For now, stay away from the ice
Don't go running off to the north woods just yet so as to get a jump on ice fishing.
Carl Novelli reports even though it has been cold and some back channels have skim ice on them around the Hayward and Cable, Wis., areas, there's not much safe ice yet.
Fishing report: Back here it's like a gold rush on shoreline areas of Lake Michigan and the Fox Chain.
Lake Michigan: Check Navy Pier and Montrose for perch action. Some jumbos being caught right at the shorelines.
Fox Chain: Channel Lake, Lake Marie, and Lake Catherine are the focal points for late-season muskie action right now. Guide Darrell baker reports catching several decent muskies from the north-end lakes. Baker also is smiling over the catches of jumbo walleyes.
Bangs Lake: Hardly a soul to be seen on this body of water, but the few who ply the lake are catching walleyes in 20 feet of water.
Fox River: More walleyes are showing up at the McHenry Dam.
• Mike Jackson can be reached via e-mail at angler88@att.net, and you can catch his radio show 6-7 a.m. Sundays on WSBC 1240-AM.