Warm weather and rain over the past week has created thin ice and open water on many lakes throughout Wisconsin, especially in the southern half of the state, which recreational safety specialists say are now generally unsafe and caution that anglers, snowmobilers and others venturing out on ice could be taking very real and potentially deadly safety risks.
While ice may appear okay, it is very thin in spots and becoming honeycombed, which makes it much weaker. Anyone who does venture out should never go out alone, wear a life jacket or floatation vest, be sure to carry ice picks or large nails for pulling oneself to safety if they fall through and avoid rivers, springs or other areas with moving water.
Snow cover has generally disappeared from the southern half of the state, and most counties in the south have closed snowmobile trails and cross-country ski trails at parks and forests have reverted back to hiking trails, but are generally too icy for hiking. Some areas of the north still have about a foot of snow on the ground, while other areas have as little as 3 to 4 inches. Snowmobile trails in the north have been receiving heavy use and many have deteriorated. Cross-country ski trails in the north have been soft during warm periods and have turned icy when temperatures drop. Check the Department of Tourism Snow Conditions Report - Exit DNR for trail reports.
Candlelight skis are scheduled at a number of state parks and forests over the next two weekends, but some have already been cancelled for this weekend due to lack of snow and icy conditions. Others will be held as hikes if there is not enough snow. People interested in attending these events should call the park or forest directly to confirm if the event will be held.
In the north, action was good for panfish in some areas, but sporadic in others. Bluegills and crappies were being caught in weedy bays; small jigs tipped with spikes or waxworms worked best for bluegills, while crappie were most often taken on crappie minnows or small plastic baits. A few fair catches of perch have also been reported. Walleye action continued to generally be slow, with success better toward dusk and just after dark. Northern pike success has been fair to good, with some decent catches being made in the mid-day period on tip-ups baited with large golden shiners or smelt.
The rain dealt southern ice anglers a significant blow just as ice fishing was in full swing and panfish were really biting. Shallower lakes were developing open water along some shorelines. Bluegill, crappie and perch fishing had been especially good and many undersized northern pike were also caught
There have been a fair number of anglers on the ice at Little Sturgeon Bay, but the Bay of Green Bay is open water at 100 yards from shore. The main channel of the Mississippi River and the lower Wisconsin River have started to open up in the last week.
Bears should be giving birth to their cubs in their dens now. Bears are not true hibernators; their metabolism slows down and they sleep heavily, but wake up periodically to care for their cubs. White-tail bucks are beginning to shed antlers. A number of snowy owls have been being sighted around Wisconsin and a few great gray owls have been seen in the Superior area, and a count in mid December found nearly 200 bald eagles roosting along the lower Wisconsin River.
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