Photo By Ron Sinfelt

The issue of global warming is a problem we tend to smirk about after Thanksgiving comes and goes here in the Land of Cheese. But in recent winters, even the most-stubborn northwoods norskis are pondering this worldly situation.

There is no doubt our environment is changing. Just flash back 20 years ago. You could always count on setting tip-ups on the smaller lakes in Sawyer County to catch northern pike at midday between morning and afternoon trips to the deer woods during the gun season. Over the past decade, there have been several winters when it was nearly Christmas in the northwoods before it was possible to walk out on the ice with confidence.

Downstate, the ice starts to come just a little bit later. Spots like the "ditches" off County Road A-B near Stoughton, Cherokee Marsh above the Madison Chain, the "triangle" off John Nolen Drive in Madison, Whalen's Grade on Lake Wisconsin and several backwaters over on the Mississippi River all see the vanguard of bucketeers skulking out there about Dec. 10.

Dane County's Lake Mendota always used to get flat and hard about New Year's Day. Four or maybe five years ago, virtually the entire southern Wisconsin ice-fishing fraternity was looking forward to the magic moment when it would be possible to get out to midlake and chase jumbo yellow perch that were present in both size and numbers. Mendota never really froze to the point where anglers thought the required flotation on ATVs and snowmobiles enforced on the Madison lakes was anything more than political wrangling.

The perch population remains stable on Mendota today, but Department of Natural Resources biologists say it will be a while before we see the golden years of 12-inchers here again.

Between now and the arrival of safe ice on Mendota, ice-anglers around our capital city can expect good action on crappies and bluegills in Monona Bay, with considerable speculation on what will happen on Lake Kegonsa once the ice forms.

Many people are also pondering what will come flopping through their holes on Delavan Lake in Walworth County, arguably the best multi-species ice-fishery in southern Wisconsin -- until last winter. Although DNR fisheries biologist Doug Welch said the fishery on this heavily pressured southeastern Wisconsin lake remains stable, inquiring minds can hardly wait to find out if Delavan will return as a productive winter destination, and especially for walleyes.

There's a funny thing about us ice-anglers. We will discuss waters that aren't what they used to be at great length while we quietly focus on other places where it is possible to be on the cutting edge of the next hot bite. Thinking about Lake Kegonsa? You're not alone. This shallow lake at the lower end of the Madison Chain is a good place to start on a quest to put scales in five-gallon buckets over the next several months.