This is the time of the year, that I refer to as that in-between time in the outdoors, when Ice fishing is just getting started, pheasant season has been going on for a while, with all the young birds either harvested or educated so well, they hug the ground instead of going airborne.

The farther north you go, you’ll find more ice and with the cold temperatures in the next week or so, that ice should be thickening up.

Beings I was born in the Glacial Lakes of South Dakota, Watertown to be exact, where I plan to go to fish the Glacial Lakes in and around Watertown, Webster, Waubay, S.D and Ortonville MN. locations with some of the best hunting and fishing during both the open water and hard water season.

These lakes, created as the Glaciers moved through northeastern South Dakota, creating lakes, sloughs and flooded low ground as well as ponds with each of these having decent populations of a variety of fish and when there was a wet year, these bodies, both large and small flooded into other low-lying areas, and with that, transplanted numerous other aquatic creatures, with many of the smallest bodies of water becoming the home of some truly trophy fish.

On one occasion my co-host Larry Myhre and I were fishing a couple of ditches along a gravel road when Larry set the hook on a nine pound plus walleye and after several quick photos, we released it back into the water where it came from.

A lot, of the bodies we fished on, had no docks, just a road that was under water, where we backed the trailer into the water and caught some truly good walleye and northerns.

South Dakota has some of the finest fishing in the northeastern part of the state, but also on the Missouri river, on Lake Francis Case, which is a walleye factory, giving up dozens of wall-hangers as well as offering late season pheasant hunting. As this year draws to the end, several locations in the upper Midwest, including Aberdeen, Watertown, St. Paul and other locations will have their Boat, Sport & Travel shows, at these events, no matter what type of gear you’re looking for, they’ll have about everything an outdoor person could need, including tackle, outdoor clothing, fish locators, fishing equipment, all styles of boat, including kayaks, bass, walleye and pontoon boats, ice houses, ATVs, as well as numerous resorts and lodges that you’ve always wanted to fish.

Along with these shows, there will be ice fishing and open water fishing seminars given by some of the most experienced anglers in the Midwest, giving tips on how to get those fish that seem to have lock jaw to move up and feed.

Then, after the first of the year are the South Dakota Gun Traders shows, including the Jan. 28th & 29th in Yankton, Brookings, Jan. 14th & 15th, Aberdeen Feb. 4th & 5th, Pierre, Feb. 18th & 19th, Watertown Feb. 18th & 19th and the big gun show in Sioux Falls Feb. 25th & 26th In Nebraska you’ll find the Nebraska Firearms Association Gun Shows beginning with the Herman, NE. American Legion gun show on Dec. 3rd – 4th, Neligh, NE. Antelope County Shooters gun show on Jan. 8th-9th, the Charles Yaeger Memorial gun show held in Bloomfield NE. Jan. 15th - 16th, Spencer Gun show, Spencer, NE on the Jan. 29th- 30th and the Creighton, NE. gun show held on April 22nd -23rd.

As these shows wind down, with the weather improving throughout South Dakota and Nebraska, numerous activities will open up, with the spring fishing beginning to improve as hunters count the days before the spring turkey season arrives.