UPPER RED LAKE, Minn — A large portion of a popular ice fishing destination in the upper Midwest will remain “off limits” to anglers.

No motorized vehicles are allowed on the Upper Red Lake in Beltrami County until further notice.

It’s a big lake, located about five hours north of St. Paul. In size, the lake is 25 miles east to west and 10 miles north to south.

“That day crossing that crack, I didn’t think anything of it,” said Dale Mord.

He went out on the lake with his buddies, set to fish on Dec. 18. Then the wind picked up and created a large ice floe, stranding nearly three-dozen fisherman for hours.

“You’re fine and then you are screwed within, like, 10 seconds,” Mord said.

It was one of seven rescues during the month of December on Upper Red Lake. On Friday night, Dec. 29, 122 anglers were stranded.

Beltrami County Sheriff Jason Riggs said that was the “tipping point,” and closed the lake to all vehicle traffic the next day.

He admits it’s a devastating financial decision for the resorts who have a 100-day window to make a large portion of their annual revenue.

“Quite a few of the resorts were not surprised at all. They kind of anticipated this due to the length of time this has gone on,” Riggs said.

It’s the first time since 2005 the lake has been closed off, but that year it wasn’t this late in the season.

Along with warm temperatures, the lack of snow is causing problems. Anglers are driving all over the ice with no real designated ice roads.

“People are traveling miles and miles and miles, and sometimes in the wrong direction,” Riggs said.

The rescues have not been cheap, running anywhere between $4,000 and $10,000. That’s just the bill for the sheriff’s office.

That does not include the expenses incurred by the Kelliher Volunteer Fire Department, a department of two-dozen volunteers. They have responded to all seven rescues.

“We’d rather accomplish the mission first, and then worry about the finances later,” said department Chief Rich Thayer.

Riggs said it was also a difficult decision to start billing those who drive on the lake and need help.

“We want them to feel comfortable calling for help versus having to worry about the finances of what would happen. People that would worry about that might delay in those responses and we don’t want that,” Riggs said.

Monday, Beltrami County commissioners expressed concerns about other lakes in the county. One even threw out the idea of closing all lakes, including walking on the ice for at least two weeks, something the county attorney did not think could legally happen.

“I don’t know if thin ice would rise to that level. I just can’t imagine that it would,” Beltrami County Attorney Dave Hanson said.

Riggs said there is no timetable for when Upper Red Lake will reopen. He’s put together an ice assessment team that consists of deputies, first responders, resort owners, and the Red Lake Tribal Department of Natural Resources that was set to meet for the first time on Tuesday, Jan. 3.

“That’s why we’re including the resorts, because we want them to be a part of this process so they understand what is involved with this decision as it wasn’t taken lightly,”Riggs said.

Mord hopes that by sharing his story, anglers will reel in some common sense in the coming days.

“You do not bet against Mother Nature. Ever,” Mord said.

When the ice is good, Riggs said there could be as many 5,000 anglers on the lake on any given day.

This season it has been around 700 daily.

Riggs said the resorts have been very cooperative, and said most of the people who have been rescued are from outside the region and state.

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