Late ice is good for more than just panfishing

As the snow melts and ATV travel becomes easy, I like to get out and make the rounds.

The other day I was out on Gull Lake with my 21-month old son, checking things out with GPS in hand. I had a few spots I wanted to punch in and this is the perfect time to do it.

Late winter is a great time for reading structure. Most people think it's easier on open water, but I find it's a lot easier to read structure when you aren't moving in a boat. By reading through the ice with a hand-held depth finder you can really get a grasp on how a certain reef/bar/flat looks. Draw your own map or just store it in your personal BPS (brain positioning system), if you have one.

I think I know Gull pretty well, but every year I find a different piece of structure that intrigues me. Hopefully by the time I'm 92 (if I still have my BPS) I'll know the lake like no other.

Question: Walleyedan, don't you get sick of fishing, seeing as how much time you spend on the water each year?

Answer: There are times in August, after a long, grueling stretch of guide trips, where it can be tiring, but I honestly can say that I don't get sick of it.