I didn't pull these lakes out of a hat. I went about writing this article as if I were planning an out-of-town trip to these locations to do some fishing. I got in touch with fisheries biologists, talked to locals, studied lake surveys and lake histories, called friends who had fished these lakes, and resorted to my own memories. Finally, I cut down my own list of hotspots from more than 200 to a more sensible 50, and finally to a more "editorially correct" 36.

Will your angling results directly reflect the value of the suggestions made here? I hope they turn out great. But if they don't, it won't be for a lack of homework on my part.

So now let's back up a month and let me tell you where you should have been in January. Or where to go next year about this time.

JANUARY
Crappie: Kansas
According to Kansas fisheries biologist Robert Wolfe, Perry has one of the best annual crappie populations in the state. The fish are scattered at this time of the year, so you'll need to work at locating them, but they can still be found near schools of shad throughout the lake. When baitfish can't be found this month, anglers ordinarily vertical-jig contour changes and deep-water brush rather than troll.

Perry Lake isn't the only crappie option in Kansas this month. Clinton, Melvern, Hillsdale, and Council Grove have all boasted good classes of crappie during various years, and all have the potential to host excellent crappie numbers on any given year. Anglers should pay attention to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks fishing surveys issued at the beginning of each year that target crappie. From this point, anglers can make adjustments as to whether they'd like to go after high quality or large quantities. And while the crappie spawn usually peaks in late April and early May, fishing pressure is low during this time of year, while crappie catch rates are still high.

In addition, Coffee County usually has one of the best crappie fisheries in the state owing to the warm-water supply from a local power plant. Coffee County's 5,000 acres constitute one of the few fisheries in this calendar that can be fished from boats this early in the year.

FEBRUARY
Yellow Perch: South Dakota
Despite the large amount of pressure that Waubay Lake receives during the winter (1,000 cars might be parked on the ice on a weekend day), Waubay is still known as one of the best yellow perch lakes in the state, and anglers can expect high-quality fishing this month as well. Move to deeper water as the winter carries on, vertically jigging spoons, Kastmasters, and Swedish Pimples for best action. And if you also want a chance at a walleye or a northern pike while you're out for perch, fishing minnows while you're otherwise using the same techniques makes these multiple options available.

Also keep in mind at this time of year that Roy Lake is a strong perch choice, with good chances at a high number of fish. Usually coming across with one of the highest perch populations in South Dakota each year, Roy is another yellow perch lake that won't disappoint anglers.