northern wis ice conditions

friday,there was about 3 good inches of ice on lakes in the mercer area but with the snow on sat night probably not very safe anymore anyone else been out yet?

Not good enough yet in the Hayward area. Next couple of nights will change that!!

there are guys out in the siren area, but only 2 to maybe 3″ of ice lets give it a little more time boys and girls. if you do go out bring ice picks, rope and bring someone with.

Checked two smaller lakes in the Rhinelander area this evening-both 400 acres or less- and found 3″ of ice under the slush and snow. Not the best. Counting on our single digit forecast this week to firm it up and make a little.
Be careful out there, I know of two guys who went swimming last weekend. I’ll be checking all week, planning on fishing before the end of it. I’ll post back my ice results-fishing results too if I have any!
=Rev

Was on a very small lake in the Eau Claire area yesterday, 1.5″ of ice. Dicey at best, the snow did not impact the ice greatly, most are lakes will be locked up by this weekend and walkable.

Anyone fishing night on Mid Eau Claire yet?

Saw a few shoreline sitters on the way to Eagle River last night to do a basketball game… It will be interesting to see how this cold snap locks it up as they are now calling for cold temps through Friday night.

Mark

Visited my small lake this afternoon before work and the ice has firmed up nicely. Caught about a dozen keepers

I’ll just copy and past from my report page on my web page save my self some keyboard time.
Well over the past week I have been to more than 50 inland lakes found a ton of the bigger deeper lakes still open last week. After this past weekend we found them all frozen over and we had some high winds and snow to cover the fresh sheet of ice. Checking the ice on all these lakes we found that most of the snow covered spots out from the shoreline had just a little crust of snow and slush and as little as 1 inch of ice under it use “CAUTION” if your planning on venturing out. If you do make it out to fish focus the shallower bays on smaller less deep lakes for at least another week. A lake that we frequent fish we found a spot where someone had been there and ventured out and fell through twice good thing it was in 4 ½ feet of water and after looking more carefully at there tracks on the frozen slush top nowhere could I find any spud bar chops out from the landing. Spud bars are cheaper than the lost of your life use one early ice or on any ice your unsure of check it often. At this same lake from the shore line 25 feet out there is 4 inches of ice until you hit the snow & slush line like 99% of all the other lakes there is no more than an inch of ice. Fish wise we have been doing well on gills and a few slabs on the small shallow lakes Northland Tackle Mud Bug’s have been our go to tipped with either Impulse crappie minnow or J and S Custom Plastics Ice Mite and Go Jo’s. Finding most of out fish on the outside edge of the weeds in 8 to 14ftow. I will be posting more current weekly reports as we get underway for the up coming season. Good luck and be safe and check the ice out there!
John

Well after all this warm weather and rain most to all the ice around Bayfield co. is not safe now stay off for a bit.

Had 16 inches yesterday on a 250 acre lake near Hayward.