Mild weather, shaky ice are spoiling Minnesota s early ice fishing season startribune.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from startribune.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
For 29 consecutive winters on Lake Mille Lacs, Kevin McQuoid rented fish houses to customers of his lakeside resort near Isle, Minn. Only once during that span were the shacks still parked on dirt by New Year's Day. McQuoid sold his business two years ago, but he's anticipating another holiday dud as Minnesota's ice fishing season remains mired in a slow start. Unseasonably warm temperatures .
This format also enables anglers to record bigger fish that are outside the slot limit, which makes for an increased “bag” while still conserving the fishery.