SHAWANO, WI – Shawano Lake may look fully locked up after the recent snowstorm, but DNR Warden Clark Delzer is urging anglers not to mistake a frozen surface for safe conditions. Delzer says early ice is often unpredictable and can vary widely in strength, even within the same lake.
“Every year when we have ice out there, we have a guy that tries to go out there a little bit too early,” Delzer said. “Don’t be that guy that goes out and tries to fish on a couple inches of ice.”
While colder temperatures next week should help thicken ice across Shawano County, Delzer stresses the importance of checking ice depth frequently and understanding that conditions can change fast. “There’s some spots where the ice is better, where ice is worse,” he said. “Usually Cecil Bay is the first to get good ice. North Shore is always kind of dicey.”
Delzer also reminds fishermen to put safety first by carrying a flotation device, ice picks, and other emergency gear every time they venture onto the ice, no matter how solid it may appear.
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