And the good news is............

[olsarge]

The day after tomorrow the days start getting loner!!!!!  Yall better start gettin your tackle boxes in order.  March will be here for ya know it.

Signed.  The eternal optimist

[ctom]

Actually the days have been getting longer already. Tomorrow is just a calendar thing. But you're right....best be getting the goodies stowed for the fishing to come.

Been fair here with temps in the forties the last couple days and I have actually been able to slip down to the river behind our home to do some casting since there's no ice on it yet. I was above the dam on Tuesday and fished a pocket of open water right above the roller gates and stayed pretty busy with crappies. On the river below the dam a couple smallies and a couple walleyes decided to provide some action. The crappies still like the purple/chartreuse tail 1.5" Thump-Its and the river fish were all taken using the Freestyle head in 3/16 with a 3" Ripper in watermelon/red flake.

[basscatlildave]

Still not long enough.  I go to work in the dark and head home in the dark.

[olsarge]

Actually the days have been getting longer already. Tomorrow is just a calendar thing. But you're right....best be getting the goodies stowed for the fishing to come.

Been fair here with temps in the forties the last couple days and I have actually been able to slip down to the river behind our home to do some casting since there's no ice on it yet. I was above the dam on Tuesday and fished a pocket of open water right above the roller gates and stayed pretty busy with crappies. On the river below the dam a couple smallies and a couple walleyes decided to provide some action. The crappies still like the purple/chartreuse tail 1.5" Thump-Its and the river fish were all taken using the Freestyle head in 3/16 with a 3" Ripper in watermelon/red flake.

I have not had near the luck with the little thump its that you have.  Dunno if its the missouri fish or maybe I aint holdimg my mouth right.  I have been shooting them by splitting them with aluminum foil and cutting off the tails for a trout magnet type of bait with some success but when I added the small arkie spinner blade to them to get a beetle spin it really took off.  Them crappie really smoke it.

[WALLEYE WACKER]

Tom glade you still have some open water and fish willing to play.I will be getting more boat and boot time this coming year. There only 3” of ice here by me and unless it decides to get a lot colder in January and February. No snow either only had to shovel the stuff twice what a great break.

[basskat]

We had snow a few years ago!   

Can honestly say I've never shoveled a single scoop of snow.

[ctom]

We had snow a few years ago!   

Can honestly say I've never shoveled a single scoop of snow.

Well that sucks. We should have national policy that all you southerners be required to spend at least three winters up here in the land of plenty....plenty of snow and cold that is. Spread some of this winter wonder upon ya'll.

[Mike J]

Why wait for March? I'll be in the boat Saturday then on the ice sunday. Temps in the 30s this weekend in NE Iowa.

[Lines]

Temps in the 30s this weekend in NE Iowa.

30° warmer than 0°, I'll take it. LOL

[ctom]

Doing the boat on the Cedar Mike? Big river?

This mid-December 30's and even mid-40's weather has been great for fishing. Open water that is. Carole and I went to see some friends today and drove by a lake that enough water on the ice to swim in. There was a shack on the ice tipped way over at about 40-50 degrees with more than half of the skids in the water around it. We saw several boats on the Mighty Mississip. Quite a contrast on the big river, boat in the channel and two blocks over in backwater people on ice. Snowed some today and it was actually pretty neat seeing the boats in a snow storm....been years since I did that but always enjoyed the boat fishing in winter. On the big river its probably the best fishing of the year.