You wanted ice? You got it. In spades.

In fact, there’s so much ice and snow on our lakes that it’s discouraging most recreational fishermen from getting out.

But not the diehards. The folks going out are catching fish and this warming trend could improve fishing dramatically.

Here’s what you need to know. There’s 12 to 24 inches of ice on the lakes, and within that ice is layers of slush and water as well as rock hard ice. That will make drilling a chore and waterproof boots are required, but get in the right area and you’re going to have a ball. The fish haven’t been molested much this winter.

A fishfinder will help you locate those large schools of roaming bluegill, crappie and perch that others are catching. The best action is coming in deeper water and off the edges of drop-offs.

Bryan Williams at Trailhead Mercantile in Niles said action has really picked up the past couple of days.

“It was bad for about two weeks, but now I’m hearing about guys catching their limit in bluegills and crappie,” he said. “The key is fishing deep and near the bottom.”

Bonnie Kelley at Kelley’s Bait in Lakeville said Pleasant Lake near her has been good all winter for bluegill and crappie.

“They’re getting quality fish – so many, in fact, I wish we had that bag limit (that the DNR is proposing) in effect now,” she offered. “People are saying they had no idea this lake has the quality it has produced this winter.”

Kelley said they are fishing 9 to 12 feet deep with spikes and wax worms.

“I’ve also heard of some walleye being caught on Lake of the Woods (Bremen) and bass at Koontz Lake,” she added. “Potato Creek has been off…a lot of small fish.”

Todd Sauter at the Tackle Box in North Webster said some perch and bluegills are being caught on Lake Wawasee. The perch, he noted, were coming in shallow water while bluegills were deep.

In Michigan, Steven Szymczak of Clear H2o Tackle in Edwardsburg said Eagle was producing a few crappies and bluegills “out in the middle” just off the weedlines.

“I’m also hearing some perch are being caught out from the landing on Juno and at Birch Lake in 17 to 20 feet on minnows,” he added.

And what about steelhead? Much of the St. Joseph River has been frozen but anglers were picking up a few near the outflows below the dams where the water has been open.

“I had a couple of guys from Ohio in here the past couple of weeks who have done real well floating wax worms under bobbers at Central Park and Twin Branch,” said Dick Parker of Central Park Bait in Osceola. “The fish are up here, they’ve just been tough to get to because of the ice.”