Rice Lake Fishing Report 1/22/13
The propane companies love weeks like this. Bitter cold and below zero temperatures are pushing fisherman into ice shacks to stay warm. The one positive result is we are building ice, and by the sounds of it, we still need that to happen. Two vehicles went through the ice on Red Cedar Lake in the last week. Please use extreme caution still when venturing out on the lakes in a vehicle.
We are starting to hit that mid-winter lull when fishing gets tougher on all fish, but especially the walleyes. Patience is going to be key, as fish are starting to scatter into mid-winter areas now in deeper water. If you are setting tip ups, do not be afraid to try out deeper. Sometimes a bigger minnow offering will entice the fish into taking your bait as they have to expend less energy to chase a minnow, but they get a bigger meal. Jigging for walleyes with spoons and minnow baits can prove effective. Tip the bait will a minnow head or half a minnow for added scent.
The crappie and bluegill bite have also slowed a little but still remain to keep people entertained. Fisherman are spreading out more and moving from hole to hole to find the active fish. Decrease the jig size for the gills, and make sure you switch through baits to find the size and color combination they are after. The crappies are very similar, except the size does not seem to bother them that much. Color on the other hand is key! Try a variety of colors, and once you find the color they want, you will know it. Even when finding the magic color, I still like to experiment with other colors on a second rod. In low light conditions, brighten up those offerings with a glow in the dark jig. Sometimes you will find the fish want it bright and charged each time, other times they want just enough to have it glow.
Good luck fishing and remember, introduce someone new to the outdoors, they will appreciate it for a lifetime.
Jordan Marsh
Rice Lake Tourism
715.234.8888
800.523.6318
Fax - 715.434.8888