OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — With temperatures climbing into the 50s this week, Wisconsin's beloved sturgeon spearing tradition on Lake Winnebago faces new safety challenges as thousands of anglers head onto the ice.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and local fishing clubs are urging extra caution as the warmer weather threatens ice conditions during the peak of spearing season.
"You know the ice can go from great to not so great really quickly," said Ryan Propson, a conservation warden with the DNR.
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Despite the concerns, fishing clubs say the ice remains solid for now. The lake currently has more than 20 inches of ice coverage, which is better than conditions seen in recent years.
"It's good solid ice, better than we've seen in a few years, but that doesn't mean it's safe. Ice is never safe," Propson said.
Bob Habel, vice president of the Otter Street Fishing Club, has been monitoring conditions closely. His crew has been moving bridges away from weakening spots on the ice as temperatures rise.
"We're still over 20 inches of ice, there's still snow over the middle of the lake, so we'll lose an inch maybe too but you're not going to see boats running around," Habel said.
However, he warns that conditions near river mouths are deteriorating rapidly.
"I think with the warm and the rain you want to stay away from the mouth river, they've lost quite a bit of ice in these last few days, they're down to a foot of ice," Habel said.
The DNR recommends several safety precautions for anyone venturing onto the ice:
- Drive slowly on ice roads
- Bring ice picks and a life jacket
- Check in with local fishing clubs or bait shops for current conditions
- Stick to clearly marked paths and roads
- Tell someone where you're going
"That first quarter mile off of shore, that's going to be your most dangerous ice coming out here," Habel said.
Officials emphasize that spearers should follow established routes where most people are traveling and avoid areas near river mouths where ice is thinning fastest.
"I would definitely be dialing up the attention, and I would be putting a lot of caution at where you're traveling," Propson said.
The warming trend is expected to continue through the week, but fishing club officials believe the ice will hold through the temperature spike.
"Be careful the next couple days, I like to tell people don't come out the next three days and we'll be okay but that's not going to happen," Habel said.
The DNR advises checking local fishing club websites and social media pages for the most current ice condition updates before heading out.
The sturgeon spearing season has been successful so far, with 779 sturgeon harvested on Lake Winnebago as of Saturday, representing 56% of the harvest cap. The upriver season has already ended after reaching 90% of its harvest cap with 75 sturgeon taken.
