Improving ice and Wisconsin’s upcoming catch-and-release trout opener Jan. 5, signal an all-out enthusiasm for fishing, regardless of snow.

There are some good ice locations and sunfish seem to be reacting as though this is first ice.

Many, maybe most, trout anglers are okay with a “let ‘em go” season because they wouldn’t be taking a brown trout home regardless of the season.

That finally gives fishing one of the top out-of-doors recreations. Other silent sports are beginning to march lock-step close behind.

A panfish and panfishing, by so many names, may be the only thing that keeps it from being a super sport.

Panfish fits some anglers fine, because that’s where this fish goes if not back down the hole in the ice. Sunnies is used one time or another by almost everyone, making reference to the fish family, including both big bass. Because there are other sunfish that are bluegill-like, sunnies can cover them all including pumpkinseed, green sunfish, warmouth, and orange-spotted sunfish.

The king, however, remains the bluegill even though the two commonly used monikers are often disputed. Probably nine of ten anglers say the name comes from the dark tip on the gill cover (ear flap), but most ichthyologists jump up and down favoring the powder blue throat and lower half of the gill cover for the reason. Take your pick but the ear flap is not blue; it’s nearly black.

A “big one” is a nine-inch bluegill, which takes up to 10 years to get that size, or as few as six years in the best waters.

No one can argue with the fish’s genus name, Lepomis, meaning scaled gill cover in Latin.

Speaking of “small game” the annual squirrel tournament at the Hyde Store in Iowa County, is held in, where else, the hamlet of Hyde near Ridgeway Jan. 12, 2019. Hunters come far and wide to this cash prize hunt, which has an impressive list of ethics rules. Contact the store at 608-924-4933 to sign up.

Squirrel season closes Jan. 31, 2018.

The New Year comes when the calendar page is turned next Tuesday and a great winter tonic, free for picking wearing knee boots, is watercress. Regardless of the day, the spring will warm one’s feet, or hands, standing in 50-degree water.

During these holidays, consider giving the birds and squirrels a treat, regardless of whether they’re feed regularly or not, by putting leftovers out in the form of bird carcasses, fruit and nut in salads, old bread, leafy greens and stale popcorn. Do we dare suggest fruit cakes?

Avoid any strings or wires, but use the dry evergreens as perches and shelters for these outdoors animals.

Football players aren’t the only people who get concussions and broken bones.

Icy weather, regardless if it’s lake ice, street ice or field ice can be countered with a good pair of boot chains, but don’t drive with them on or walk on indoors floors, either.

This winter, even without many inches of snow, can be good for wood cutting, tree trimming, shed hunting, birding, and hiking. Most of those activities lessen with a covering of snow.

— Jerry Davis is an Argyle native and a freelance writer who lives in Barneveld. He can be reached at sivadjam@mhtc.net or at 608-924-1112.