Contacts: Geneva Lake Bait & Tackle, (262) 245-6150; Delavan Chamber of Commerce, 1-800-624-0052 or www.delavanwi.org.

WIND LAKE
Located in Racine County, Wind Lake doesn't get as much attention as Delavan, but this 936-acre lake is a good bet for winter bluegills and crappies, according to Welch. There is a 50-foot deep hole, but most of the lake is shallow, with plenty of weeds. Tiny ice jigs tipped with wax worms or plastic tails will take both species, although you might catch bigger crappies on small minnows.

Early in the winter, concentrate on the shallow eastern basin. You'll find crappies and bluegills on the weed edges and in openings in weedbeds. Later in winter, panfish move to deeper water. Good spots include the east side of the island on the lake's west shore and the dropoffs along the southwest shoreline.

Contact: Racine County Convention and Visitors Bureau, 1-800-C-RACINE or www.visitracine.org; Gundy's Sport, (262) 895-7935.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER POOL 7 BACKWATERS
From La Crosse upriver to Trempealeau, there are enough backwaters on the Mississippi to keep an angler busy for several seasons at least. At 7,700 acres, Lake Onalaska is the biggest of them, but Third, Round, Mud and Long lakes are also worth an outing or two. All these backwater areas support good populations of bluegills, crappies and perch. Ice conditions vary considerably due to currents and springs. Local bait shops can tell you which access points are safe.

Top spots on Lake Onalaska include the deep holes near the three dredge-spoil islands and the side channels near Lakeview Restaurant, known locally as the "H."

Bluegills hang out in the weeds and near bottom in the deepest holes they can find. Tiny ice jigs tipped with spikes and wax worms will take them.

Perch also like the deep water around the dredged islands and Rosebud Island. Seven- to 9-inchers are common, but there are enough 13-inch jumbos to make it interesting. Try small jigging spoons tipped with plastics or minnows.

Crappies like the 10-foot depths, especially those with wood, which attracts the freshwater shrimp that slabs feed on. Small silver jigging spoons tipped with wax worms are a popular local choice.

In the Trempealeau area, try Second Lake for crappies. Fish the midlake channel or right off the handicapped-access pier. Third Lake is good early in the season for all three species. As the winter progresses, panfish head for the deep spring-fed holes. On Round Lake, you'll find bluegills and crappies in the shallow weeds early in the winter and in deeper water by midwinter. Mud Lake produces good panfish catches until the ice gets thick. On Long Lake, fish the midlake sandbar and deep channels.

Contacts: Bob's Bait and Tackle, (608) 782-5552; La Crosse Visitors and Convention Bureau, 1-800-658-9424 or www.explorelacrosse.com. Contact the Trempealeau Chamber of Commerce at (608) 534-6780, or www.trempealeau.net.

RICE LAKE
Located near the city of the same name, Barron County's Rice Lake offers an excellent winter fishery for crappies, perch and bluegills. A shallow, weedy flowage on the Red Cedar River, Rice Lake covers 939 acres. Most of the lake is less than 10 feet deep. You'll find bluegills and crappies on weed edges at the mouths of most bays and perch off the weed edges in deeper water.

DNR fish manager Heath Benike says bluegills are the most abundant panfish here, followed by crappies and perch. Abundant forage makes them fat, although they don't run as large as on some other waters. Fish move around quite a bit here, because there is little structure other than weeds to hold them, so keep moving until you locate a school. Use fluorescent-colored jigs in this dark water.