AS you can expect, I have not been out on the pond as much as usual. When I have been out, downlines have continued to be the best producer for me up in the creeks on herring, trout,and everything else I could find. Plenty of fish being caught on freelines as well by others but I have not ventured too far from the downline. Find the bait in the creeks and you are good to go.

This is my first cold season. I was thinking about going out before work Friday.

Do I need to worry about ice on the ramps at all?

Not if you're the first one there. Sometimes the ramps will get icy once trucks start pulling trailers back out of the water if it's below freezing, otherwise if the roads are fine then the ramps are generally OK as well.

About the only time it becomes a problem is on Saturdays when the bass tour. are putting in real early one after another.