OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – With temperatures hovering around the freezing mark, conditions on some area lakes are causing concern.
From the safety of the ground near the Merritt Avenue Landing in Oshkosh, Gary Monday checks out the Lake Winnebago conditions.
“It doesn’t look good, especially along the shoreline. They get that runoff, and it just deteriorates the ice,” said Monday.
A little farther north, at Millers Bay, open water is spotted along the shoreline here. And, at Asylum Bay, only a few anglers test their luck on a soggy Monday morning.
“The conditions this year, as everybody knows, the weather’s obviously been very warm. On Lake Winnebago, the ice conditions are holding up fairly well, considering the weather we’ve been having. For the most part, there’s anywhere from five to 10 to 11 inches of ice,” said Chad Burns, Burnsies’ Guide Service Owner.
Burns says warm weather impacts the shorelines.
“The sun shines down on that shallow water and that actually heats up the rocks, and it actually starts to melt the ice from the bottom up.”
Burns says a week of cold weather will help. Until then, he says walking is advised.
“Boy, just use common sense. Take your safety gear. Take your ice picks. Take your spud bar. Wear a float suit out there because the conditions change every day.”
Back at Merritt Avenue, the landing gate is latched, and old Christmas trees mark some cracks in the ice.
Gary Monday says he doesn’t mind the mild weather.
“I like it. We’ve been pretty lucky, I guess. So far, we haven’t had a whole lot of snow or anything. It’s good. It’s not good for the ice fishermen.”
No ice is ever considered to be 100% safe.
The clock is ticking, with big events approaching. The 2023 Sturgeon Spearing Season on the Lake Winnebago System begins on Feb. 11.
