Rice Lake Fishing Report
What a difference a year makes. Last year at this time, travel on the ice was almost impossible with the amount of snow and slush we had. Right now, travel is very easy on the ice which is a good thing when wanting to chase finicky mid-winter fish. I always like to say, stay mobile and always continue to look for the right fish you want to catch. Sometimes you need to find cover, or sometimes searching a different area in the water column is all it takes.
When chasing pan fish, this can be very critical. You might have loads of fish near the bottom that will bite and catch fish after fish, but sometimes raising that bait 8-15 feet off the bottom will find you less fish, but a more quality size structure. With the cooler temps coming, you may need to scale down the size of the jig to get bites. If the small jigs don't work, do the exact opposite and bulk up the jig size. When being able to use a bigger jig you are able to be much more aggressive in your jigging which can entice finicky fish.
Search for walleyes in the deeper water. They will sit suspended chasing the roaming bait fish, or sit just off the edge of a sharp deep break line. The walleyes will become more aggressive as the days get longer.
Good luck fishing and remember, introduce someone new into the outdoors. They will appreciate it for a lifetime!