I hate to be at odds about ice conditions with those highly trained professionals who work or volunteer to provide Delta County safety and rescue services. I respect their commitment and look upon them as pillars of our community.
The reports I provide require constant attention to ice that changes daily north of the narrows of Gladstone. “The Upper Bay”. I never take anyones word on any ice I’ve not stood, walked, drove or drilled. I’ve viewed the produced footage of the Delta County Sheriff air boat in route to rescue an angler that drove their quad in an area of the Upper Bay, an area no angler should be on with a machine….EVER! The drone footage, with all the open water, is evidence of that. I just reported on this area February 11th, 2024. “I stopped before approaching the shallows below the Days River. I never venture onto that ice unless I’m walking with a spud bar.”
The Days River sandbar does extend out into the Bay nearly a mile and is clearly evident with every mobile map app or hard copy version of the Bay. The sheriffs department drone footage shows the airboat broke up a lot of ice around the rescue area. No big deal. I’m not going there and nobody else should either. But I would like to know where that thing pushed through the ice on the way out there at those speeds. That’s 4000 pounds of air boat pushing down on the ice. Where is the line they took to rescue that angler? If GPS navigation was on and created a line, that would be beneficial information to keep anglers safe. The statement that Little Bay de Noc ice is dangerous, “Please stay off the ice” is not only inaccurate but has confused so many anglers. Otherwise, anglers wouldn’t be asking these two questions.
1. Have landings been blocked off so we can’t access?
2. Will we get fined or ticketed if we go ice fishing on Little Bay de Noc?
The Delta County Sheriffs Office reported, “during this rescue members observed very unsafe ice conditions. Of course, the location the angler went in was unsafe and riddled with pockets of open water. For years now I’ve witnessed too many people end up dropping in the drink. Not once has anybody gone through ice they’ve checked for safety in front of them. In fact, the instances this season reported in the media that people have “broken through the ice” in most cases are completely false. They’ve literally driven into open water. There’s a big difference.
I’ve outfitted over 50 anglers on 21 overnight adventures this season. In addition to that with our 21’ All Season Sports Trailers or a flatbed aluminum trailer, I’ve shuttled 8 groups of anglers out on the Bay with all their gear to fish safely this hard water season. We’ve hauled out anglers with various methods depending on ice with a side-by-side, 4 wheeler or a Wilcraft. We’ve busted through some landings and taken other than direct routes to safely navigate to our destination on the Bay. ICE is not dangerous. People are.
It’s Valentine’s Day. I’m taking my woman ice fishing on Little Bay de Noc. You should too!
Increasing your odds,
-Blade
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