Ice fishing takes hold near Pelican Rapids

By Tom Hintgen (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Travis Grahn feels comfortable selling ice fishing equipment to customers in the sporting goods department at Park Region Cooperative’s new facility on South Broadway in Pelican Rapids. That’s because he’s an experienced ice fisherman himself.

“I like to fish for northerns at Franklin Lake up the road from Dunvilla,” Grahn said. “I generally have good luck on that lake, using fatheads and succer minnows.”

He has the expertise to help both novice and expert fishermen. For beginners who want to catch some crappies and sunfish, Grahn can provide the proper hooks and recommend the proper bait, including jigs and waxworms.

While many fish houses are in place at the various lakes near Pelican Rapids, including Prairie Lake just north of town, some people prefer to put up portable fish houses. Daytime and nighttime fishing are both popular, the latter coinciding with use of lanterns at Lake Lida and other nearby lakes.

For those in pursuit of walleye, many anglers use a a jig and minnow. Grahn can recommend the proper bait for walleye, northerns and panfish (sunfish and crappies). He knows about artificial lures, shiners, fatheads and you name it.

Since fishermen pursue fish through 8-inch holes in the ice, being in the right place — according to Grahn and others — is 90 percent of the formula for success. The other 10 percent, which fishermen agree, is how to get the fish to bite.

When it comes to ice fishing accessories, an angler can have as much or as little as he or she wishes, depending on how serious an anger can be about catching fish. Along with poles and lures, people purchase bobbers, ice fishing buckets, tip-up lines, skimmer (slush) removers, angler gloves, fishing chairs, lights, depth finders and ice fishing cleats, to name a few.

Steve Roehl, who farms near Fergus Falls, has enjoyed ice fishing on the north side of Lake Lida, east of Pelican Rapids, for close to 30 years. Inside his fish house, he pursues sunfish with use of a small fishing pole, jig and waxworm.

“Travis (Grahn) has the right formula,” Roehl said. “Jigs and waxworms have worked for me in catching sunfish all these years. I always enjoy my trips to Pelican Rapids during the winter months.”

The bottom line for ice fishing, says Grahn, “is to have fun. It’s a great hobby.”

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