DNR reminds anglers to steer clear of ice until it's thick enough

Monday, December 12, 2016
Clint Berge | WQOW

Eau Claire (WQOW) - The cold weather may have you wanting to drop a line through the ice, but the DNR wants you to wait. 

Scott Thiede, with the DNR post in Eau Claire, told News 18 he was out on Lake Altoona Sunday and saw ice anglers out there. He measured a thickness of two and a half inches of ice -- which is about an inch and a half less than recommended to walk on.

Thiede said the snow we received over the weekend will add weight to the ice and insulate it from the extreme cold temperatures coming our way, which will keep the water from freezing as quickly. He recommends if you do plan to go out on the lake, take an ice pick, which is a metal pole with a sharp end, to check ice depth as you go.

"You know, we will get good ice as the season progresses," Thiede said. "Be patient, it is never worth endangering somebody just to get to that first early ice. So be patient, have a plan and enjoy yourself when you're out fishing."

Thiede recommends checking with your local bait shop to keep up with ice conditions and always take a phone with you so you can get help if you run into trouble. 

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