By Ted Peck

Serious winter weather has returned to the Land of Cheese, with tip-ups and jigging sticks replacing long rods for walleye chasers all across Wisconsin. There is an undeniable mystique extending far beyond the Fry Daddy with these myopic critters.

With water temperatures in the low 30s statewide, the active feeding window may only be a few minutes long each day. And with Arctic high-pressure systems dominating weather, "active" is just a sliver past neutral in regard to fish activity levels.

But we chase these fish with passion anyway. Here's a look at some of our top waters for catching walleyes this winter.

Koshkonong is essentially a wide spot in southern Wisconsin's Rock River, a vast and essentially faceless basin where walleye location is driven by forage location that in turn is driven to a great extent by wind and changing river levels - at least during the open-water period. But the river is sleeping now. And winds howling at 30 mph won't impact the fish much below the ice, beyond barometric pressure squeezing on the walleyes' air bladders.

So where's Waldo? Still on the move, with less obvious intentions. Tip-ups are your best weapon, with the three allowed by law set in triangle formation about 75 feet apart over 5 feet or more of water - conditions that exist over perhaps 50 percent of the lake.

Time of day isn't that important, but a quiet, natural presentation is. Hole covers or tip-ups that cover the entire hole are essential. Tap maybe 20 holes, then put the ice drill away. Open holes up where you get active flags. But don't use the snowmobile or even heavy feet to run your lines.

River shiners are by far the best bait, but tough to get. Fatheads and rosy reds will work, hooked under the dorsal fin on a No. 8 treble with a split shot pegged a foot or so up the line. With a maximum of maybe 4 feet between the lake's bottom and bottom of the ice, precise depth usually isn't that critical, but hanging the bait about 6 inches off the lake's bottom is still a good idea. If this old standard doesn't work, try just below the ice.

Contact: U-Catch Em Bait, (608) 754-7976.

Photo by Ron Sinfelt

For years the Department of Natural Resources shied away from stocking these clear waters because the landed gentry had effectively blocked public access. But a need to find a ready home for over 5,000 adult walleyes averaging 15 inches that came out of Delavan Lake in 1998 was an unexpected boost to Geneva, with these fish now about 24 inches and having little walleyes of their own, according to DNR fisheries technician Rick Daughenbach.

"We supplemented this stocking of adults with 247,000 large fingerlings in 2003, with another quarter-million slated for stocking this year," Daughenbach said. "All of this adds up to a tremendous walleye population that is growing fatter every day on a diet rich with mimic shiners."

Daughenbach said fisheries surveys the past several years have yielded "30- to 32-inch walleyes, with specimens in excess of 13 pounds," and adding, "this lake is just beginning to hit its stride as a walleye factory. The population is better than we've seen in at least 25 years."

The best part is, this playing field is now both hard and level. Access is possible and not crowded at numerous points around the lake, with walleyes cruising the first structural breaklines out from shore all over once the sun goes down.

"Geneva walleye anglers are notorious for being tight-lipped," Daughenbach said. "But even the best-kept secrets leak out. I don't know of a better place to catch a trophy walleye this winter."

Contact: Geneva Lake Bait & Tackle, (262) 245-6150.

Since this move several years ago, about 25 percent of the adult walleye population is at or above the 18-inch minimum in place, with larger specimens approaching 7 to 8 pounds also in the system.

Best action is at night, setting tip-ups between the Yacht Club and long bar out from Lake Lawn Lodge.

Contact; Delavan Chamber of Commerce, 1-800-624-0052, www.delavanwi.org.

According to Beyler, Oconomowoc is a "numbers" lake. Because so many fish are present, she has instituted an 18-inch, three-fish daily limit on these waters.

Lake access is the biggest winter problem in chasing walleyes here. The closest access point is off North Shore Drive, but limited parking opportunities exist.

Both Pine and Nagawicka have the statewide five-fish, 15-inch walleye limit in place, with Pine most likely to give up a trophy, according to Beyler. Nagawicka is 917 acres, with Pine right at 700 and Oconomowoc slightly larger at 767 acres. There are several good access points on both Pine and Oconomowoc, with all three of these natural lakes seeing the best walleye action right now at dawn, dusk and ahead of an approaching weather system.

A popular local method is setting two tip-ups baited with shiners or fatheads along the outside weed edge and jigging a Swedish Pimple or Jigging Rapala in deeper water while waiting for a flag.

Contact: Dick Smith's Live Bait, (262) 646-2218.

"There is an unbelievable population of 15- to 17-inch fish swimming here," Langley said. "So many that you're liable to fill a five-fish, 15-inch limit jigging off of midlake structure in the afternoon before you have a chance to move up on the humps and get serious with tip-ups at dusk."

Better known for producing muskies, a great portion of the walleye biomass in this 2,700-acre lake spends winter months relating to structures a considerable distance away from the shoreline, with a snowmobile the ideal way to get on top of 'em. Langley says that the new Fishing HotSpots map (1-800-500-MAPS) and GPS are good tools in quickly locating fish-holding structure that tops out in less than 12 feet of water.

There are two good access points to get on North Twin, which is located about 20 miles north of Eagle River. Both the Phelps landing and the Lakota landing on the Conover side of the lake will get you to the ice. From this point it is a fair sled ride from either access to get over the fish.

Contact: Eagle Sports, (715) 479-8804, www.eaglesportscenter.com.