With good access, helpful bait shops, plenty of fish and some of the best ice that Mother Nature can freeze up, it’s no wonder that ice-fishing is popular at Devils Lake.

There are several area lakes that offer potential this winter. One of those is Opitz Lake. This is a relatively new fishery, and because of access issues it’s actually a much better lake for ice-fishing than it is for open-water angling. There are no public boat launches or ramps and boat traffic is very minimal, but ice-anglers can gain access off of public rights of way by walking or ATV traffic if the snow cover is minimal.

The lake produced one of the highest test-netting catch rates conducted by South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks last spring and has a ton of walleyes in the 14-inch class, as well as a good year-class of 17- to 18-inch fish. On the upper end are a few walleyes in the 22-inch range. This lake should be one of the best when it comes to icing walleyes.

You can’t talk about ice-fishing northeastern South Dakota and not mention Bitter Lake, the home of the state-record perch. Taken through the ice in 2004, the 2-pound, 12-ounce perch set a record that could well be broken in the very same lake.

“I wouldn’t be surprised to see the record fall this winter,” said Brian Blackwell, fisheries biologist in the Webster office of the SDDGFP. “There are not a lot of perch in the lake, but size is another matter. They are as big as footballs, and the potential is definitely there for a new record. There is also a good population of walleyes in the lake from 15 to 17 inches and a few fish going over 20 inches. But most people who hit the ice on Bitter are looking for trophy-class perch.”

A quick look at Hazelton Lake shows a walleye population that has been depleted but still produces some good fish.

“Over 70 percent of the walleye population has been taken from the lake,” explained Blackwell, “but there are still walleyes in the system, and I think the perch and crappie bite is going to be good. With crappie in the 2-pound range, this lake will see its share of action.”

Also in the area is a unique system that is maintained as a trophy fishery. Reetz Slough has its own set of regulations designed to protect its large fish yet allow people a chance at harvesting a few. “The system attracts a different type of angler, but it has been well received,” stated Blackwell. The current regulations allow for a daily limit of five perch, only one of which may be greater than 10 inches, and a daily limit of one walleye over 28 inches.

“There are a lot of walleyes from 20 to 27 inches in the system, as well as a good smallmouth bass population and perch into the 14-inch category. These are big fish, and people seem to have no problem returning them back to the water. We have seen an increase in pressure on the system, and the response has been favorable, so I look for a good ice-fishing bite this year.”

Last on the list is the ever-popular Roy Lake. This lake has a faithful following of anglers who return on an annual basis to ice-fish the lake. A combination of quality and quantity keep perch, walleye and pike anglers busy throughout the year with a balance of eating-sized fish and an occasional trophy-sized fish. Roy is a very healthy lake, and anglers work hard to maintain the quality of this fishery.

Naturally, the bite in the Webster area is not confined to any particular fishery, and on any given day a host of lakes can be enjoying a hot bite. There are a ton of options, and anglers should look at them all. One day the bite is big perch on Bitter, the next it’s bluegills on Enemy Swim or the pike on Waubay. Perhaps it’s a walleye bite on Opitz or Antelope, or a combination bite farther to the south on Lake Thompson, but something is always going. If you want to save a lot of legwork, stop in at the Sportsman’s Cove in Webster and ask the guys where the fish are biting -- nothing beats a stop at the bait shop.