There's no reason for me to ramble on about the great fishing opportunities across the Great Plains this year. I'd rather just let the experts do the talking. So, here it goes.

JANUARY
Crappie, Cedar Bluff
"We get a week a year of ice in Kansas," said angler Monte Mares. "And we take full advantage of it."

Because Kansas is not known for its ice-fishing opportunities, anglers fortunate enough to find ice south usually have the lakes to themselves.

"Cedar Bluff has huge crappie, in the 14- to 18-inch range," said Mares. "But sometimes you will find 8- to 10-inch crappie. If so, just move. These sized fish will not be with the larger ones."

Catch these slabs with some sort of tail, minnow or jig and target buoy-marked brushpiles on the water.

Other Options
"You can limit out on nice walleyes and big perch by knocking on doors and getting permission to private lakes in northeastern South Dakota," added Mares. "There are a bunch of places to stay, and most of the lakes, both private and public, are less than 15 minutes apart."

A third option is recently renovated Summit Lake in eastern Nebraska. Because of this recent project, this mid-sized reservoir has become one of the state's best fisheries right now, especially for largemouth bass. While extremely hot a couple of months after ice-out, these fish can be caught now with crappie and bluegill jigs near underwater structure close to the lake's multiple jetties.

FEBRUARY
Northern Pike, Valentine NWR
"The refuge lakes are good every year," said Nebraska fisheries biologist Daryl Bauer. "This year will be no different."

Use tip-ups with dead smelt because live bait is prohibited on the refuge. If you can't sit still, jig big spoons and chubby darters. Bigger baits are easier for fish to find, and they match the perch and young-of-the-year carp better than smaller options. Fish Pelican and Hackberry first for numbers, then look at Clear for 30- to 40-inch pike through the ice.

Other Options
While La Cygne is known as Kansas' year-round fishery because of it local power plant that warms its water through the winter, Kansas statewide fisheries management coordinator Kyle Austin said don't overlook La Cygne as a white bass and wiper hotspot.

Also this month, recently renovated Cunningham Lake in Omaha will offer large numbers of bluegills through the ice. Some fish will be keeper size, but don't expect many. Do expect, however, a good amount of fish being caught.

MARCH
Bluegill, Lyons SFL
"Lyons State Fishing Lake is a hell of a good bluegill fishery right now," said Austin. "And I'm talking quality."

Fish quickly while you're looking for bluegills, and do so with both live and artificial options. For artificial, use a 1/32-ounce jighead with a curly-tail grub to find fish. Change colors and locations often.

From personal experience, one of the most repeated mistakes when bluegill fishing is thinking that this species can be caught with any lure at any time. Make adjustments to find some of Lyons' best fish.

Other Options
At Two Rivers SRA Lake No. 5 outside of Omaha, buy an inexpensive rainbow trout permit on this mid-month opening day for 12-inch fish.

A bit farther south, folks at Kansas' Hillsdale start walleye fishing using two methods. "Real slow trolling and vertical jigging along the spawning grounds are your best techniques," said Austin.

APRIL
Walleye, Coffee County Lake
"It's an overlooked walleye lake," said local guide Chad Richardson. "A lot of people only fish near the warm-water discharge area."