Fish house city on Battle Lake

By Tom Hintgen (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published Monday, December 31, 2007

People driving into Battle Lake or leaving town along Highway 78 will see a phenomenon on the west side of West Battle Lake — namely a cluster of no fewer than 40 fish houses — billed by many as Fish House City.

“The crappie fishing has been great,” Clitherall resident Nancy Kopet said. “My son, Joe, and I have really had good luck using fatheads and crappie minnows to catch crappies. Christmas Day was especially good, when we caught our limits.”

Children and grandchildren of retired Dr. Bob Ellingson also had good luck, on Saturday, at the Ellingson fish house at West Battle Lake.

“This is really fun,” said Ellingson’s granddaughter, Erica, 9, who caught a good sized crappie late on Saturday afternoon.

Erica fished with her sisters Allie, 19, Emily, 15, and her father, Jim, from Willmar, along with Preston Smith of Plymouth. Stopping in to check on how they were doing — with ice fishing — was Jim’s brother, Scott Ellingson, of Battle Lake.

“Ice fishing has been a family tradition here at West Battle Lake since about 1969,” Jim said. “It’s really great to see this outdoor fun passed along from one generation to the next.”

His father, Dr. Bob Ellingson, retired as a dentist in 1998.

“I fish about five times each week,” Ellingson said. “The crappie fishing has been good and it’s also fun to get to know some of the other people who have fish houses on the ice.”

It’s not only people who have fish houses in place for the winter months who enjoy ice fishing at West Battle Lake. Others put up portable fish houses, used for only a few hours on any given day. Among them were Matthew Kolstad of Underwood and Dennis Quam of Battle Lake who installed their portable fish house late Saturday afternoon.

“Putting up a portable fish house and having some fun ice fishing — even though for only a short time — is well worth it,” Kolstad said. “It’s especially fun during the holidays.”

Daytime and nighttime fishing are both popular, the latter coinciding with use of lanterns.

Where the fish are biting and on what is always the question ice-anglers ask themselves. Since they are relegated to an 8-inch hole, being in the right place is 90 percent of the formula for success. The other 10 percent — according to many fishing experts — is how to get the fish to bite.

“When it come to fishing success, it’s location, location, location,” Dr. Bob Ellingson said. “You find the right spot and the fish will bite.”

Ice fishing also helps businesses in Battle Lake. An example is TJ’s Restaurant on main street. Visitors to town help the restaurant owned by Gary and Trudy Sundby.

“The ice fishermen are here bright and early, as soon as we open at 7 a.m.,” their daughter, Debbie, said. “They want to start the day ice fishing right after they’ve had a good breakfast. They’re a great group of people.”