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Banquets/Fundraisers April 8: Sugar Hill WTU Banquet, 5:30 p.m., Lourdes Parish, Germantown. For more info call Jake Evans, 309-303-9988. April 8: Goose Lake Gobblers NWTF Banquet, 5:30 p.m., Jennifer’s Garden, Morris. For more info call Dan Snyder 815-791-0049. April 15: Illinois Trap & Skeet Club NWTF Banquet, 5 p.m., Interstate Center, Bloomington. For more info

Braidwood: Bank fishing was hot soon after the lake opened for the season. The southeast corner of the cooling lake was the most popular, as fish congregated there. Anglers are finding some good largemouths on spinnerbaits and swimjigs. There are some days that reaction strikes are the way to go, so don’t be afraid to bounce a crankbait off the rocks to trigger

Crab Orchard Lake: Most crappies are still holding over deeper cover on minnows and jigs. Some anglers were also taking some bluegills near the riprap on a variety of baits. Catfish action is still slow. Largemouth bass fishing has been good on plastic worms and spinnerbaits. Drop lures deep and crank slow, as bass begin to become more active

Sangchris Lake: Bass are good on spinnerbaits and chatterbaits. Try casting along shorelines with emerging vegetation, if available. Catfish picking up on anything that smells: liver, shad, doughs. Crappies are good on minnows and on jigs fairly shallow along rocks near dam. Lake Bloomington: Bluegills biting good on worms. Crappies were excellent on minnows around

Banquet/Fundraiser  April 1: Tri County Archery League Banquet, 6 p.m., The Woodland, Gresham, WI. For more info call Matt Hesse 715-851-3939. April 2: Walleyes for Tomorrow Banquet, 5 p.m., Moose Family Center. For more info call Kim Borski, 715-341-9024. April 2: Nicolet/Wild Rivers Chapter RGS Banquet. Crandon Community Center, 5:15 p.m. For more info call

District 1 — Ashland area Wardens Amie Egstad and Tom Heisler worked from snowmobiles in February while checking ice fishermen on Chequamegon Bay. A few hundred people were checked due to it being such a nice Saturday. Two citations were issued for possession of an undersized lake trout and splake. Warden Lynna Gurnoe, of Bayfield,

AMERY AREA The wind really chewed up the ice that remained on most area lakes. Unless it gets extremely cold throughout the week, there’s a good chance some lakes will be completely open by this week. Lucky Baits (715) 268-6231. ASHLAND AREA Ice fishing has ended on Chequamegon Bay and anglers are looking forward to an early ice-out.