markets are fickle, with complex factors at play which can always reverse trends.  Not to mention, often the best time to buy something big is simple.  Do it when you’re ready.