There is still ice to be found in still bays. With a stiff West wind and the ice conditions the way they are I elected to travel light and target Pike and Walleye once again. Tools of the trade today were a spud, tip ups, shiners and the LX-5. The clear slick surface made it great for walking along with the LX-5 looking for the water I wanted to set up in. This keeps spud work to a minimum 
The three Beaver Dams were staggered from 7 – 11fow.
First flag of the day produced this 32 inch Northern from 11 feet of water. The shiner was hanging a foot off bottom. I start my baits off close to bottom during the dark hours (hoping for a Walleye bite) raising them a good foot or better once it starts to get light. I did have one eye come unbuttoned at the hole from the flag in 7fow. The good cloud cover we had today made for some good action. I would think anyone out with flags today had things going on.
The 35+ pictured above came from a tip up in 9fow with the shiner hanging a good 2 feet from bottom. All flags produced some snot rockets to keep things warm 
I was on a good 3 inches of ice with no water on top to speak of. Creepers are a must and you best be on your toes, and use extreme caution around the shorelines. With some colder nights coming and 3 more days to fish the plan is to get on some crappies where I haven’t been able to fish yet. Should be just like first ice all over again!
Good luck fishing and be safe! Hopefully there will be more to follow………
Nice toothy critters Bret
Someday I will make it out there on the ice for some fishing as well. Keep them warmed up for me so I can have a shot at catching something soon
nice northerns!! We need a good cold snap, the ice in the winona area is not good right now.
Nice, healthy looking pike your catching there Brett!
Be careful on that thin ice. We don’t want to be reading about a cold water swimming trip in your next report.
JWB
Nice report Bret! I went to Goose Island today because my cold is keeping me limited from much physical activity and walking a half mile for a few fish at Stoddard didn’t sound fun to me when i would have had to sit down and take a breather for 20 minutes…I had to stay home from school yesterday even because of my cold
But anyway, there were a ton of bluegills in the bay i was fishing but almost all were little 5-6 inchers. I could have kept around 8 i figure that were over 7 
not too good. Ice sucked down there as well, 3 spongy inches of ice and i could spud through in one hit at times…the shoreline was horrible and i watched 2 people go through 2 holes that were in the ice near shore…I was the only one out with a spud 
so there are a lot of people out there being reckless…Carry a spud if you don’t want to get wet! (I know you do Bret) Just a word to the wise…..
Cade
You guys be carefull up there. I just know Santa will be bringing some good ice. You’ll see.
I sure hope so Herb, It’s the waiting that the hard part.
Nice looking fish. 
I bet they were a blast. Good Fishin DOUG
Bret,
Thanks for the report. I was beginning to wonder if I’d get any ice fishing done over ther holidays. I’ll be in touch.
Bob
Day 2 of Christmas vacation
I headed out just at light to a flat in 5fow for early morning crappies. This is the first trip to this area so the start was a little later than normal. It is always good with these ice conditions to see what you are walking on for the first trip and yes Cade a spud should be used. This 131/2 inch crappie fell victim to a Purple Little Cecil, first drop in the hole. That was to be the nicest crappie of the day. A bunch of dinks (7-8 inch Crappies) kept me busy for an hour. Once the sun was up, the shallow water bite died. Next time an early start is in order now that I know what there is in the area for ice. Hopefully this will produce a few more slabs. This spot is never a killer bite as far as numbers, but it will normally produce 8 to a dozen nice fish. Snow cover will help this bite last longer also. First we need some more ice!
With the shallow water bite being non-existent a move to deeper water was my next step. There were a few dinks on the bite and that was it for the pannies. A beaver dam produced this over 30” pike for some excitement
This Northern hit in 12fow with the shiner hanging 2’ off bottom. She was released unharmed!
The shoreline was still tight when it was time to head for home at noon. It was a great start to this day 
The ice was in better shape this morning then it has been all week
Hope everyone is enjoying there time off
Merry Christmas!
Bret
Thanks for the report and pics Bret. Very nice fish.
Thanks, Bill
Sun. morn,went 3 for 4 on the flags,with the biggest snake maybe 8#.The gills were biting real good,with maybe 12 or so worth keeping,but the crappies were all small.We need more ice!
With the colder temps they are forcasting for the coming week we should get that much needed more ice.
Thanks, Bill
Great job Mec. It was nice to see you again
I want to thank Bret
, again, for getting me out on the ice the day after Christmas. I got to try out three rigs I learned about at my fishing club gathering in Gurney Mills this month. 2 of 3 rigs produced very well during a bite in which you had to work for the crappies.
My Marcum camera
helped me visualize how the rigs were affecting the crappies and what corrections to bait size and presentation I needed to make to catch the larger fish. Bret noticed that the active fish were striking high in the water column and, using the camera, I found that the bigger fish wanted two waxies instead of one.
If you get a chance to fish the La Crosse area, contact Bret or another IDAer and make a new friend
–I know that I have.
Bob
That camera was awesome Bob.
We will do it again when you make it back this way 
It was great to shake your hand and hang on some ice together
WOW, those are some REAL nice looking pike, if you ask me! I’ve never gotten one through the ice down here, but hopefully this year will be the year for that. Nice fish!
Hey B. Jon and I found the crappies you were looking for on Wednesday in the early AM. The bite was real good until it started getting crowded and noisy. We were working the plastics about 3-4 feet under the ice and they were hitting good at first but as the crowd moved in they got spooked. Sure was fun. We’ll probably see ya out there this weekend.
Glad to hear you and brother Jon were on some fish
We did good also before the crowd showed up.
It is amazing how fast they disappear when people start spudin’ around
hows the walleyes and sauger bite doing i just got home from winer breaks and was doing very well in wausau for walleyes and we have a foot almost everywere there i was wonder how the ice is in some spots i may be able to fish walleyes/saugers.
thanks
Matt
The ice disappeared in the area I was catching the eyes. I haven’t been back to see what is happening for a bite since the new ice has formed. I have been in other areas targeting crappies so I myself can’t give you an answer.
Once this cols snap settles (hopefully staying awhile) I would think the Walleye bite would be good!