FRIDAY DECEMBER 29, 2023 - MONDAY JANUARY 1, 2024
OTTERTAIL COUNTY ICE FISHING | NEW YEARS
TOTAL DISCOUNTED COST: $295 | DEPOSIT: $295 (THIS IS NON REFUNDABLE)
TRIP DETAILS + INFORMATION
The Her Wilderness annual New Years Ice Fishing Trip is BACK! Join us by ringing in the new year the only way we know how, ON ICE! This trip includes 2 full days of guided ice fishing in the heart of Minnesota’s Panfish country. Our guides will be spending weeks prior to our arrival, pre-fishing the Ottertail County area to ensure we stay on top of fast moving schools. We will be provided with transportation onto the lake, where our guides will already have the plan of attack ready for us to jump in. Get ready to run + gun, as the schools of panfish are cruising large deep basins this time of year. We will have multiple augers drilling, and live imaging systems to help us stay on top of the fish. When you’re ready for a break, you can kick back in one of the MANY, large heated hub houses that will be provided.
Our generous guide will also be providing us with a hot lunch each day we are out on the ice. If you are new to ice fishing and looking to try before you buy, there will be PLENTY of ice fishing rods, vexilars, lures & bait provided. If you have your own, we would love for you to bring it with you!
LODGING ACCOMMODATIONS + MISC. DETAILS
This trip also includes 3 nights lodging at a beautiful lakeside home in Vergas, Minnesota. This newly revovated 6 bedroom, 3 bathroom house is an open floor plan with a large kitchen, dining and living room PERFECT for our large party. This house is equipped with multiple sets of king, queen, full sized beds and twins. You will be sharing a bedroom with other women on this trip and may need to share a bed, so please be prepared for that. Each night after fishing we will have plenty of time to relax and have a great time. Our lodging is also built for a good time, as it has a HOT TUB, pool table, and ping pong table for some friendly competition!
Our guide is aware of the location to our house, and will be keeping that in mind when scouting for the perfect lake to take us to. We shouldn’t have to drive no longer than 30 minutes to and from the boat launch. After each day of catching fish, our guide and his crew will be taking the fish back to their residence to clean and package. Once cleaned and packaged, they will be personally delivering them back to our house. Here, you will then be able to freeze them for transport before we depart.
This trip also includes ALL MEALS! Your Coordinator will be providing 3 breakfasts and 3 dinners. Our generous guide will be providing us with a HOT lunch while out on the ice. Rumor has it, his Blackstone grill fits perfectly in the bed of his truck! If you have special dietary needs, please reach out to your coordinator PRIOR to registering. She can be reached at the following email, tonihwmn@gmail.com
TARGET SPECIES, REGULATIONS AND PROCESSING OF TAXIDERMY OR MEAT HARVEST PLAN.
Ottertail County is home to some of the largest Panfish in northern Minnesota, specifically Crappies and Bluegills. Our guides will be out scouting multiple lakes prior to our trip, to ensure we have the best chance at a successful ice fishing experience. Depending upon which lake is doing well, we will then be sharing specific slot regulations with you in this trip's private facebook page. We will also be sharing which fish are important to be released to help keep the populations healthy for many more spawning seasons to come. On top of thick shouldered Crappie and fat forehead Bluegills, there is also a chance you could catch Bass, Pike, and Walleyes. Even though it's the middle of winter, please bring a cooler to bring home your catch.
For this trip you will need to purchase a Minnesota Fishing license. If you are a resident of Minnesota, you can purchase a yearly angling license for $25.00 or a 24hr license for $12.oo which would then come to $24.00 for the two full days of fishing we will be completing.
If you are a Non- resident, a yearly angling license will be $51.00, a 72hr license will be $36.00, and a 24hr license will be $14.00 which would then come to $28.00 for the two full days of fishing we will be completing.
DEPOSIT + PAYMENT INFORMATION
We are able to offer this weekend at only $495 per person, which will include a nonrefundable deposit of $165 and 2 additional payments of $165.
NON REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT DUE AT REGISTRATION: $165
PAYMENT#1 OF 2 $165 DUE NOVEMBER 1
PAYMENT#2 OF 2 $165 DUE DECEMBER 1
TIP TO YOUR GUIDES IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE OF THIS TRIP.
