What a weird start to the 2013 fishing opener. Plenty of ice still roaming around our larger lakes as our smaller lakes begin to open up.

What a crazy spring. We’ve had late ice before but not to this extent, not that I can remember. Sooner or later the ice will give it up though and we’ll get on the water and walleye fishing could actually be pretty darn good.

The winter of 2012-2013, will be the determining factor and focal point of many discussions that sportsmen and women will have when coming up with strategies of how to approach late season turkey hunting, and opening walleye season strategies this year.

Recently I have been spending some time reviewing ice out dates for the entire state of Minnesota and I must say we could set a new record here for one of the latest recorded ice out dates in history.

It might be hard to believe but sooner or later we will have open water. When it does open up and you do get out, don’t overlook jumbo perch.

Anglers throughout the Midwest are taking their fishing boats out of mothballs and beginning the task of preparing the boat for the upcoming open water season.

North and South Dakota’s walleye season is easy to keep up with; it never closes.

As we continue to suffer with this never-ending winter, we look forward to the day of open water and the walleye fishing season.

Having worked most of the Northwest sportshows for the last 27 years I’ve seen the latest and greatest firsthand.

As we enter into the month of March everyone turns their attention to their boats and thoughts of buying or trading the one they have.

The truly dedicated are about all that’s left and that’s just fine with them. They’re perfectly content having a bunch of biting panfish all to themselves and aren’t concerned that somebody else might be missing out.

We are now entering the best time of the winter months to pursue coyotes and foxes as these predators are now very active and easy to harvest especially during the full moon periods of March and April.

I think back to the years where I was introduced to the sport of ice angling and from day one it was walleyes-walleyes-walleyes.

There may be no better place right now to catch big walleyes, giant northern pike and behemoth perch than Devils Lake in North Dakota.

As the legions of ice fisher people hit the lakes this week many are focused on the big bluegills and crappies as some of the best ice fishing of the year is during the latter days of December and into early January. This early ice period features fairly shallow fish in easy-to-find areas and often ...

January in Minnesota means plenty of ice fishing and there are many great opportunities available for doing some serious pole bending.

The big Ice Fishing Show at RiverCentre has come and gone and has historically served as a proper sendoff to the hard water season.

Next on the outdoor agenda – ice fishing!

It’s only natural to equate waterfowl hunting with water, but take the water out of water fowling and you have created the perfect recipe for introducing kids and inexperienced hunters to a sure fire way to have a great time afield.

Reports of decent numbers of birds have been coming in from most of the grouse range and includes Grand Rapids, Bemidji and the Arrowhead region.

It’s getting a little late but there is still some really good bassin’ to be had. Big bass in particular, like those pushing five and maybe six pounds plus.