Every week I want to dazzle you with some enlightening and inspiring information that will make you jump off the couch, run to your local tackle store and head off to some amazing fishing spot where the fish will fight over your bait/lure/fly.

It’s a dream, my friends, but not reality. This time of year, it’s just a case of waiting for something to happen.

That doesn’t mean there isn’t good fishing out there. Steelhead fishing has been solid lately, and if you’re willing to bundle up, trout fishing on rivers can be surprisingly good, too.

You can also hit the banana belt destinations such as the Snake River and its reservoir and adjacent streams, springs and ponds, which are also good options for late-season fishing.

But you’re going to have wait a little longer to start ice fishing. That’s kind of the next big thing on the fishing calendar. I don’t profess to be an expert, and my ice fishing gear is limited to one stubby rod and borrowed or rented gear, but it’s still something I look forward to doing.

The reason is simple; I always have fun. It’s a chance to put down the fly rod and do something completely different. It’s also a chance to return to my fishing roots. I bait a hook, dangle it in the water, and when I catch a fish, it usually becomes dinner.

It feels weird to write that considering how many fish I catch and release during the year, but a fresh, fried perch fillet makes me salivate.

In the meantime, keep fishing, and I will do the same.