Ice-fishing isn't for the faint of heart or the thin-blooded among us. It does take some fortitude to step out into the cold and leave all the comforts of home behind, but as thousands of hard-water anglers know, ice-fishing can put plenty of fish in the bucket. Anglers who are willing to brave the elements often find some of the best fishing of the year.

Here's a look at five waters with reputations for producing fish when the thermometer takes a nose-dive.

SYLVAN LAKE
A multi-species water if ever there was one, Sylvan Lake in Noble County yields plenty of panfish during the winter season.

"Sylvan Lake has a lot of big bluegills, yellow perch, walleyes and crappies," said Jed Pearson, a Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) fisheries biologist.

Bluegills in the 7- to 8-inch range are common along with good-sized walleyes, which are newcomers to the lake.

"We seem to be having more and more walleyes," Pearson said. "We've been stocking them over the last four or five years and we're getting from 14- to 18-inch fish with an occasional 22-incher."

Hotspots for the walleyes are relatively new and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is keeping tabs on where most of them are caught. When biologists are conducting fish population surveys, the area of Sylvan where most of the walleyes are sampled can be described as a big triangle.

"The walleyes are pretty thick in there," Pearson said. "Basically, from the east side of Bishop Island, go to the northwest corner of what is locally known as Boy Scout Island. Then go to the southwest corner of Boy Scout Island and back again to Bishop Island. This area makes a big triangle and that's where we find most of the walleyes. This area has a lot of big boulders, rocks, sand and gravel and many of the walleyes are caught here."

Walleyes are taken on minnows, while other panfish can be taken on the standard mousies and grubs.

In 1984, Sylvan Lake was treated with Rotenone, a chemical used to poison fish in lakes and ponds. Carp dominated the fishery and the decision was made to start over. Walleyes and channel catfish were then stocked, along with other game fish; the lake has made a remarkable comeback.

Though largemouth bass are not commonly targeted in the cold weather, this is a lake where using a jigging Rapala might pay off. In 2004, the DNR estimated that the lake contained nearly 3,000 bass that were at least 8 inches or larger. The overall bass density was low compared with similar lakes, but the sizes were good. According to the survey, over 1,000 bass measured from 14 to 17 inches. There were about five of these good-sized bass per acre, which is five times the normal density rate. The lake had 88 bass that were 18 inches or larger, which made these lunkers twice as numerous as in comparable waters.

Sylvan Lake is in Rome and covers 669 acres.

Additional information is available by contacting District 4 at (219) 691-3181.

SUMMIT LAKE
"Summit Lake is one of my top ice-fishing picks," said fisheries biologist Rhett Wisener.

Without a doubt, Indianapolis-area hardwater anglers have one of the best spots in the state to set up a couple of tip-ups.