Since this is a fishing column, and there’s a fishing report below, it doesn’t make sense to say “stay home, it’s too ugly out there.” It’s never too ugly, just ask any ice angler. They ignore cold weather like a penguin in a goose down sweater. It’s prime time for ice fishing, and the big three in Southwest Idaho are Horsethief Reservoir, Lake Cascade and Magic Reservoir. Lake Cascade and Magic both have perch, which is a favorite quarry ice anglers. Fry up some winter-fresh fillets and you will understand why. They also provide lots of action, even if it’s just the little bait thieves.

Lake Cascade is again producing jumbo perch. There have been several caught that were a couple ounces shy of 2 pounds. If you were following the fun last year, one angler tied the state record and several anglers came within ounces of it, so if you get a monster perch, weight it before breaking out the fillet knife.

Magic has been producing trout so fat you could probably trim the bellies and make bacon. Trout bacon, anyone? Maybe not.

Horsethief will host the Fourth annual Youth Ice Fishing Day on Saturday. See details on page 4. It’s hugely popular because it’s so much fun to see kids out on the ice hooking trout, or just munching hot dogs and fishing. The focus is on kids, but it’s really a family event.

If you’re not an ice angler, there are still opportunities. River fishing for trout can be fun when there’s a break in the weather, and the Salmon River is back to producing steelhead.

Roger Phillips: 377-6215