Have been out 4 times since christmas.Ice is still only about 4 to 5 inches thick yet.Watched them pull a truck out of the dog track in waterloo on 12-26-99.Have been doing pretty well on bulls and slabs in farm ponds.Those vexilars sure are nice. For those of you that don't have one,get one.The fish I have been catching are so tight to the bottom the unit won't pick them up until your jig hits them in the nose.Hot colors have been pink/white orange green white, size has been running from 8"-91/2"on the gills to 9-111/2"on the slabs. Stay mobile, one pond might be going while the next pond is dead.Will keep you posted.
good luck
JEFF

What part of the state you fishing? I want to go to twelve mile resivoir next weekend. I'm hoping for a cold snap.

Talked to my brother-inlaw, he said that on thurs. there was about 3 to 4" on west lake at osceola.I think that tweleve mile still had open water.Don't know if you will be able to fish by this weekend or not? JEFF

After the last couple days here in the Des Moines area, anyone that goes out on the bigger water is asking for a cold bath.The ice was thick enough a week ago,but theres alot of water standing on the ice right now,and it hasnt been freezing solid for the last several days.If we get another cold snap, it might be alright by next weekend,but if we dont,youd better bring your swim trunks along