The diversity of fish that can be caught here is incredible. You have your panfish – bluegills, crappies – and then your predator fish – bass, pike, walleye – that go for minnows.

Walleyes are usually a fun bite – you have to wait until right before sunup or sundown because that's when they like to come and bite your bait.

Bass and Pike are usually great if you find some weeds and are tipup fishing. Tipup fishing is when, essentially, you're not in front of the hole. You just put this thing on the ice and you wait for the flag to go up. Then you run over and get the fish. You spend more time waiting for the fish to come through, so it's more of a social gathering and fishing is a bonus.

My favorites are crappie and walleyes. Crappies because they're pretty aggressive at how they attack your presentation (bait). Zero hesitation and – wham – a bite! Walleyes because they taste amazing!  

There are two: Lake of the Woods and Lake Minnetonka. Near the cities, Lake Minnetonka is my favorite just because of the size of the lake and the diversity of fish. Lake of the Woods is great because it feels like a destination.

I first started going to LOTW with my good high school friend, Shane. He was still active with the National Guard at the time, so we would always work around his schedule. Ice fishing was something that allowed us to reconnect – we were seeing each other in person 2-3 times a year. We took the year off when he was deployed to Africa, but started right back up once he got back.

I now have two kids and I’ve introduced them to the world of ice fishing and ice glamping. Every winter we head north to Lake of the Woods to “ice camp” using a resort for three nights (and, yes, Shane still comes with)!  

If I'm in a permanent (anything with walls - wheelhouses, hard houses, hybrid ice houses, ice shanties), it's just a sweatshirt and jeans or whatever's comfortable. If fishing outside, ice fishing suits from any major brand will do an amazing job. Most companies have float technology embedded into the jacket and bibs, so you can stay safe if you happen to go through the ice. A lot of them have multiple layers and they keep you relatively warm, as long as you layer up correctly.

Speaking of layers, don’t wear cotton! That's like the cardinal sin. Synthetic fabrics tend to keep you warmer than cotton.

Electronic hand warmers are a must-have these days that not many people think of. Back in the day, you’d have to shake your HotHands packet and hope it worked. With the electronic hand warmers, you get immediate heat that can last from 10-15 hours. They're relatively cheap because you can reuse them.

Warm boots that are specifically designed for ice fishing are good, too. Any “normal” winter boot won't cut it. You need to make sure the boot sole has enough thickness to keep your feet off the ground. Otherwise, the ice will steal all your warmth.

Always bring a backup auger and an extra pair of clothes to leave in the truck. It sounds weird, but if you're cold, you're not going to have fun and if you can't cut a hole, you're not fishing.

We have long winters and, in my opinion, if you can't find something to do, you’ll get cabin fever. Finding an outdoor hobby helps me offset that. I think ice fishing makes the winter go so fast.  

I always recommend you find a mentor. Finding someone to show you the ropes and what you need to buy, removes a lot of that anxiety. The easiest thing I can think of is to hop in a Facebook group and ask anyone there.  Send a message to a local fishing guide, just be kind and courteous.

If you’re out by yourself, follow the houses and then figure out what’s working. You don’t have to be shy – ask others around you and let them know it’s your first time. Everyone out there is very helpful. It all starts with a simple, "Hello, how is the bite?"

Otherwise, using a guide will guarantee you have all that you’ll need. The guides provide you with everything; you’ve just got to get the fishing license.

If you're trying to get into the sport for the first time, I'll be the first recommend you find an ice fishing guide who's trusted in the community. The amount of information and knowledge you gain will be long-lasting. Like any new sport, you have certain barriers to entry and a mentor will help guide you so you don't make painful mistakes along the way.

Resorts are great. They typically put you on a spot, so you don't have to find the fish. They check in with you to make sure things are going well and provide you with information on how other houses are doing. I've been to about 4 now and I've been trying to expand my horizon because there are probably 40 outfitters up there, maybe even more. Some places will even fillet the fish you catch and bring it back. It’s a nice service right at the end of the day if you like fishing but don’t want to take care of the rest of it.