West Battle Lake
Located 20 miles east of Fergus Falls in Otter Tail County, West Battle Lake is often overshadowed by nearby Otter Tail Lake. Both are good late ice-fishing destinations, but the majority of anglers prefer the bigger, better known Otter Tail.

The Fergus Falls fisheries office reported West Battle’s walleye population is in good shape, thanks to a very strong 2001 year-class that has provided very consistent catches.

Anglers are asked to protect the current year-class as they mature by practicing catch-and-release.

Take a look at West Battle on a map and the first thing you see is a network of holes and humps, often creating excellent nearby fishing locations. The structure also provides an opportunity to find spots away from the fishing pressure.

Alex Kelm of Ben’s Bait and Tackle, a West Battle ice-fishing veteran, said you can’t go wrong by setting up beside a dropoff in 25 to 30 feet of water.

“I usually use a plain hook tipped with a shiner minnow,” he said.

For more information, contact the Fergus Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 726-8959 or online at www.visitfergusfallas.com

Lake Winnibigoshish
An avid walleye angler wanting to close the season in style should take a week off and drive along Highway 2 between Bemidji and Grand Rapids stopping often to fish the numerous hotspots. This portion of the state is home to some of the greatest late-ice walleye lakes and big ol’ Winnie is midway of the drive.

Many anglers know that Winnie is a good early-ice lake for walleyes, but after the late-ice season arrives, most anglers forget about walleyes and go after perch.

“This time of the year, you’ll do best on any isolated hump that tops off at 22 to 24 feet deep,” said Tom Neustrom of Walleye Visions in Grand Rapids. Some of Neustrom’s favorite locations include the tip of Bena Bar and the humps on the north end a half-mile from shore.

“The ice during the late season is generally pretty good, but watch out for the pressure ridges just like on all big lakes,” he said.

A pink-and-gold buckshot rattle is his favorite lure and best fishing times usually occur in early afternoon and anytime on a cloudy day.

“Winnie tends to have a late day and evening bite,” Neustrom said.

For more information, contact the Lake Winnie Resort Area Office at www.lakewinnie.net. Neustrom may be contacted at (218) 327-2312 or online at www.mnfishgpros.com Lake Pokegama

The last stop of the Highway 2 walleye run, Pokegama is a good late-ice walleye lake for anglers who like the nightlife.

“You can do quite well on Pokegama fishing a little later in the evening from 5 to 7 p.m. or even later,” Neustrom said.

Late-ice locations tend to be in the 24- to 30-foot range, with the best fishing near the humps and islands.

The same walleye rigs that work on the lakes highlighted above work well on Pokegama.

For more information, contact the Grand Rapids Area Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 355-9740 or online at www.visitgrandrandrapids.com.

* * * Always check with a local bait shop for the latest conditions and fishing reports before heading out onto the ice. Pressure ridges are sometimes tough to spot and driving through the ice can quickly ruin a good day of fishing or worse!