I have to tell you a story - when my son was in his early teens - we went to Devils Lake around this time of year to fish. We were at the old 57 bridge & the water was just starting to open up under the bridges. It was calm & from up on the bridge you could see HUGE Northerns swiming below - from the waters edge you could not see them. So we took turns trying to catch one - One of us would be up on the bridge telling the other - where the fish were. We tried everything in the tackle box to get them to bite - plus live bait & even smelt. Now smelt would really get their attention - they would swim right up to it & sit there , nose just inches away & stare at it, we would try to jig move the smelt & get them to strike. Imagine the frustration of being above (on the bridge) & seeing this & then switch & go down & be the one on the pole - But nothing working ??? & to see these Huge fish swiming under the ice then back into open water & up to the bait & nothing :grin: ??? We went back every spring for several years & tried to recreate this - but the wind was always blowing & any ripple would make it impossible to see the fish. But it is always great to be outside & away from town, this time of year. (Never have tried it from the new bridge - the water may be to deep ???)