Empire State anglers have no need to spend the winter hunkered down by the woodstove. There's plenty of hardwater fishing action out there! New York boasts more than 7,500 lakes and ponds and many are open for ice-fishing. Ice-anglers can target walleyes, northern pike, pickerel and panfish this winter, and many waters throughout the state remain open to the harvesting of brown trout, lake trout and landlocked salmon.

Hemlock Lake is a good ice-angling destination for lake trout, browns and rainbows, landlocked salmon, largemouth and smallmouth bass, some good-sized pickerel and black crappies.

The Empire State allows jigging and the use of tip-ups. Allowable baits vary from water to water, as do regulations on specific species, so always be sure to check the current fishing regulations before drilling any holes.

Ice-fishing is a great way to while away these cold winter days -- just be certain there's a safe amount of ice before venturing out. Look for a minimum of 4 inches of solid ice, and remember that ice thickness varies throughout any given water body. Avoid areas of moving water, including inlets, outlets and dams.

There's ice-fishing potential nearly everywhere an angler looks, from Lake Ontario to inland ponds and lakes swimming with stocked trout or big, toothy pike.

Here's a roundup of some of this year's best bets for hardwater action near you:

REGION 8
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation's Region 8 (west-central New York) offers ice-anglers a wide variety of options.

There's no way to talk ice-fishing without a bow to Lake Ontario. This Great Lake gives ice-anglers 326 miles of shoreline in New York state offering excellent fishing for white perch, yellow perch, walleyes, northern pike and panfish.

Some bays worth exploring this winter include Braddock Bay, Cranberry Pond, Long Pond, Buck Pond and Round Pond. At Irondequoit Bay in Irondequoit and Webster, fishing is noteworthy for white perch, yellow perch and walleyes.

Lake Ontario is managed under special regulations, so be sure to check the rulebook before heading out.

Check DeLorme's New York Atlas and Gazetteer maps 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74 and 83 for shoreline details and access points to Lake Ontario.

Conesus Lake is the most westerly of the 11 Finger Lakes. The lake covers 3,420 acres, is eight miles in length and about one mile wide. Two miles west of Livonia, Conesus is a drinking water source for several towns. Ice-fishing shacks are prohibited here by local health ordinances.

Conesus is an excellent warmwater fishery, offering hardwater action for northern pike, walleyes, largemouth and smallmouth bass and panfish.

Fisheries biologists report that the walleye population is on the rise in response to annual stocking, and yellow perch numbers are also increasing. The lake has been stocked with tiger muskellunge since 1991.

The Finger Lakes are managed under special regulations, so be sure to check the current rulebook before heading out.

There are several public access sites, including one on East Lake Road near MacPherson Point, about four miles south of Route 20A. Access is also available via the Conesus Inlet Wildlife Management Area off West Lake Road at the south end of the lake. Or, try Pebble Beach at the northwest corner of the lake. There's additional access at the north end of the lake off Route 20A at Sand Point.

Hemlock Lake, also in the Finger Lakes chain, is the water supply for the city of Rochester. A self-service permit is required to fish here.