OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — Warm January temperatures have created dangerous ice conditions on Lake Winnebago, forcing ice fishing enthusiasts to take extra precautions as they navigate the popular winter destination.
Watch Kyle Langellier's full broadcast story here:
Paul "Coot" Williams, CEO of Coot Lures and a decades-long veteran of the lake, recently showed me areas where the ice has caved in, revealing the lake bottom beneath.
"You can actually see where the ice caved in, that's actually the bottom right there," Williams said. "Don't come down here, don't drive on it because you're going to go through easily."
Despite the challenging conditions, the lake continues to attract visitors. However, warm weather has made some traditional entrances unusable, requiring fishers to find alternative access points.
"I'm trying to scan ahead of me, trying to see where people have been," Williams said as we traveled across the ice in his UTV.
During our trip, we encountered Paul Fotit from Kaukauna, an old high school friend of Williams. Fotit demonstrated how he modified his vehicle with a smaller, lighter motor to better distribute weight across the ice.
"The footprint of it, the weight is distributed more you can go on a lot less ice and be safe," Fotit said. "Right now, I would not take a car or heavier vehicle."
The precautions come after Winnebago County recorded more than 25 rescue calls last year. Both Williams and Fotit believe many of these incidents could have been prevented with better knowledge of ice safety basics.
The National Weather Service recommends four inches of ice for foot travel, 5-7 inches for ATVs, 9-10 inches for cars and at least 16 inches for heavy duty trucks. On Wednesday, Winnebago's ice measured about 10 inches, though conditions vary across the lake.
"Follow tracks if you can, try not to joyride around the lake because you never know, you might find that one spot that won't hold that vehicle," Williams said.
When navigating this winter's warmer temperatures, experts emphasize the golden rule: no ice is safe ice. Always tell someone if you're planning to go out on the water.
