How thick does ice need to be to fish on in Minnesota?

Public guidance: at least 4 inches of clear, solid new ice to walk on. White ice is about half as strong. Follow your state agency's advice and check the ice yourself.

What are good ice-fishing lakes in Minnesota?

Start with Lake Mille Lacs, Leech Lake and Lake Vermilion.

Ice fishing in Minnesota: 10 lakes and how to stay safe

Ice fishing in Minnesota: 10 lakes with walleye, perch, pike, panfish or trout under the ice, and the safety rules that come first.

Ice first

Those figures are for clear, solid new ice. White or snow ice is about half as strong, so double them. Ice is never the same thickness across a lake: check it with a spud or auger every few steps, stay away from inlets, outlets, springs and pressure ridges, and follow your state agency's advice.

Clear new ice	What it can hold (public guidance)
Under 4 in	Stay off
4 in	Walking, ice fishing on foot
5 to 7 in	Snowmobile or ATV
8 to 12 in	Small car or light pickup
12 to 15 in	Medium truck

1. Lake Mille Lacs

Lake Mille Lacs covers some 132,000 acres. Expect walleye, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and muskie. At about 42 ft at its deepest, it warms quickly in spring. On the 3-D map the bed has two point drop-offs and an upper arm: good places to start. Under the ice, walleye: cold. Slow jigs on deep structure.

Lake Mille Lacs today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

2. Leech Lake

At 103,000 acres, Leech Lake is a huge piece of water. Walleye, northern pike, yellow perch and muskie are the draw. At about 156 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. Its bed shows three steep ledges and a wind-blown bank worth a first look. Under the ice, walleye: cold. Slow jigs on deep structure.

Leech Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

3. Lake Vermilion

Lake Vermilion covers some 39,300 acres. Expect walleye, northern pike, muskie and smallmouth bass. It goes down to about 76 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and a wind-blown bank: good places to start. Under the ice, walleye: cold. Slow jigs on deep structure.

Lake Vermilion today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

4. Lake Minnetonka

Lake Minnetonka covers some 14,500 acres. Expect northern pike, bluegill, walleye and largemouth bass. It goes down to about 113 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Under the ice, northern pike: cold. Slow baits near weed edges and drop-offs.

Lake Minnetonka today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

5. Red Lake

At 282,000 acres, Red Lake is a huge piece of water. The lake is right by Redby. Walleye, northern pike, yellow perch and bluegill are the draw. At about 35 ft at its deepest, it warms quickly in spring. Its bed shows two point drop-offs and an upper arm worth a first look. Red Lake is the largest lake located entirely within the state of Minnesota. Under the ice, walleye: cold. Slow jigs on deep structure.

Red Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

6. Cass Lake

At some 16,000 acres, Cass Lake is a big lake. It lies near Bemidji. Expect walleye, northern pike, yellow perch and muskie. It goes down to about 120 ft. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look. Cass Lake contains Star Island, which itself holds a small lake, Lake Windigo - a rare lake-within-an-island-within-a-lake. Under the ice, walleye: cold. Slow jigs on deep structure.

Cass Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

7. Otter Tail Lake

Otter Tail Lake spreads over 13,700 acres. The lake is within an easy drive of Fargo (about 61 miles). The fish here are walleye and northern pike. At about 120 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and an upper arm worth a first look. Under the ice, walleye: cold. Slow jigs on deep structure.

Otter Tail Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

8. Big Stone Lake

Big Stone Lake covers 12,600 acres. The lake is next to Ortonville. It holds walleye, northern pike and bluegill. At about 16 ft at its deepest, it warms quickly in spring. Big Stone Lake, source of the Minnesota River, marks South Dakota's lowest point in elevation at 965 feet. Under the ice, walleye: cold. Slow jigs on deep structure.

Big Stone Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

9. Lake Traverse

Lake Traverse spreads over 11,200 acres of water. The lake is about 6.4 miles northeast of Wheaton. It holds walleye, northern pike, crappie and white bass. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and an upper arm worth a first look. Lake Traverse sits at the southern tip of the Hudson Bay watershed, draining north via the Bois de Sioux and Red Rivers. Under the ice, walleye: cold. Slow jigs on deep structure.

Lake Traverse today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

10. Burntside Lake

Burntside Lake is a natural lake of 7,140 acres of water. You will find it near Ely. The fish here are lake trout, walleye, northern pike and bluegill. At about 126 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Burntside Lake near Ely contains more than 100 islands. Under the ice, lake trout: cool surface. They come shallower; try shore points.

Burntside Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

What to bring

Ice picks around your neck and a throw rope
A spud bar or auger to test as you walk
A flotation suit or life jacket on early and late ice
A friend, and someone on shore who knows where you went
Small jigs and spoons tipped with a minnow or waxie