Pinfish, northern pike, crappies and bluegills are the mainstay in northern Illinois when the temperatures nosedive. Drilling a hole through the ice and sitting down with a hot thermos of coffee puts a different perspective on life and has the added benefit of being some of the best fishing of the year.

Here's a look at the lakes where you'll want to spend a day on the ice this year.

SPRING LAKE
The ice pickin's are good on Spring Lake. Crappies and redears easily run a 1/2-pound, and the northern pike aren't particularly large, but they're scrappy. Largemouth bass are sometimes taken on a jig or minnow and an occasional channel cat heads for the frying pan.

Spring fishing is a unique experience due to the shallow depths of both bodies of water. The average depth is less than 3 feet.

Many anglers come here for the pinfish, but because of the featureless lake bottom, the 'gills are tough to find. According to Kelly Presley of Presley's Outdoors in Peoria, bluegill fishing is good in both the north and south lakes. The lake bottom is flat and the best way to find good bluegill fishing is to figure out where the locals are going and take their lead.

The channel cat population is very healthy and it's possible to hook a 2- to 4-pounder even in the cold weather. They're not active in the winter months, but they will bite if on a window hanging just off the bottom. Cats won't travel fast or far to find your offering, so pick your spots carefully.

Spring Lake's largemouth bass are faring well. The three-fish, 15-inch minimum length restrictions have accomplished even more than fisheries managers have hoped. The increase in submerged vegetation over the last several years has also helped by allowing good survival rates and providing great cover. (Continued)

Northern pike are surprisingly abundant in the lake, and occasionally, a huge one is produced. The DNR uses Spring Lake to produce the lion's share of pike for its stocking program in the region. A spring cools the water below the mat of vegetation during the summer months and provides a cool-water refuge, allowing them to thrive in such shallow water. Winter angling is best around this spring that is located in the southern end of the lake.

The crappie fishing is best in the north lake with fish topping 10 inches.

Spring Lake was divided into two separate waters 30 years ago. Spring Lake South covers 610 acres, and Spring Lake North covers 578 acres in Tazewell County. Access is 12 miles southwest of Pekin in Tazewell County.

For more information, call the DNR's Region I office at (815) 625-2968 or Presley's Outdoors at (309) 697-1193.

EVERGREEN LAKE
Though better known as a warm-weather muskie lake, Evergreen offers some of the best saugeye fishing in the state. Next to a walleye, there may not be a better-tasting fish that makes a finger-numbing trip on the ice worthwhile.

According to fisheries biologist Michael Garthaus, the saugeye fishing can be tremendous. The current state-record fish was taken here.