The ice is in great condition, just be careful if you plan on driving out from the boat landing. A truck went through a couple weeks ago. This area has a current that feeds the box in Stoddard and claims a few vehicles every year.
As far as the fishing, I haven’t put foot in the area for a while now. Normally this time of the year I would concentrate more on the North end of the box in the deep holes looking for crappies.
Perch and gills I’m sure can still be found in the channels with some hunting around. If you are not marking fish stay on the move until you find them.
Good luck to you guys