PLEASE DO NOT REGISTER FOR THIS TRIP BY MAKING A PAYMENT HERE. YOU MUST FIRST REGISTER BY MAKING A DEPOSIT FOR THIS TRIP. YOU CAN MAKE A DEPOSIT AND SEND IN REGISTRATION FOR ANY HER WILDERNESS TRIP BY GOING HERE.
AIRPORTS + TRAVEL INFORMATION
LIST 3 AIRPORTS, USE THE WEBSITE TRAVEL MATH.
It’s always a good idea to book your flight AFTER joining the facebook group! That way you are able to communicate with others attending the trip to book your flights in sync and split rental car or uber costs!
Hector International Airport, Fargo North Dakota: (66 miles) 1.18 hour drive
Duluth International Airport, Duluth Minnesota: (204 miles) 3.41 hour drive
Minneapolis - St. Paul International Airport (210 miles) 3.40 hour drive
FAQ’S AND POLICY
Q - DO I NEED TO BRING MY OWN FISHING EQUIPMENT?
A - If you have your own fishing equipment such as rods, fish finders, and tackle, we would love for you to use the equipment you are familiar with. Our guide does have enough equipment for up to 10 guests and looks forward to teaching you how to and why he uses the brands he trusts.
Q - WILL THERE BE ICE HOUSE?
A - There will be NO permanent or lavish ice houses.
A - Yes, there will be multiple large Eskimo hub styled houses placed all around the large area of the holes we will be hopping. We will spend a majority of our day outside moving around from ice hole to ice hole to catch continuous fish. If you need to warm up, the hub style ice houses will also have holes drilled with heat and chairs if you need to take a break.
Q - CAN I KEEP FISH THAT I CATCH?
A - Yes! As the day of the trip gets closer, our guide will be prefishing multiple lakes surrounding our lodging. Some have slot limits, and some fish are better to be released to help the lake’s populations stay healthy. Our guide and his crew will take our catch back to their residence to clean and package in freezer bags. Once they are done, they have already offered to bring them back to our lodging for us to bring home.
Q - ARE MEALS INCLUDED?
A - YES! Our guide has generously offered to provide us with a HOT lunch, BOTH DAYS, while out on the ice. Your Coordinator will also be putting together a meal plan to provide everyone on this trip with a coffee bar & breakfast each morning, and hearty home style dinners each night when you come back from fishing. All meals are included in the price of this trip, if you have any dietary restrictions please contact your coordinator PRIOR to registration.
Q - DO I HAVE TO SHARE A BED?
A - Everyone on this trip has to share a bedroom and bathroom. Each room has a large bed, and sharing is required to accommodate the number of guests on this trip.
MEET YOUR COORDINATOR
Meet Toni Parnell, from Nowthen Minnesota! Her first ever trip with Her Wilderness 4 years ago was on our annual New Years Ice Fishing trip. When we saw her potential, we asked her to bring this trip to bigger and better lengths! Some of her favorite fish to target are BIG schools of panfish, and BIG slimy Pike. She spends most of her winters hopping around on multiple lakes in central minnesota. She loves meeting new people who are just as passionate about the outdoors as she is. One of her favorite parts about being a coordinator is helping others reach their goals and watching their passion for the outdoors grow.
TRIP REGISTRATION AND CONTACT INFORMATION
Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to a private facebook group for this specific trip. This group is where you can connect with other trip attendees, ask your trip coordinator questions, and receive additional trip details. You can discuss packing lists, travel plans, and more. Please be sure you use a valid working email to register for this trip. If you do not have a facebook account please send an email to questions@herwilderness.co so that we can make the appropriate accommodations to get you additional trip details. Please read carefully: please make all payments by their due dates. If payments are late we will always work with you. however if there is no communication we will assume you are forfeiting your spot and any payments made will not be refunded. By registering for any wilderness trip you are under the full understanding that there are no refunds. by registering for this trip you understand that your deposit is non-refundable with no exceptions.
Please feel free to email questions@herwilderness.co with any questions about this trip!