Landings are a gauntlet of rough, frozen slush ruts. Once traffic disperses onto the bay, it’s mostly smooth wind blown ice. Any snow remaining is in drifts amongst the slush ruts or towards the top of the bay. There is a chance for a dusting of snow over the next couple of days. A couple of inches would be great for insulating fish shacks when next week’s polar vortex moves into town. It looks like ideal weather conditions for the weekend. Ice is getting thicker by the day, with the exception of shallows and areas with currents. Even though it’s below freezing, an inch or more of rain fell across the U.P. in the last week, increasing the flow from rivers and creeks and compromising ice at the mouths of those tributaries. I think most people know the areas of concern on the upper bay. At least 4 out of 5 anglers I am aware of who went into the drink by Butler’s Reef knew. But even if you know, you need to be smart, pay attention to your location, and navigate wisely. Or don’t go—especially in the dark.
Increasing your odds,
-Blade