IRON MOUNTAIN — Ice anglers landed a couple of big northern pike this week while panfish action remains steady.

“Some good reports, lots of nice bluegills and some crappies,” said John Grier at Whispering Pines Outpost in Breitung Township.

At Whisler Outdoors in Florence, Wis., Doug Whisler said the bluegill were running small but he also noted northern pike catches of 41 inches and 36 inches this past week.

“A lot of the walleyes have been medium-sized,” he added, an improvement from the smaller fish caught earlier this winter.

Fish are entering mid-winter patterns, said the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Bluegill and perch are being found in moderate depths near weeds; crappies have started to move to deeper water.

Ice conditions remain highly variable. While some lakes may have 8 to 10 inches, Whisler advised that others have areas of honeycomb ice that are unstable.

Grier reminded Michigan hunters that the deadline for spring turkey applications is Feb. 1. The Spring Turkey Digest is now available, he added.

The Michigan DNR reported these Upper Peninsula conditions:

Little Bay De Noc: Ice conditions were not the best, as the ice at Gladstone and to the south was broken up and there was open water. Rumor has it the access site near the Escanaba Power Plant has been sold and the new owner is not letting anglers access the area anymore. Anglers were fishing the north end between Kipling and Garth Point with the majority on the Second and Third Reefs. Most are using portable shanties only and many were walking out. Extreme caution needs to be used, as a few machines have gone through the ice in some areas and drifts have caused problems for those on ORVs. Stay clear of the “Narrows” as the ice is very dangerous with open water. Perch anglers are reporting similar results to last year with low creel numbers, but some nice jumbo perch were caught in 30 feet or so with minnows and wigglers near the Kipling Flats and the Third Reef. Walleye anglers reported very good numbers of small fish near the Second and Third Reefs when jigging raps or minnows in 28 to 40 feet.

Manistique Lake: Had some fishing action on both lakes. No large numbers, but a couple walleye and panfish were caught.

Munising: There was no ice on Munising Bay.

Cedarville and Hessel: Musky Bay out of Cedarville had open water on the south side. Ice conditions in the channel were unknown. Ice on the west side of Hessel Bay had broken up after the high winds, so ice conditions were unknown. A few small perch were caught when jigging wigglers in 13 to 15 feet. A few pike were seen, but none were caught.