If your Little Bay de Noc hot spot is inside the boundaries of these yellow lines, you’ll be on treacherous ice. Not weak by any stretch, it’s solid ice with varying-sized jagged chunks protruding up everywhere. Encountering such ice, even at minimal speeds, will likely wreak havoc on any machine, not to mention the operator. The upper bay continues to develop thicker ice, measuring 8 to 11 1/2 inches. Eight-inch thick ice could be found under minimal snow. Bare ice measured 10 to 11 1/2 inches.
This week, the pressure cracks are going to do what they do with temperatures creeping over 32° and then dropping right back down at night. The pressure crack at the yellow gate ice access pushes up higher every day. There are some pine trees marking a spot that anglers have been using to get over, and it has been tested every time anyone crosses. So far, so good.
The Red Gate ice access by the Days River is in great condition. Once out past the mouth of the Days River, decide which side of the jagged minefield you’d like to fish before getting there. Then go that way around. The Kipling public launch is very good travel out with minimal pressure crack disturbances so far.
What an incredible gift Mother Nature has given us this ice season, allowing us to get started earlier than in so many years. And an excellent weather forecast to wrap up 2025. Enjoy it while it lasts.
Increasing your odds,
-Blade