Fishing Report -- posted on Friday, January 2 2009

Happy New Year Everyone!!

Last week’s thaw (rain & warm) left a layer of slush, which now lingers under the fresh snow fall on a number of area lakes. Slush does not slow the fish, but it can really slow the fishermen! Right now the key is if the slush freezes hard before it has much snow fall on top. The light snow can insulate the slush so well it will stay mushy for weeks. The hope is that by the time the snowfall predicted for Friday hits the slush will have froze up solid.

The walleyes have been biting at a fairly steady rate, nothing red-hot, nothing too dismal, but consistent. We have not heard of huge fish being taken recently, but in the early ice there were some big walleyes caught. That does not mean it is not worth going out, still some nice eaters being caught. Walleye has been on a pretty good pattern. Depending on the lake we have heard of them in fairly shallow water on some lakes, but on deeper lakes they have been in deep haunts, 20 feet deep in some reports. All that points out a basic fact: each lake is different and tactics that work on one will not necessarily work on another. Try varying your minnows at different depths.

Panfish are also fairly consistent and this past week brought the first reports of crappies in a while. Those fish were in deeper water, 15 feet of so. Most bluegills and perch have been shallower. Small jigs, small minnows and/or waxies fished on jig poles are the ticket for panfish in the winter.

We also have heard reports of northern pike hitting well on some lakes. Larger minnows on tip-ups will work for northern, usually along weedy drop-offs.

If the slush hardens up and makes travel easy we think fishing this upcoming week will be pretty good. Weather, winter or summer, drives fish activity so keep an eye on what the weather is doing, but right now snow cover is not too bad, ice is firm on nearly all lakes, and fishing should be pretty good.