The DNR is now warning against the early, unsafe ice.
According to a release, the so-called unseasonable cold weather has prompted early ice over on some lakes, but ice thickness is highly variable.
Emergency responders have already responded to incidents where anglers have fallen through thin ice, or have been stranded on ice sheets that broke off from the shoreline, such as the incident last week on Upper Red Lake.
The DNR says to wait until there are at least four inches of new, clear ice and check its thickness every 150 feet.
The minimum ice thickness guidelines are 5 to 7 inches for a snowmobile or ATV, 8 to 12 inches for a car or small pickup, and 12 to 15 inches for a medium truck.
