WATSON - Chuck Ellingson's phone has been ringing ever since news and social media accounts this week began advising anglers to use caution on Lac qui Parle Lake.
Caution is always the best policy on the ice, but Ellingson said ice conditions are good and he wants anglers to know that they do not need to worry about water on the ice. Ellingson, owner of the Watson Hunting Camp and Lodge, has a number of rental ice fishing houses scattered about the lake. He reports no water problems at any of them, including his larger, 21-foot models.
Ed Picht, a conservation officer with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, said he has likewise received many inquiries from anglers about the conditions on the lake. Picht checked out the lake Friday morning and reported that the ice appears consistent.
A couple of days earlier there were reports of water coming up in some houses and of slushy areas on the lake, said the conservation officer. It led area sheriff departments to place social media notices urging anglers to be cautious.
Picht said the houses experiencing issues with water were those where snowdrifts had accumulated around them and added to the weight.
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Water levels on the lake have stayed within the normal range for winter during the past week, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The Corps began increasing the outflow from the Lac qui Parle dam to 2,000 cubic feet per second on Friday, it reported.
The Corps will continue its repairs on the dam this week, which will include concrete and grouting work. Changes to the outflow are expected but they are expected to be within the normal operating levels for this time of year.
The lake level was 934.37 feet as of noon on Friday and falling, according to the Corps. The normal operating level is between 933.8 feet and 934.2 feet.
The Corps is undertaking the repair work at this time of year to ensure the lake has the maximum storage capacity available for the spring runoff.
There is currently 16 to 18 inches of ice on the lake, according to Ellingson.
There is snow on the lake, but no more than found on lakes throughout the region, he added.
He also reports that the fishing has been decent, with anglers in his houses reporting some success with walleye and crappie.
