With some sky high temps in the 50s to even low 60s the late ice season is in full effect. Currently shorelines are still intact with that crispy top to the surrounding lake’s ice. As of Sunday we are seeing anywhere from 20-28inches of ice with some of the bigger lakes having 20 inches of hard ice with around 8 inches of the bottom being honey combed. Right now I am using a quad on bigger lakes and walking out on smaller sloughs. Use caution accessing small sloughs with roadbeds or rip rap shorelines as these heat up a lot faster than surrounding lake shorelines. We have been putting in the legwork on some smaller water bodies with a hike through some prairie to get some eyes. The walk has been well worth it.
Perch continue to be caught on deep basin edges in 30 fow. Favorite lures still include the 1/8oz VMC rattle spoon in red and green along with the Tingler in silver back pattern. Seems you can always bring a hot school back into the zone with a free falling spoon dropping from above. I usually keep my previous days coordinates as my next days jump off point. Use them to start with and then follow the contour north or south or whatever way it goes. Perch seem to be picking completely different areas of the lake from day to day so willing to be mobile and drill a lot of holes keeps fish coming topside.
Maggots on the rattle spoons seem to work better than minnow heads at the moment. Running a trigger X mustache worm in tandem in nearby hole alongside the jigging spoon has turned some nice fish lately as well. With the constant changing weather fish have somedays been racing up 7-8 feet off bottom to take offerings while other days they are hugging bottom. The TUCR noodle is great for this application and can be used to jig or sit idle as a deadstick. I have been running the pugbug with the mustache worm on the business end of this.
Expect the shallow water eye bite to only get better as the the ice fades away. Look to shallow points near north bays where fish will spawn. Expect to catch more males than females but done be surprised if a big momma shows up come evening. I have been catching eyes on 1/8 oz VMC rattle spoons as well as #5 rippin raps in golden shiner and Helsinki shad. Right now the pattern I am on is 9-10 fow with fish cruising aggressively 3-4 feet off bottom so don’t be afraid to fish big baits and fish them fast and loud to get fish’s attention. Best of luck out there I will be out the next 4 days. Everyone exercise caution and stay safe. – QB