LAKE WINNEBAGO, WI (WTAQ) – With record high temperatures around the area on Tuesday and rain in the forecast, the ice fishing season is coming to a fairly abrupt end.
It takes a while for ice to thicken up enough for anglers to wander out onto Lake Winnebago, but it doesn’t take much warm weather to turn it into slush.
“It’s a beautiful day out today. The ice is really getting bad, so I’m recommending no more vehicle travel on Lake Winnebago,” said Don Herman of Sunk? Dive and Ice Service.
Herman posted an ice update report on Facebook this week with that recommendation, but adding that four-wheelers and UTVs could still be used if you really need them.
Herman knows the lake’s ice as well as anyone. And while he makes money by pulling vehicles out of the ice, it’s not something anyone likes to see.
“Remember with this warm weather, shorelines are going to deteriorate fast. So just be careful out there,” Herman said. “It’s coming to the end of the season here shortly, so be safe. And remember, the ice is never 100-percent safe.”
Temperatures across Northeast Wisconsin are expected to be in the 50’s throughout the week and drop into the 40’s this weekend.
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