SHAWANO, WI (WTAQ) – Shawano County Sheriff’s Department is warning ice enthusiasts to be careful with early ice.
Ice experts in the area also agree.
This year’s early ice is a little different than past years according to Cory Kuhn of Kuhn’s Bait and Tackle in Shawano.
“We can just look out there and you can see the spots because they stick out,” Kuhn says. “There is only about three inches of ice there and there are also spots that are completely open yet.
Kuhn says open spots is not uncommon with early ice. He says one mistake people make is to assume that large areas of ice are okay if they see people or vehicles out there.
“You just always assume because you see someone there that it is safe. No, not necessarily it might be safe right there, but if you go off to the side it might not be. That is early ice on all bodies of water.”
Large areas of open water or thin ice on the South Shore of Shawano Lake and while it is visible to see those spots now, that may not be the case soon.
“Now if we get a little bit of snow out there and it covers those spots up, you are not going to be able to see them and know where they are.”
The safety reminders include sharing your plans to be on the ice with someone or go out with someone and research ice conditions.
According to the Sheriff’s Department, Large areas of open water or dangerously thin ice are being reported this week on the south shore of Shawano Lake, between the Island and the historical marker on State Highway 22.
