In western New York, the dilemma facing winter fishermen is selecting a place to go, simply because there's so much variety. Throughout the region, lakes and ponds provide superb fishing for every species from panfish to pike.

For example, just to sample the shoreline shallows of lakes Erie and Ontario would take winters a lot longer than we currently have these days.

Then there are the other large lakes, each with its own ecosystem offering various species -- and usually something special, such as walleyes or crappies. Not so well known are the smaller lakes, where the fishing for bluegills and trout can be hot on even the coldest of winter days.

Most ice-fishermen have their certain species and target favorite spots, such as perch in Lake Erie or walleyes in Chautauqua Lake, but this could be the year to try a couple of new locations.

If perch fishing has become routine for you, hitting the weedbeds for trophy pike can provide a needed jolt of excitement on the ice.

If you're finding walleyes tough to locate, switch to a different lake where a bucketful of hand-sized panfish can make your day.

Other changes that have occurred in recent years include the shorter winters and warmer temperatures, causing anglers to be more flexible.

Ice conditions remain the critical safety factor. One thing that will never change is the minimum thickness for safe ice-fishing -- at least three inches of hard ice.

This year, lack of safe ice may prompt some anglers to focus on new locations such as the shallow bays of larger lakes, or to shift to smaller lakes when ice conditions are questionable elsewhere.

Whether you're trying ice-fishing for the first time or just looking for a change, here are some top locations for a productive outing this season.

Let's start with the recommended smaller lakes in western New York:

CUBA LAKE
Walleyes, pike and panfish are the attractions at this 445-acre lake north of the village of Cuba in western Allegany County.

The maximum depth here is 46 feet at normal levels, but the lake is drained several feet during the winter.

Walleyes are considered to be the dominant predators in this lake, but even with a plentiful food supply, they have slow growth rates. Most fish are in the 15- to 20-inch range. In recent years, pike have been coming on strong, with some lunkers up to 36 inches reported. Good numbers of perch, bluegills, sunfish and crappies are also taken through the ice.

Cuba Lake lies north of Olean. From Route 17, take Exit 28 to Route 305 north for 1.5 miles. Turn west on Route 25, which leads to a boat launch and access site at the south end of the lake.

LIME LAKE
Located in the northeast corner of Cattaraugus County, Lime Lake is a 154-acre impoundment created by damming three natural spring-fed ponds. Panfish species here include perch, sunfish, crappies and rock bass, which occur in large numbers and therefore, exhibit slow growth rates. Though the panfish run small, they make up for it with plentiful numbers.