January 23, 2026: Friday morning greeted the southeast Minnesota Driftless with temperatures around -20 with -38 wind chill. Suffice it to say, winter fishing is off for a while. Shelf ice formation (see below) will become a major issue on almost every piece of water until temperatures rebound again. For me, it's time spent at the vise, organizing fly boxes, and my pack. Don't forget to give your rods a good wipe down, clean out your reels, and CLEAN YOUR FLY LINE. I have been remiss doing this consistently, but line care should never be overlooked.