Most years, I strive to be the first angler on the water targeting smallmouths at ice out. Doing this well before everyone else has become a unique fishing experience. While catching smallmouths from 39 to 42-degree water temperature is not an easy task across every Northwoods lake, results can be achieved if you are prioritizing locational concepts and employing a thorough, slow strategic approach. At this time, we have to fish really slow, and also disregard about 99% of our tackle. Whenever ice out occurs (some years early, others late) is dependent upon several weather-related factors and variables. Historically, cold winters with deep snowfall amounts and lots of ice cover can lead to a slower and later ice-melt process, delaying the arrival and progress of spring. Meanwhile, mild and snow-less winters like we’ve had up to this point this year has already, and rather quickly, begun the ice melt process, and many of us are yearning for open water by as soon as the turn of April. Ice melt varies annually, depending on geographic region. On my home waters surrounding Minocqua, WI, between the second to fourth weeks of April is the average. In the most extrem