Despite our climate change, our lakes are mostly frozen over. Same with the rivers. Rod wrapping, swaps and the room painting is getting old. I’m thinking of ice out and putting the canoe on a couple of nearby lakes. Swenson and Mountain. Both hold good sized gills. Swenson more crappies, Mountain more LMBs. With ice out and spring starting, where would you head for your first warmwater outing? JGW
Well all the lakes here are frozen over and winter has just begun…
climate change?
It’s hard to think of this as warm water 
Two early season opportunities around here are for white perch and northern pike. Both of these fish begin to stage in preparation for spawning in mid March… really not that far off.
The white perch are anadromous and are fished for in brackish water. We look for schools in back coves off of large rivers. Just thinking about it makes me cold.
When the river floods from upstream snow melt the pike will stage near the flood plain meadows where they will spawn. We actually wade for these fish. The water is the color of chocolate milk and the bottom is mud.
There is all kinds of flotsam floating at all levels. Not for the faint of heart.
The fish can be sluggish in the cold water, but they’re big.
A real good way to begin the season.
The north side of any pond as the ice goes off.
Fish fairly large flies (size 6 -8) slowly.
Rick
There is big talk of RE-poisoning the Northern Pike in L. Davis here in Ca…damn. 
Guess we had better get on the ball this spring if we are going to enjoy some “local” pike. :roll: :roll:
…lee s.
???
Jan 31 Tonight
Some snow flurries this evening will give way to cloudy skies overnight. Low 6F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
Feb 1 Tomorrow
Mostly cloudy with snow flurries developing late. High 17F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Feb 1 Tomorrow night
Snow showers and flurries possible in the evening with a chance of continued flurries later. Wind chills may approach -15F. Low 2F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 30%.
Feb 2 Friday
Cloudy with flurries. Highs in the mid single digits and lows -5 to -9F.
Feb 3 Saturday
Cloudy with flurries. Highs -1 to -5F and lows -5 to -9F.
Feb 4 Sunday
Cloudy with occasional flurries. Highs in the low single digits and lows -6 to -10F.
Feb 5 Monday
Times of sun and clouds. Highs 2 to -2F and lows -7 to -11F.
Feb 6 Tuesday
Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the low single digits and lows 0 to -4F.
Ol’ Mother nature isn’t done yet! 