IRON MOUNTAIN — Anglers are reminded that a new fishing license year starts Saturday, April 1, in both Michigan and Wisconsin.

Locally, panfish are biting, with anglers are reporting anywhere from 16 to 20 inches of ice on some waters, said Fay Whisler at Whisler Outdoors in Florence, Wis.

“Waxworms and small minnows are producing the best bite,” she said. “Walleye fishermen have been having some luck on boundary waters.”

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is seeking volunteers to participate in the annual Wisconsin Frog and Toad Survey to help document frog and toad breeding calls throughout the state this spring and summer.

“The DNR is once again looking for night-loving volunteers, who we lovingly call ‘froggers,’ to lend their ears to monitor and help conserve frogs and toads in all corners of Wisconsin,” said Andrew Badje, the DNR conservation biologist who coordinates the survey.

You can learn more at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/newsroom/release/69041.

The Michigan DNR reported this Upper Peninsula activity:

Little Bay de Noc: Anglers reported good walleye fishing until the close of the season. Most anglers out of Kipling were fishing deep water reefs. Anglers reported mixed results using minnows and wigglers.

Keweenaw Bay: Anglers had a difficult time getting on Lake Superior this week with warming temperatures and high winds. A few anglers were able to get on the ice early on and found mostly coho, lake trout and lake whitefish. Most fish that were caught were found below 50 feet of water, however a few were still caught in shallow waters. Lake herring and smelt were also part of the catch this last week, however they were not caught in the same numbers as the other species. Anglers should try using lures to imitate smelt and other various living prey species in the lake.

Les Cheneaux: Anglers reported decent perch numbers. Coho salmon were starting to be caught at several tributaries on Lake Superior.

Munising: Anglers reported very few catches of coho to date. Burbot fishing and smelt night fishing have been poor with scattered reports of some success. Splake catches also have been very low. Spearers were doing well on herring.

Marquette: Fishing activity picked up over the last week. Most success has come from the break wall in lower harbor where anglers were catching coho, brown trout and occasionally lake trout. Anglers fishing in the Chocolay River had some success catching brown trout. For best odds while fishing from the break wall, try casting out spoons or spinners.