My shot guns are oiled and lock up, my waders are hanging in the drying room, and my bibbs are put away for the year. My old faithful labrador, Calvin, is very depressed acting as he somehow knows that another hunting season has come and gone. All of us hunters have been turned into bird watchers this month, and that wont change until October 2013. It is amazing to watch large groups of Western Mallards fill the skies traveling to and from food and water.

With hopes of an early spring I am hopeful that mother nature will eliminate the ice around Potholes Reservoir so we can access the main water and enjoy some early season blade bait fishing for walleye or some nice spring-time trout action.

Bank fishers are reporting trout caught in small patches of open water from Coral Lake, Teal Lake, Canal Lake, and Upper Goose Lake.

For a current fishing and ice report please call (509) 346-2651 from 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. daily.