This may well be one of the most complex articles I have ever written.
When you look at Illinois it’s easy to see how drastically different winter fishing conditions can be in the Show Me State.
It is almost 300 miles from the Iowa border to the southern border at Arkansas.
That having been said, it is pretty easy to understand that winter fishing conditions north of I-36 can be totally different than those south of Springfield.
Depending on the last cold front that moved through, fishing conditions within a given region can change.
You can have thick ice one week and open water the next. and vice versa. Being versatile in the cold weather months can keep you eating fresh fish during the shortened days of winter.
Let’s start up north and work our way south. We will be looking at baits, lures, techniques and presentations for both panfish and some larger, toothier critters.
Remember, the smaller the body of water, the quicker it will freeze. Ponds and small impoundments will form thick ice first.
