- Silver Lake, CA: Home to the oldest “fishing retreat” in the region and one of the best spots in the Golden State for ice fishing. Don’t be surprised to find Trout that are more than 20 inches long! Cutthroat and Brook are also on the menu at this secluded lake sitting at more than 7,000 feet in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains.
- Lake Champlain, VT: This is, possibly, Vermont’s premier fishing destination! With one of North America’s best fisheries, expect to catch Perch, Bluegill, Northern Pike, and Walleye. Fish on your own, or with legendary ice fishing guide, Bobby Dean.
- Devil’s Lake, ND: Ranked one of the Top 5 Fishing Lakes in the US, Devil’s Lake is North Dakota’s largest natural body of water. With more than 200,000 acres, it has hundreds of miles of shoreline! This fertile prairie lake is home to large numbers of Walleye, Northern Pike, White Bass, and has earned its reputation as the “Perch Capital of the World” with Perch weighing more than 2 pounds being caught.
- Fort Peck Reservoir, MT: Like to avoid the crowds? Then the reservoir is an excellent choice! There are no big cities nearby so the shortest trip will take you about a day. The beautiful reservoir is well worth the trip off the beaten path with trophy Walleye, Pike, Northern Pike, Trout, and Sauger which are found in abundance.
- Lake Washington, MN: Every year, hundreds of fishermen hit the 1,487-acre lake during the Winter. The lake is popular because of it’s proximity to Minneapolis, and a hotspot for locals looking to catch Bigmouth Buffalo, Crappie, Black Bullhead, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Yellow Bullhead, and Yellow Perch.
- Strawberry Reservoir, UT: This reservoir is Utah’s Best Trout fishery and a fisherman’s paradise where the fish grow faster than the algae blooms! With great action consistently from Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat, and Kokanee Salmon. Trout up to 24 inches are caught regularly, and the Utah record was set back in 1930 when a 27-pound Cutthroat was caught.
- Lake Winnebago, WI: The largest lake in the Badger State is also its top fishing destination. While you can expect to catch Walleye, Perch, and White Bass, many anglers go for the Annual Sturgeon Spearing season. In 2004, the tradition Winter Spearing season produced a sturgeon weighing in at 188 pounds!
- Lake Erie, OH: This is a popular ice fishing destination where weekend crowds sometimes reach 4,000 anglers! The lake is an excellent spot to catch trophy Walleyes and Perch, with prime spots for Walleye in 20-30 feet of water.
- Lake Gogebic, MI: Located in Michigan’s expansive Upper Peninsula, this lake becomes an ice fisherman’s dream in the Winter! Known for its legendary Perch, and accessible by snowmobile it’s the perfect spot for an ice fishing excursion.
- Lake of the Woods, MN: Known as the “Walleye Capital of the World”, this scenic lake offers you a chance at Small and Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Lake Trout, Sturgeon, Muskie, Sauger, Rock Bass, Crappie, and of course Walleye. Traversing the Canadian border, this lake is the largest inland freshwater lake in the continental US next to the Great Lakes!
Top 3 Ice Fishing Spots Around NJNot looking to travel so far, but are still looking for good ice fishing spots in the Tri-State area? Find our Top 3 picks below.
- Lake Hopatcong, NJ: Ice fishing is on the rise in New Jersey and this lake offers excellent fishing for Small and Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Perch, and Pickerel. A minimum thickness of four inches is the rule of thumb for safe ice for individual anglers. Areas near underwater springs and bubblers around docks result in thinner ice and should be avoided.
- Deep Creek Lake, PA: Close to home, this lake in Upper Montgomery County entices the locals with its bounty of Trout, Crappies, Bluegill, and Bass. The Park Director makes the decision on when fishing is allowed and requires 5 inches of ice to call it safe. If there is 7 inches or more, he’ll open an ice skating rink near the fishing grounds!
- Oneida Lake, NY: Just 10 miles North of Syracuse, is the largest lake that lies wholly within New York State. Known to the locals as Walleye Lake, fisherman can catch Large and Smallmouth Bass, Perch, Crappie, and Walleye. The lake is named for the Iroquois Nation Oneida Tribe who called the lake "Tsioqui" or "white water", a reference to the wave action on the lake on windy days.
As you can see, there are a lot of great lakes for ice fishing here in the US and the NJ area. The trouble will be choosing just one! Gear up for adventure this Winter with Ramsey Outdoor!
