With the gamefish season now closed, many anglers have switched to panfish for a late-season fishing trip. Crappies continue to provide good action on Park Falls and Phillips area lakes. Look for these fish to suspend over deeper water. The key is flexibility and movement with the fish. Often they will change depths as well as areas in the lake several times during the day.
Small minnows are the preferred bait, as well as light lines and a soft touch.
A few sandhill cranes, drumming grouse and blooming crocuses were sighted in the Park Falls vicinity. There is about an inch of fresh snow on the ground, but certainly not enough to help out the snowmobile or ski enthusiast. Pussy willows have budded out along the roadside, indicating that perhaps spring is not to far off. The forest received about an inch of new snow on top of about 6 inches of old snow. The ice is starting to pull away from shore on Trout Lake, but there is still about a foot of ice on the lake.