Upper Red Lake in Minnesota has proven treacherous for anglers with the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office conducting its third ice rescue in a week. Three men were pulled from the icy waters on Thursday after their ATV and attached trailer fell through a thin patch of ice. The rescue incident, which occurred on Dec. 21, involved the men getting turned around and breaking through an ice pressure ridge, as reported by Fox 9.
Earlier that week, in a dramatic turn of events, a small plane carrying two anglers broke through the ice after attempting to land on Upper Red Lake. According to the Beltrami County Sheriff's Office, the pilot had found what he believed was a safe spot on the near-shore snowless ice, which ultimately proved unreliable, causing the aircraft to slide into thin ice. Both occupants escaped unharmed, the sheriff's office detailed in a statement.
Just days prior, on Dec. 17, 35 anglers found themselves stranded on a chunk of ice that separated from the shore due to high winds. Fox 9 reported that the anglers had to be rescued but, fortunately, no one was injured. The conditions on Upper Red Lake have been unpredictable due to unseasonably warm weather, with the sheriff's office and emergency manager issuing warnings against venturing onto the weak ice.
One angler, Dale Mord, recounted his harrowing experience to KSTP, as he and others waited for help while stranded. "It's not like we were sailing away like Gilligan," Mord said. This sentiment was echoed by Adam Chrestensen, another angler who decided against fishing on Seton Lake in Mound, saying, "With my luck I’d be the first guy to fall in out here."
Minnesota's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) continues to emphasize caution. DNR conservation officer Mitch Lawler informed 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS of the conditions stating, "Right now, I don’t care what part of the state you’re in, ice is very, very sketchy." As temperatures in the state are expected to climb into the 50s with rain on the forecast, the DNR's safety advice is clear.
