Joe Hyde's column this week got me wondering when I can get out and start chasing the bluegill, crappie and bass around with any success.

It's been really cold overnight, down in the mid 20s, then sunny and anywhere from 35-50 during the day. Most of the open water is not frozen at this point.

At around what temperature do panfish usually start getting catchable? I always figured they'd be way down deep sometime till spring. Joe's story seems to say otherwise...

I also read a local fishing report that said the perch are starting to bite. I was thinking of tying up some small streamers (maybe some crappie candy)and seeing if I could get into some of those guys. I caught a few last summer, but I wasn't targeting them. Anybody do much perch fishing with the fly rod? Any suggestions?

I'm going crazy. I need to fish soon. Catching the cats with a long piece of yarn tied to a stick just doesn't hold the same sense of excitement as a fat bluegill on my 2wt.