Ice Fish Gull Lake Near Bemidji, Then Enjoy a Warm Cabin
New this winter, Eagle Ridge Resort is opening its cabins to ice anglers for the first time. Spend the day on Gull Lake near Bemidji, in Tenstrike, Minnesota, in the heart of Beltrami County. Then, come home to a heated cabin with a private bedroom, a real bathroom, and a warm place to dry your gear. No sleeping in the ice house required. For a weekend with friends or family, it is the comfortable way to fish a Minnesota winter.
Check availabilityWe are a small, family-owned resort, and we treat our guests like friends. The same tradition that brings families back summer after summer is now yours to enjoy in the winter!
Winter Cabins & Stays
Three of our cabins are heated and ready for cold-weather stays:
Cabin 7
- Two stories
- Central heat
- A fireplace
- Dishwasher
- Washer/dryer
- Our largest sleeping capacity
- Its own in-cabin router
Every cabin keeps the cozy knotty-pine feel with modern comforts: reliable Wi-Fi, cell service, and Roku streaming for the end of a long day on the ice. Winter stays have a 3-night minimum.
What is Biting in the Winter
Gull Lake’s mix of weed edges, deep holes, and basin structure keeps the winter bite interesting. For more on the lake and its open-water fishery, see our Fishing Gull Lake page.
Walleye
The premier winter target on Gull Lake. The bite is best in low light, early morning and right around sundown. Try jigging spoons, rattle baits, or a dead-stick tipped with a live minnow.
Crappie & Bluegill
Gull Lake’s famous panfish school up tight in cold water and bite throughout the day, especially in early and mid-winter and again during late ice in March. Work weed edges, deep holes, and basins with a flasher and small tungsten jigs tipped with plastics or spikes.
Yellow Perch
A strong mid-winter (January–February) basin bite. Small gold or tungsten jigs with spikes do the trick.
Northern Pike
Aggressive all winter and a reliable daytime target. Set tip-ups spooled with heavy line and larger live or dead minnows.
Getting Out on the Ice
The public access is on the west side of Gull Lake, about a 2.2-mile drive from the resort — get directions. Drive-on access is allowed from the landing, so you can bring your permanent ice house or portable right out onto the lake. (Note: shelters may not be stored or left on the public access.)
Need bait, tackle, or a last-minute license? A few nearby shops:
- Timberline Sports-N-Convenience — Blackduck
- Trappers Bait Shop — north Bemidji
- Northwoods Bait & Tackle — Bemidji
Know Before You Go: Ice Shelter Rules & Safety
Minnesota has a few rules worth knowing before you head out. Full details are on the MN DNR ice shelter page.
Shelter licenses
All non-portable shelters, including wheeled fish houses, must be licensed ($15 resident / $37 non-resident). A shelter license is valid March 1 through April 30 of the following year.
Portable shelters
Only need a license and ID when left unattended (all occupants more than 200 feet away).
Identification
Your name and address, driver’s license number, or MN DNR ID number must be visible on the exterior in 2-inch characters, plus reflective material on each side if left out overnight.
Removal deadline
Shelters must be off inland waters by mid-March in our area (northern Minnesota). After the deadline, a shelter may only remain on the ice when occupied or attended, between midnight and one hour before sunrise.
Keep it clean
State law prohibits dumping trash, sewage, or greywater on the ice; drain wheelhouse tanks at a public dump station.
Ice is never 100% safe
The DNR does not measure ice thickness. Check the ice at least every 150 feet and know the conditions before you drive out. Your safety is your responsibility.
Snowmobiling Near Gull Lake
If sledding is more your speed, our cabins also sit near groomed trails - see our snowmobile trail access lodging page for winter stays built around the trail system.
Check availabilityFrequently Asked Questions
Can you ice fish Gull Lake near Bemidji?
Yes. Gull Lake near Bemidji (in Tenstrike, Beltrami County) is a productive winter fishery for walleye, crappie, bluegill, yellow perch, and northern pike. Eagle Ridge Resort rents winterized cabins right in the area so you can fish the lake and stay warm and comfortable.
Where can I stay to ice fish near Bemidji?
Eagle Ridge Resort offers three winterized, heated cabins (4, 5, and 7) for ice anglers, with a 3-night minimum. Each has central heat, a private bathroom, reliable Wi-Fi, and Roku TV — a warm, comfortable alternative to sleeping in an ice house.
Is there drive-on ice access to Gull Lake?
Yes. The public access on the west side of the lake allows drive-on access and is about a 2.2-mile drive from the resort, so you can bring a wheelhouse or portable shelter right out onto the ice.
Do I need a shelter license to ice fish in Minnesota?
Non-portable shelters, including wheeled fish houses, must be licensed through the Minnesota DNR ($15 resident / $37 non-resident). Portable shelters only need a license and ID when left unattended. See the MN DNR ice shelter page for full rules.
What fish can you catch through the ice on Gull Lake?
Walleye are the premier winter target, along with Gull Lake’s well-known panfish (crappie and bluegill), yellow perch, and northern pike.
Book Your Winter Stay
Ice season fills up fast, and with just three winter cabins, dates are limited. Reach out to reserve your spot on Gull Lake this winter — and start a new cold-weather tradition at Eagle Ridge Resort.
Check availability