Price Co. Fishing Report - 12/19/07Ice depths generally range from 7 to 11 inches on lakes in the Upper Chippewa Basin, with about 6 inches of soft, powdery snow on top. This has caused some slush to form on the lakes, but the slush is spotty and only about an inch or two thick. Some anglers have begun to drive out on a few local lakes - but extreme caution is still urged. Lake ice cover can be variable with a solid 10 inches in some areas with just 6 inches of ice only a few hundred yards away. In addition, slush conditions add a lot of weight to the top of the ice and even softens the ice underneath the slush. This results in a weaker ice cover and less weight-holding capability.
Ice fishing success has been generally slow in the Upper Chippewa Basin. Walleye continue to be the main species of interest and action has been very inconsistent. The best success has come in the late afternoon just before dark, with shiners or suckers fished on tip-ups in the 6 to 12 foot depths. No specific areas have been better than others - as a few fish are being taken on the shallow mud flats, some near green-weed edges and some on the deep edge of gravel/rock drop-offs. Most of the walleye have been in the 10 to 15 inch size, but fish up to 22 inches have been caught. Panfish action has been erratic - though a few anglers have reported some fair catches of crappie and perch. Northern pike action could only be termed fair, as the cloudy and colder weather seems to have held their activity down.
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