Wednesday, February 19, 2025
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Conditions improving for ice anglers

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It’s still not safe everywhere, but an extended stretch of cold air is firming up the ice on Green Bay and inland waters.

Anglers should use extra caution on rivers and offshore areas on Green Bay, where currents and strong winds had plenty of open water and/or thin spots earlier this week.

The best ice was found on smaller inland lakes and protected bays, harbors and nearshore areas on Green Bay.

Panfish, bass, pike and walleyes were being targeted on inland lakes, while rivers were giving up mixed bags of everything from panfish to whitefish, northern pike, walleye and trout.

Yellow perch, pike, walleyes and whitefish were being hooked on Green Bay, often in less than 10 feet of water while ice fishers wait for offshore areas to firm up.

Shove ice and slush were common on the east shore after a steady diet of strong northwest winds.

The long-term forecast is for temperatures in the teens and 20s, meaning ice will continue to build.

Anglers who haven’t been out should check at bait shops for the latest ice condition reports, including areas to avoid or spots that are foot traffic only.
North Shore Bait Company owner Paul Lukas of Oconto is concerned that some fishermen have been keeping too many large perch the past couple years.

“I’d like to see more of those 13- to 15-inch-plus perch released,” Lukas said. “They’re not good table fare anyway (compared to the smaller ones).”

He said he’s seen a few customers coming in for bait twice a day, increasing concerns about double-dipping on the bay’s 15-perch daily bag.

“There’s a lack of oversight, not enough wardens,” said Lukas. “That’s both for sport and commercial anglers. I’m a lot about conservation and preservation, yet I’m contributing by selling bait. I’ve lost some customers by letting them know my personal feelings, but it really bothers me.”

Lukas believes perch fishing is getting better because the walleye population is down, both from anglers catching and keeping so many for the past decade, and an increasing number of white pelicans scooping up spawning walleyes in the shallows each spring.

“We used to see maybe 20 pelicans in a year,” Lucas said. “Now there are hundreds here, and even more (on the Fox River at DePere).”

Bear harvest up
The five-week black bear harvest of 4,285 last fall was a big increase over the below-average take of 2,922 in 2023.

A massive acorn crop and other natural foods last year meant fewer bears coming to baits.

That left more around this year competing for less natural food.
Statewide, hunter success was about 37%, up from the five-year average of 31%.

Rates varied from a high of 71% in Zone A to less than 10 percent in Zones E and F, the latter which are marginal bear habitat at best.

Nearly 57% of the harvest came in the first five days of the season, with more than 1,000 registered opening day.

The harvest topped 1,200 in Zone A and was just under that in Zone D, while Zone B saw about 900 and Zone C about 800 taken.

There were 145 bear registered in Zone E, and 32 in Zone F.

The state bear population is estimated at around 23,000.

With more than 130,000 people applying, some of the most popular zones with have waits of a decade or more.

Weekly water levels
As of Jan. 3, Lake Michigan water levels had dropped eight inches in the past year, including two inches since early December.

Levels were four inches below the 100-year average, and 41 inches below the record January high, in 2020.

Still, lake levels were about 26 inches above the record monthly low, set in 2013.

Walleye meeting
The first in a series of fisheries meetings this winter, “Walleye Management in Florence and Forest Counties,” will be held from 6-8 p.m. Jan. 14 in Florence.
There’s a virtual option via Microsoft Teams; Meeting ID: 266 652 329 238; Passcode: mJ7Ar9S9.

Free fishing weekend
No licenses or trout stamps will be needed during Wisconsin’s annual winter Free Fishing Weekend Jan. 18-19, but all other regulations apply.
Fishing is free for both residents and non-residents.

Outdoors, bear, water levels, ice fishing, fish, walleye meeting, free fishing weekend

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