I was dissapointed not to be able to fish open water on the last weekend of the musky season, but was excited to start my first year of trying to catch fish through the ice...

...the ice was 5-7" thick and solid...sleds and ATVs were out on the ice (not saying this was the smartest thing to be doing)..plenty of portable shacks out...we fished the shallow weeds 3-8 FOW with shiners and small suckers...boated a bag of nice pike, some decent perch--on waxies, a smallie and even a small musky. It was alot of fun...not fast and furious, but there were some fish to be had...

My 10 yo daughter even got into the act when she surprised me by racing over to a flag, pulling off the tip up, yanking the line and pulling out a nice pike...all done w/o coaching or prompting by anyone...I was stunned...I guess she watches too much Gilespe!

One pattern I noted for panfish...as dark approached a couple guys moved off the break into the shallow weeds and popped a couple holes and immediately bagan pulling out gils...mental note to self!

Anyhow, yes, the ice fishing has started in full force.