Now that the ice is leaving or gone on a lot of lakes, use your open water fishing time to get valuable info for next year's ice season. If you have a boat with a good sonar, this is the best time to collect this data. Here are some things I have found at this time of year.
1. Healthy green weedbeds just after iceout- if the weeds have been green all winter they have been producing oxygen and will tend to attract fish. Chances are those weedbeds will be there next year too.
2. Check out subtle shoreline changes for signs of larger under water structure. I have found 2 cases within 1/2 mile from my house that looked like a small bend in the shoreline or a small pile of rocks that turned out to be huge underwater points. Once the heavy weedgrowth starts you can't see the detail on these structures. These points have become my "go to" spots when fishing gets tough and they always seem to produce.
3. Check in front of creeks and points - I have found that the runoff from the snowmelt can often times deposit huge new debris into the lake, such as logs, chairs, tires. etc. All these things can become fish holders.
4. Always get good landmarks or GPS readings so that you can get back to the exact spots when the ice comes back.
Hope to hear some more tips from everybody.
Thanks and good luck.
Norm