Ice Conditions, Weather Reports, and More!

Topping 47° this hump day and surprisingly hard to find slush, except in deeper snow from shack scabs. Beaten by the sun, the drifted snow on the Bay has been evaporating just as quickly as it melts. Thursday’s forecast predicts clouds moving in, with rain on the docket for Friday night, clearing out early Saturday…

The top five questions asked at the shop: 1. Is there snow on the Bay? Yes. 2. Are trucks driving out? Yes. 3. How thick is the ice? 20″ or more. 4. Do you have wigglers? Yes. 5. I’m coming up next week; will I still be able to drive my truck out? I’ll let…

Starting off crisp on this 2nd day of March at -2° just before sunrise on Little Bay de Noc. By mid-morning, the mercury jumped 35 degrees for a brief time, only to drop back down below freezing, heading to a forecasted low of 24° tonight. This syrup-running weather pattern is likely to continue for the…

Friday was the perfect day to be on the bay. The high temperature of 42°F softened the snow and made it easier to get around, and the landings were as good as they get. With blue skies and the sun beating down, off came the layers and out came the sunscreen. There were a couple…

Cold weather has tightened things up, and slush hasn’t been an issue while traveling the Bay. However, some of the deeper snow to the north has the potential to hold slush, which could hinder any vehicle without much clearance or poor tires. The landings are very good and as lump-free as possible. A beautiful day…

**Well Groomed Paths** One of my posse and I have been talking about grooming paths on the Bay in an attempt to knock down some of the lumps at landings, as well as pack down a couple of arteries onto the Bay. We all know that plowing snow tends to cause deep drifting, making it…

**Minimal Occupancy** With three weekends left in the walleye season, anglers have taken a break, primarily due to severe winter weather and travel conditions on the Bay. Other than by foot, tracked machines are the best way to get around. Well-treaded tires or tires equipped with studs or chains will make a significant difference when…

Only a few anglers ventured out onto the ice today, whether it was due to the strong breeze that has been continually blowing for a couple of days now or the intimidating situation at the landings. Heavy traffic, as the cold weather sets in, is the only way to get these landings back in good…

Jeepers, what a mess from Friday to the present! Winds are blowing at 20 mph out of the north, with gusts exceeding 35 mph. While the wind is common here, a foot of snow accumulation over the weekend isn’t. Typically, we experience more gradual accumulation events, and then the snow blows elsewhere. This batch, however,…