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There is no doubt that my mind begins to wander this time of year. Particularly on a day like today when the temperature is expected to reach the mid-forties.

Down our bank in Taylors Falls, the moving water of the St. Croix River between the NSP dam and Highway 8 doesn't freeze throughout the winter months, so seeing open water every single day from December through March does nothing to alleviate frequent thoughts of ice-out crappies and the walleye opener.

I know we're a ways off yet, but the water temperature range you'll want to keep in mind once the ice is off the lakes is approximately 50-60 degrees. But keep in mind that noticeable water temp increases short of that range will trigger a very nice crappie bite as they begin their pre-spawn staging ritual. If water clarity is dingy, look for active fish in water as shallow as three feet. In relatively clear lakes (or when fishing a sunny day with no wind), feeding crappies may hold out in 8 - 10 feet of water.

Remember that the dark bottom bays are the first to warm on a body of water. The warm water stimulates the activity and hatching of invertebrates such as mayflies and caddis flies that burrow into these mucky bottoms and rise to the water's surface to hatch. Baitfish such as minnows feed on the invertebrates and crappies feed on both the baitfish and invertebrates. I've written about these elementary food chains and cyclical events before. Think Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom and cute little gazelles at the watering hole and lions watching them from the tall grass - except on a much smaller and far less dangerous scale. Locate the crappies, and then toss a lively minnow or wax worm out there among them and you'll see what I mean. Nature. Plug in to it. It's a very cool thing.

Small jigs tipped with waxies or minnows under slip-bobbers is one effective rigging method, or simply cast and slowly swim a jig over these shallow waters. If you're a fly angler like me, tossing small streamers, wooly buggers and beadhead nymphs at these fish is like ringing the dinnerbell. Whatever you throw at them, it shouldn't take too long to determine if fish are present. If you don't have a hookup within five to 10 minutes, keep poking along the shorelines until you find the next likely spot. If fish are present, they'll make themselves known in short order and chances are they'll be present in high numbers, so stay put and thoroughly cover all the water.

I'm still running around town with all my ice fishing stuff in the back end of my Trooper, but this time of year it does get mentally tough to keep ice fishing on the front burner. Now we're getting too close to seeing our lakes open up. I'm looking forward to casting, jigging, trolling and watching a slip-bobber, and, above all else, getting my two boys in the boat again this spring. Nothing holds the attention of kids like catching fish, and odds are you'll begin to find plenty of ice-out crappies next month.

Dan Brown's weekly outdoor column is brought to you by Frankie's Bait and Marine, in Chisago City, and St. Croix Outdoors, in St. Croix Falls, Wis.

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