December 31

I went ice fishing at Swanson lake with my brother, Tim, and we caught good numbers of crappies up to 1 pound, white bass up to 3/4 pound., a few channel catfish up to 6 pounds, and 1 non-keeper walleye. We used small jigging spoons and a dropshot rig with a small plastic bait (1.5" Tiny Shad Assassin). The fish were caught along a ridges near dam areas in depth of 15 to 24 feet. The ice is approximately 4 inches thick.

December 19

I guided on Red Willow Lake in the afternoon. We caught good numbers of crappies (approx. 75 or more) weighing between .50 to 1.25 lbs on the dropshot rig using small plastic minnow (1.5" and 2.5") and live minnows along the creek channel edges that swing next to main lake points in depths of 25 to 40 feet. The main lake surface temperature is approximately 33 degrees and the bays are frozen over.

December17

I took a friend fishing this afternoon and we caught good numbers of crappies on the dropshot rig using small plastic minnow baits, live shiners and waxworms in the same locations as yesterday. The water temperature is still in the 33 degrees range on the main lake.

December16

I went fishing with a friend and his grandson and we caught good numbers of crappies (his grandson counted approx. 50) on the dropshot rigs using small plastic minnows in depths of 20 to 40 feet along the creek channel, ends of main lake points, and mouths of bays. The water temperature is approximately 33 degrees.

December14

December 9

I took my younger brother Tim to Red Willow Lake in the afternoon. We caught good numbers of crappies up to one pound and one small walleye fishing around underwater humps and the ends of main lake points next to the creek channel in depths of 20 to 35 feet. We caught the fish on a dropshot rig using a 1.5-inch Tiny Shad Assassin and a 2-inch plastic minnow. The surface water temperature is approximately 33 to 34 degrees.

December 7

I took my older brother Rod fishing at Red Willow Lake in the afternoon. We caught good numbers of crappies up to one pound, a few small non-keeper walleye, and a white bass on dropshot rigs using small 1.5-inch Tiny Shad Assassin, and a Rapala jigging lure. The fish were caught around the ends of main lake points and underwater humps next to the creek channel in depths of 25 to 38 feet. The surface water temperature on the main lake is approximately 34 degrees.

December 4

I went fishing at Red Willow Lake in the afternoon with a friend, and we caught good numbers of crappies up to one pound, a white bass, and some perch in depths of 20 to 38 feet around the ends of main lake points near the creek channel. They were caught on a dropshot rig using a 1.5-inch Tiny Shad Assassin. The surface water temperature on the main lake is in the mid 30s.

December 3

I went fishing at Red Willow Lake with a friend. We caught good numbers of crappie up to one pound on a dropshot rig using a 1.5-inch and 3-inch plastic minnow in depths of 20 to 38 feet around ends of main lake points next to the creek channel and mouths of coves. The surface water temperature is in the mid 30s.

November 20
I went fishing at Red Willow Lake in the afternoon and caught good number of crappies, a few white bass, and one northern pike (30") on a dropshot rig using a small 1.5-inch Tiny Shad Assassin. These fish were caught around ends of main lake points, secondary points in coves, underwater humps, and along the dam area in depths of 15 to 25 feet.

November 9
I went fishing at Red Willow Lake in the afternoon with a friend and we caught good numbers of crappies and white bass on dropshot rigs using 3-inch plastic minnow around end of main lake points and underwater humps in depth of 10 to 25 feet. I also caught 3 largemouth bass, one 17 inches on a dropshot rig and 4" plastic worm, along a rocky point next to a creek channel in 10 to 15 feet of water. I caught two others - 18 inches and 16 inches on a spinnerbait along the dam. The surface water temperature is in the upper 40s.

November 8
I thought I'd go back to the private sandpit this afternoon and try using the dropshot rig on the edges of deep coontail moss. I ended up catching one Master Angler largemouth bass (21") and 12 others between 11 and 19 inches. Most of them came on a 4" straight tail plastic worm, plus a few on 4-inch plastic lizard, and 3-inch tube. I also caught three bass (21.25", 18" and 16") on jig and pork frog combo using the same fishing pattern.

November 7
I went fishing in the late afternoon at a private sandpit and caught one Master Angler largemouth bass (21.5") and seven others between 14 and 19 inches on a jig and pork frog combo, fishing along the edges of deep coontail moss in 10 to 20 feet of water.

November 6
I went fishing at Red Willow Lake in the afternoon and caught good numbers of white bass and crappies on a dropshot rig using a 3-inch plastic minnow in depth of 15 to 25 feet around underwater humps and ends of main lake points next to the creek channel. The surface water temperature is in the low 50s.

November 4
I went fishing at a private sandpit with my brother Tim in the afternoon and we caught over 20 largemouth bass between 13 and 19.5 inches on a jig and pork frog combo in 10 to 20 feet of water along the edges of the deep coontail moss.

November 3
I went largemouth bass fishing in the late afternoon at Red Willow and caught one Master angler (20") on a spinnerbait slow rolling it over the tree limbs back in a cove. I caught a largemouth about 15" on the same pattern. Also caught a 17-incher on a jig and pork frog next to standing timber on main lake. I caught a nice smallmouth bass about 16.5 inches on a spinnerbait along the dam riprap just before sunset. The surface water temperature is in the low 50s.