Ice is for Mixed Drinks

Using Your Boat Throughout the Winter

It's December 28th and I have just returned from Lake Shelbyville on my last Musky trip of 2003. After a few phone calls and a little internet work, it's time to make the big decision on where to go fishing next. Should I head to Erie off of Huron for some late season hogs, go back to Bay de Noc for one more fling, or head to Red Wing for the big saugers that are being caught? Reports indicate that all of these locations have open water available and my past experiences tell me that they all have great potential.

To make the decision process even tougher, I find out that the walleye and sauger are still very active at Lynxville and Genoa on the Mississippi River. What's a guy to do? While most people winterize their boats in November and look forward to the hard water season, I continue to seek open water opportunities. Most winters I can accomplish this task while staying in Wisconsin, although I do enjoy making an occasional trip south to enjoy a little warmer weather. By south, I mean traveling no more than six hours from my home in southern Wisconsin. My self-imposed restriction of traveling no more than six hours for a weekend fishing trip still gives me plenty of open water options. I'd like to share some of these opportunities with you. The key to finding open water is to look for large bodies of water or large river systems close to your locale. These types of fisheries are always the last to freeze and typically offer the best winter open water adventures.

Winter destinations worth considering:

Mississippi River, Redwing, MN, Pool 4

I recommend launching your boat below Lock & Dam number 3. Everts Resort is the nearest boat launch and they have cabin facilities. Make sure to book early if you plan on staying there because they don't keep many of the cabins heated throughout the winter. The landings at Everts are always open because of the warmer water coming down stream from the nuclear plant and because of the hard work of Steve Vick, manager of Everts Resort. On those real cold mornings you'll find Steve getting out at the crack of dawn and breaking up any ice that has formed around their excellent launches. This section of river is home to large numbers of walleye and sauger with trophy walleye exceeding 10 pounds always a possibility. Steve is also a wealth of information and always knows what's happening on the river. He'll put you on fish and will have the right lure available at the bait shop. It's not uncommon to have a 50 to 100 fish day on this section of the river. My only advice is to stay out of the really deep holes, it's not real healthy for a fish to be dragged out of 50 feet of cold water. http://www.evertsfishingresort.com/

Wisconsin River at the Wisconsin Dells

This section of the Wisconsin River is always one of the last areas of the river to freeze and one of the first areas to open. I prefer to pass on this area in March when the hordes of fishermen start to appear but I have fond memories of 100 fish days on this section in February. Call ahead and make sure conditions are good for launching and fishing. I recommend that you use Rivers Edge Resort. They have a nice launch, tackle shop and up to date reports on what's happening. "Botch" is the guy to talk to at the bait shop, he's very knowledgeable and grew up on that section of the river. http://www.riversedgeresort.com/

Lake Shelbyville, IL

Lake Shelbyville can be a multi-species angler paradise. It offers a multitude of fishing opportunities. Popular game species include catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, musky, walleye, white bass, and bluegill. A normal year will find the lake freezing for about 3-4 weeks starting in mid-January. If you're looking for a good musky fishing adventure try this fishery in February or March. I have stayed at the Spillway Motel & Bait Shop, Highway 16 W, Shelbyville, IL 62565, (217-774-9591). The accommodations were clean and inexpensive. A lot of fishermen use this facility and it's close to great boat landings and good restaurants. http://www.mvs.usace.army.mil/Shelbyville/

Lake Erie, Huron, Ohio

Many hardcore walleye fishermen know about the great walleye fishing in this area in October and November. However, it's a tight-lipped secret that the "locals" do very well here at night in December. Multiple ten pound plus fish on any given evening when you can get out are common. The destination is a little further than I generally like to go, but the rewards can be unbelievable. My largest walleye came from these waters, a beautiful 12.6 pound monster. For the latest information contact Denny at Den's Sportsman's Outpost, http://www.geocities.com/densoutpost/Dens-Outpost.html. I recommend staying at the Gull Motel, 45 Cleveland Rd E, (419) 433-4655.

The above locations are a great starting point for those looking for a winter diversion. Other locations that you may also consider should include: Lake Geneva; Lake Michigan around Milwaukee and the southern harbors including Racine and Kenosha; the Mississippi River at Genoa or Lynxville; and the old standby, the Illinois River around Spring Valley. My best advise is to call first before venturing out to any of these locations and make sure to monitor WalleyesFirst.com for the best and latest information concerning fishing conditions.

It always astounds me when I talk to people who are more than willing to travel 5-6 hours in summer to head "up north" but they never consider heading south in winter. As a tournament fisherman and guide it's important for me to keep my "touch". These winter adventures keep me focused and allow me an opportunity to play with new techniques that I plan to use in the upcoming season. Give it a try, you'll be rewarded. And don't forget to bring the boat!

Oh yea, I almost forgot to mention where we finally decided to fish. We went to Red Wing and ended up boating over 60 fish on our best day. Most fish were caught on ringworms, super doos and berkley powerbaits. Quarter ounce gold jigs worked the best for us while working anywhere from 18 to 29 feet of water during daylight . Our best colors for the plastics bodies were fire and ice, fire cracker, blue pearl and catalpa Orange. My biggest sauger of the trip was over 3 ½ pounds and we talked to others who were fortunate to find some really nice big walleyes.

Dennis Skurulsky is a guide, tournament fisherman, presenter, and field writer for OutdoorsFirst. His sponsors include: Mercury, Lund, Navionics, Lowrance, TrollMaster, Dave's Ka-Boom Baits, Main Marine & Ski, Amsoil and Vanguard Trailers. Expect to see more articles from him this coming season. He can be contacted at: http://SunshineFishingAdventure.com, or at dskurulsky@yahoo.com