ORIGINAL: Pat Curtis
Went out last Friday...anywhere from 6"-9" of ice on most lakes.
Saturday thru Monday, was in Wisconsin with the woman's family for xmas. They live NE of Janesville about 10 miles. Most lakes looked froze over..but a few (I think it was a river that I90 goes over close to Janesville) led to open water. When we were up there, we tried to get some smelt at the bait stores for Northerns...but nobody had any.
Try to get some golden shiners (shad). They are the best pike bait around here. I fish almost every day for bluegills, sunnies and crappie and often get goldies. I always bring a bucket of them over to the pike guys when they are there.