If you're looking for a crappie stringer mount, Taylor County is the place to go. Jig an orange or chartreuse Li'l Cecil while closely watching for tip-ups baited with roaches on your other two lines for the pike.

Contact: Taylor County Tourism, 1-888-682-9567.

MADELINE & CARROL LAKES
Unless we are flooded by the melting of the polar ice caps, you should be able to traverse the hardwater on these small lakes in Oneida and Vilas counties after reading this article.

With so many lakes in the north country to choose from, the locals don't want to work too hard at catching fish. A mixed bag of panfish and pike awaits just a 10-minute walk for an old guy from the boat ramp parking lot to a productive weedflat on Carrol. Most of the panfish you'll catch will be crappies. If you get out there at midday, set boards for pike. Probably the best perch spot on Carrol is over mudflats on the east end of the lake. Perch also suspend about 5 feet off the bottom over 25 feet of water on the south side of the big island.

On Madeline, you have to walk a good 100 yards on a left tack from the boat launch to find panfish. If you're feeling more energetic, run your snow machine to the north end of the lake and fish the big weedflat.

Contact: Eagle Sports Center, (715) 479-8804, or EagleSportsCenter.com

* * *

So much water, so little time. If we don't have to contend with personal watercraft come March, walleyes on Lake Geneva, panfish on the Pike Lake Chain near Ashland and pike on Long Lake near Spooner are good reasons to sit astride a five-gallon bucket, too. See you out there!

Find more about Wisconsin fishing and hunting at WisconsinSportsmanMag.com