 well after an extremely mild fall this bitter blast that we felt the past few days has formed a layer of ice on many area lakes. Josh Peterson has more on what you need to know before you head out on the lakes. It's hard to believe that just over a week ago Lake Bemidji looked something like this. Fast forward to today and you see nothing but ice and snow as far as the eye can see. Already the itch to get out on the lakes has begun for some ice fishermen at Tabor's Bait Shop in Bemidji. People have already been coming in for bait and gear. A lot of guys are interested, you know, have the itch to get out. Now's about the first time that we really started to pick up in customers. People are venturing out there. Tabor's Bait Shop says that a number of area lakes have already froze over. However, it's best to use caution when getting ready to venture out on any frozen lake. Probably want to be checking the ice, you know, have a chisel with you or a spud, making sure that the ice is strong and look for cracks, look for pressure ridges, make sure you got your ice picks as well. Lake Bemidji officially froze over last Saturday. Currently the ice on the lake ranges two to four inches deep. However, due to high winds, thin layers of ice are scattered around the lake, leaving portions of Lake Bemidji unsafe. First of all, safety. So we want to ensure that we have more than enough ice to support you and or your gear for an extended period of time. We've seen all the warnings and we know that four inches is our magic number. The Bemidji Fire Department recommends a few tips before venturing out onto any frozen lake. Contact the local bait shops or people who live on the lakes are familiar with the lakes. We know that all the lakes are freezing at different rates and then it's all depending on the size of the water, the depth of the water. If this cold snap continues through the weekend, which is expected to happen, the ice should be fully safe to walk on by mid next week. In Bemidji, I'm Josh Peterson, Lakeland News. And we have posted the DNR's guidelines on our website. As far as ice safety, you can find that at lptv.org slash news and they'll have more information there. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.