Ice Report

The Chequamegon Bay is starting to look nice with ice. From the Ashland side to the head of the bay north to Washburn is ice, From Washburn north is all open over the channel “nothing safe yet” With these cool days and nights and the wind staying low we should be on ice here soon! I’ll keep you posted.

I like to know when safe to get out and try I know that!! thanks

Will do, I will be posting as soon as I am able to get on the ice. Glad the weather turned aroung from high 40’s in December to back to more normal temps. We should be rocking here soon with a little luck keep the winds down and the cold here.

Well much of the Cheq-Bay is frozen over now there is still a lead out from Washburn north still open, Whith these cold temps I should be walking off the Washburn side some time this coming week. As for the head of the bay Bono Creek around to Ashland and off to second landing that stretch of ice is 3 to 4 inches in most spots we checked. Guys are walking off the Ashland side yet how ever it is a bit early for me I like the bay to lock up befor I like to take chances. If you plan on making the trip up use “CAUTION” and check the ice often. Feel free to send me off a message any time you have a question or need some info. We will be out on the big fish soon this week! Stay tune.

thanks

Out checking ice again today and from Bono Creek North to Washburn found 1 1/2″ to 2″ solid clear ice. From Washburn North just the same. out from Westend park there is a old lead of ice that is 4″ go’s out about 80 yards. We will be back at it in the AM.

We are off Washburn side starting out with some great hardwater action. We have been picking up some nice big whitefish and and browns both we have been moving around a bit 25 to 30 ftow. From Washbirn coal dok north to Houghton pt there is 4 to 5″ and same spots we did find as little as 3″ yet Check The Ice as you go. Some guys are chanceing with machines, We will have our sleds and atv’s out sometime this week. UV Orange Jigging Raps and 2″ Northland Puppet minnows have been working great for the browns and whitefish both. Stay tune we will be back out in the morning.

Had a good day on the ice today had the crew out we got all of our rental houses set in great areas all over the Cheq-Bay. With todays wind and temps near the 40 mark lots of ice got shifted around here on the Washburn side. Use caution going out from the coal dock and out near the coal dock lots of caked up ice there now.
Bite wise has been fair to slow however we are still picking up some great browns and some nice sized whitefish every trip out. UV tiger Jiggig raps have been working well for me with the browns so far this season.
We will be back out in the morning checking some new spots so stay tune for the next report.

Was out again today checking from Bodiens north Bayfield, to Red Cliff I found no ice over 2 1/2″ and off af all them areas there is 4″ of slush/water on top of the ice STAY OFF OR USE MEGA CAUTION! We have some cold weather on the way that should lock this up nice just hold off for now. From Washburn North to Houghton Point and From Houghton Pt to Long Island you are good the go. From there north do not go yet.
Out from Bodiens Resort north of Washburn We have been doing well on the Browns and Cohos yet pick up most of the fish shallower 16 to 28 ft yet hot colors for us have all been gold/black & orange/glow buck shot rattle spoons tiped with minnow heads. Back inside from there off the deeper hole the whitefish bite has been good most days yet. We will be back out at it the rest of the week. Like I said guys hold off heading north for now.

Thanks John!!! Stay safe out there!!!

Mark

Thanks Mark!

Was out in the Apostle Islands for our first shakedown run today, From Bayfield north we found 6″ of ice in most spots, there is a few slush spots just north of bayfield Heading for the south end of Basswood Island. We found 6 to 7″ in most spots around the end of Basswood some spots were a little less Check The Ice Often! From Basswood over to Madeline Island sled travel was good up the Madeline shore we found a lot more ice 7 to 9″ we made it up the island a little over half way befor you start to get into all the bad pack ice. We fished the Madeline shoreline 20 to 30ft we invited many small Splake topside along with a few 20″ browns. Jaw Jackers with#10 trebles tiped with minnows was the trick on most. The others were all on spoons,,smaller buckshot’s and slenders tiped with minnow heads. Stay tune.

LX7 Brown!

Headed up that way this weekend and wondering what to plan on travel wise.

Do people drive vehicles in the bay? I realize its all sleds out to the islands…

In the bay, what species/techniques are currently producing?

Nothing against anyones else’s reports here–but I sure miss Jimmy and hearing from him!! I cant wait for open water!!!

We fished off the Ashland side Second Landing found many nice perch 14 to 17ftow. Gold and glow red 1/8thoz Northland Tackle Buck-Shot Rattle spoons with chain dropper’s with waxies and minnow heads & 1 1/2 ” Puppet Minnows and Born To Fish Ice Minnows pink and white’s have all been working well. Along with that we have been setting out a few Jaw Jackers and catching a few roamers. Off the plowed rd much of the slush is starting to firm up a little however we forund 20″ of solid ice along that side of the bay. Inside the bay to the west guy’s are still doing good and picking up coho’s brown’s and a few scattered eye’s & a few smallies. Washburn to Houghton Point & Houghton PT to Bodiens, Souix River, Onion River, we have still been doing well on coho’s and browns many 20’s this year fishing top to bottom we have found them all over. The river mouth action should heat up hear soon along with that some nice smelt are filtering into the bay as well. Stay tune for our spring smelting & river report as well as we will have crew’s on both sides of the bay. As of now it is all sled travel to get around unless you fish off of one of the plowed roads. Tight Lines!