BACKWATER AREAS HAVE SOME "CLEAN" WATER AVAILABLE

Greetings All:
With the wind mixed river looking like chocolate milk at this time, there are a few spots to try. 
Many of the newly thawed backwater areas are much cleaner that the main river and the fish have been using them. With water levels currently up, you can get into some of these areas and fish the flooded brush and catch fish. Area that have flooded willows near the waters edge are holding some walleye and sauger right now. Try and find an area that is off, but still near enough to the main river so that fish can transition easily back and forth. You will find these fish holding tight in the cover so a basic pitching/flipping  a jig method is working best. With this presentation you can be much more accurate.

As of this morning, I have found many very nice, chunky sauger in these types of areas using the presentation I mentioned above.

Again, look for the cleanest water you can find and the fish will be nearby. Good luck and enjoy the river and all it has to offer.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com 

HIGH WINDS HAMPERING MISSISSIPPI RIVER FISHING

 Greetings All:

With the very high winds we have been experiencing here in the Midwest along the Mississippi River, they have really hampered the river fishing. The strong winds have been blowing up river and really churning up the river with whitecaps and turning the clear water to very muddy water. As of this report, Mississippi river is chocolate color in many locations making it nearly impossible for fish to see a lure. With rain on the way for the next few days, some heavy predicted, look for the river to stay very dirty. With the river being in bad shape visibility wise, it's a great time to check out your tackle and do any maintenance on your boat so you will be ready to go when the river does once again clear up enough to fish. 

Hopefully Spring will start showing up on a more regular basis and the fishing will take off here in the Midwest. 

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com

RIVER RISING BUT FISH ARE AVAILABLE!!!

Greetings All:
The melt continues and the Mississippi River is on the rise. Areas like Dubuque and Bellevue are very fishable right now. Be careful of floating ice chunks in the river though. I was out this morning, but due to the fast current up by the dam in Bellevue choose to head down river in search of some fish. Hit a few spots about 8 miles downriver and found a few small sauger off the main river channel casting jig/minnow rigs. Moved further up river about a mile and fished a running side slough and caught 3 really nice walleye there on a closing dam. Look for anything breaking the current right now and the fish are using these areas. As a bonus, found a few catfish in the thawed backwater areas feeding on dead shad and other baitfish. In a few hours fishing, caught enough for the dinner table.

Look for a nice weather weekend forecast coming up and lot's of boats up at the dams. Don't tell anyone but the best bite is coming at locations down river right now, LOL. Seriously though, more biters happening away from the dam that at it. 

So wear that PFD, the water is cold and enjoy some river fishing on the Mississippi. Good luck and save a few for me.

Regards: Lastcast,,,Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com

MISSISSIPPI RIVER OPENING UP FOR FISHING!!!!

Greetings All:

Finally, after this brutal Winter we have had, the Mississippi River is starting to open in select locations to do some open water fishing.

With the warmer temps arriving more often, the river tailwaters have opened so that those anglers chomping at the bit to get their boat in the water can finally do so. Areas below the dam in Dubuque and Bellevue are open as of this report. River is up about 3 feet at this time and expected to keep rising due to melt off. Many anglers are already fishing the Illinois side of Bellevue with very mixed results. Don't get caught in this "Bumper Boat" trap. Just because you see a pack of boats does not mean they are catching fish. Right now you can travel down river and find some great spots where the fish are holding and have then all to yourself. I was out this morning and found some nice walleye and sauger about 6 miles down from Bellevue fishing current breaks. This particular spot has produced for me for many years and continues to do so as a holding area for pre-spawn fish. Areas that are breaking the current are producing right now so make it a point to search out these types of locations.  Jig/minnow rigs tipped with a nice lively minnow in the 3" size range will do the trick right now. Start without a stinger hook and see how aggressive the fish are. If you are getting a lot of short hits, you can add the stinger hook then.

One last thing. Remember to handle those spawn laden walleye and sauger carefully. Take a few pictures and release the big fish so that they can complete their spawning ritual. If you want fish for the frying pan, there are many smaller males available to catch.

So be safe out there, wear that PFD and look out for ice chunks in the water that are semi-submerged. Also look for more chunk ice to happen as the river breaks up above the dams. 

Regards:  Lastcast    Mike Cyze     lastcast13@yahoo.com 

ICE CHANGING DAILY, CHECK IT'S SAFE BEFORE HEADING OUT!!!!!

Greetings All;

Well here we are with warmer temps upon us and it is having a big effect on Midwest ice conditions. 

