St. Paul home of ice angler's annual show

Every year, for the last 20-plus years, avid ice anglers have gathered in St. Paul to talk ice fishing, showcase products and basically kick off each ice fishing season with a party that equals no other in the ice fishing world.
Sure, there are earlier shows, with several new ones recently added that kick things off in November, but none rival the Granddaddy in St. Paul!
I have attended this show, as a spectator since 2007 and a vendor since 2012 and am on my way as I write this.
This year, more than 190 vendors will be catering to a crowd of more than 25,000 avid attendees, who will spend more on ice fishing this weekend than the rest of the season combined.
If you are a business catering to ice anglers, you need to be at this show!
We have partnered for many years with our local Kalispell Convention and Visitor Center, and Discover Kalispell, in telling folks about our awesome winter activities, including the ice fishing opportunities that Howes Fishing offers visitors and residents alike, from the Flathead to Fort Peck.
I have business relationships with some of the largest vendors at the show, and it is always great to see old friends and make new ones. Oh, and I usually fish my way here to the show!
As I do almost every year, I had to stop in the Turtle Mountains region of Northern North Dakota and do some early ice fishing for bluegills and crappies.
This is a special area, with Lake Metigoshe sharing a boundary with Canada and offering true trophy potential bluegills that can exceed 12 inches.
This year, we were pleasantly surprised by an expanding crappie population to augment the bluegills.
Several panfish tournaments are held on this lake each year, with the ice fishing tournaments gaining in popularity.
There are also many other lakes in the area that harbor large northern pike, walleye, perch and even some trophy stocked trout waters, offering rainbows up to 6-7 pounds!
But it is the bluegill that brings me back every year, a fish that most people only see as a “kids fish”, when they are in the 4-6 inch range.
Millions of Midwestern anglers cut their fishing teeth on bluegills but most folks can’t understand why I get so excited about a big bluegill!
It’s simple, any bluegill over 10 inches has grown to its life potential, like a 40-pound Lake Trout, a 160 whitetail or a giant 7x7 bull elk.
Catch one, on tackle specifically geared toward big panfish, and you will see the light!
Some years, I also get to fish the Devils Lake area, or at least the Northern sister lakes, Lake Alice and Lake Irvine, but alas these lakes are still just not quite offering safe ice.
Most folks know that Devils Lake offers world-class perch and walleye fishing, but the aforementioned lakes are really coming on as trophy crappie lakes as well.
If you have ever been to Devils Lake, North Dakota, you know this is an inland fishing mecca, catering to anglers year round!
And, if all this talk about ice fishing is getting your pulse racing just a bit, there are some things back home you should be aware of as well.
This weekend, Snappy Sport Senter in Kalispell will be holding its own ice fishing expo all day on Saturday.
There are lots of specials, new product features and several seminars being presented by local anglers who know their stuff, including our own Matt McComb with an “Introduction to Ice Fishing” at 10 a.m.
Go to www.snappysportsenter.com and click on the calendar for more info.
Lastly, don’t forget that angler in your life who has been very good all year, with a gift certificate for Howes Fishing!
Gift certificates for ice fishing as well as our open water trips can be purchased by calling 406-257-5214!
I’ll see you on the water!

— Howe is the owner/outfitter at Howe’s Fishing, A Able and Mo Fisch Charters. Call 406-257-5214 or at www.howesfishing.com