Thin ice plagues anglers across Minn.

by Dan Gunderson, Minnesota Public Radio

Moorhead, Minn. — Thin ice on Minnesota lakes continues to cause problems for anglers across the state.

DNR Conservation Officer Chris Vinton works in the Detroit Lakes area and said ice conditions are extremely dangerous, and constantly changing.

"I tell people be prepared to fall through. They're going to have to save themselves really because we probably can't respond fast enough to pull you out of the ice," Vinton said. "Logistically, it's not possible."

Vinton said several anglers have narrowly escaped drowning after falling through thin ice, and dozens of ice houses have dropped into lakes.

A DNR conservation officer is among those who have fallen through thin ice recently. His ATV broke through ice on Lake of the Woods, but the officer was not injured.

Conditions will remain dangerous until sustained cold temperatures return, Vinton said.

"January and February could get cold again, but until then we need to be really, really careful," Vinton said. "We really need some zeros and below to build some good ice again. That good clear ice is what's the strongest."

That good ice will take a couple of weeks of cold temperatures to form.