With melt-off occurring the ice in many locations is becoming "iffy" to say the least. Especially on the rivers where current from underneath and melting on the surface is making for some dangerous conditions to say the least. areas of the Mississippi River have become to unsafe to venture on. With this in mind, start fishing those lakes and ponds that still have some good thickness of ice to them. Even there, be extra careful when venturing out to fish. Shoreline melting can, and does weaken ice quickly so again,,,BE CAREFUL!!!  Wear that PFD and bring along a friend do you can watch out for each other. One last thing, don't walk close together when getting on the ice. Wait till you know for sure it is safe to walk on.

Before long the ice will be just a memory for another year. So make some plans now to get out and enjoy some late season ice fishing on your favorite body of water.

Regards:  Lastcast  Mike Cyze  lastcast13@yahoo.com 

WITH WARMER TEMPERATURES FORECAST, GET OUT AND FISH!!!!!

Greetings All:
With some much warmer temperatures forecast this coming weekend, it looks like a great time to get out and enjoy some late season ice fishing. This very cold Winter has been hampering most ice anglers from getting out on a regular basis but there is still time to enjoy. Keep in mind that the fish will be moving under the ice to more shallow locations in search of much needed oxygen, so adjust your fishing locations accordingly. This applies to areas like lakes and farm ponds. On rivers where there is current, the oxygen levels are not as depleted so you may still find some fish at deeper depths. This will depend on how well the water is oxygenated. 
One last thing, remember that this late in the season, small baits are the ticket for more fish, especially the panfish. 

So make your plans now to get out and shed that cabin fever that so many folks are suffering from this year. Dress warm and make plans to head to your favorite ice fishing location. I'm sure that you will be glad you did.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com 

OXYGEN DEPLETION A REAL PROBLEM FOR THE FISH!!!

Greetings All:

As we move deeper into the ice fishing season the heavy snow cover in the Midwest is continuing to have a major effect on our waters that contain fish. With the Sun light unable to penetrate into the depth through the ice, oxygen producing vegetation is not producing any oxygen which is leading to potential fish kills in many areas. If we do not get some melting and runoff happening soon to re-oxygenate these waters the fish will be substantial. With above freezing temperatures not forecast for at least another week the oxygen is dangerously low in many areas. 
Let's hope Mother Nature gives us a break and we get some thawing so that fresh oxygen can get into these troubled waters. Until then, all we can do is hope and wait. 

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com  

TIME TO TALK SOME TURKEY!!!!

Greetings all:
Well, it's that time of the year once again to start thinking seriously about Spring turkey season. Fact is that it will be here before you know it. This is a great time to get out and do some preseason scouting in the areas you intend to hunt. Start learning the birds daily routines so that when you hit the field you will know where to look. Also try using some calls to see what gets the birds attention. I like to go out in the afternoon and look for the turkey as they are heading to roost for the night. By knowing where they sleep I know where to concentrate my efforts. Being an afternoon hunter myself I find much less less hunters in the field and many more feeding birds as they get ready to hit the roost for the night. By using your calls wisely you can really score big. I use a mouth call but the choice is yours. what ever call you use, learn to use it well and remember, do not over call. This will spook the turkey.

So get up from that chair and hit the timber and fields. Do your turkey scouting now and when the season opens you will be ready to succeed. There will be a good supply of available turkey this year so get out and enjoy.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com 

LOOK FOR IMPROVED BITE WITH WARMER WEATHER FORECAST!!!

Greetings All:
With the weatherman forecasting some much warmer temperatures in the upcoming days, you can usually look for the late season ice fishing bite to pick up. Right now the bite has been rather slow in many areas due to heavy ice/snow cover and oxygen depletion in many locations. You can look for most species to start making a move to more shallow, better oxygenated locations for survival. This happens most every year when we have these heavy ice conditions like we have now.

Farm ponds have slowed but I look for a resurgence in the bite with the warmer weather coming. Most of the fish I have been catching have been more shallow than a week ago and I look for this migration to continue. Same thing in Mississippi River backwaters, fish are moving more shallow. With this in mind, you the angler have to make the move also to stay on the fish. One last thing. The late afternoon and evening bite seems to be the best right now and look for that to continue. 

Good Luck and be safe on the ice.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com     

MORE OF THE SAME!!!!!

Greetings:
Well, here in the Midwest it is more of the same. Cold, snow and more cold. Some ice anglers going out with mixed results. Panfish are still available on farm ponds and some on Mississippi River. As we get later into the season, best bite seems to be happening in the afternoon hours and also at night. I have been having good luck with the crappie after dark fishing from my shanty. Crappie biting well at night on both minnows and ice jigs tipped with wax worms. Try some glow lures also, the crappie are loving them. Remember, this time of the year, fish deeper that earlier in the year. Hopefully we can get some moderation in the temps so more folks can get out and enjoy the good ice. 

Stay warm and wear that PFD on the ice!!!

Regards: Lastcast  Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com