Tim Ryan, tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
The sub-freezing cold snap earlier this month has emboldened winter fishing enthusiasts to start hitting the ice, but the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department is reminding those who venture out to exercise caution.
Sheriff Adam Bieber said he has heard reports of 3 to 6 inches of ice on Shawano Lake, but ice conditions vary depending on location.
People should check with local bait shops on current ice conditions, he said.
So far, there have been 4-wheelers and snowmobiles out on the ice, but not any of the heavy vehicles that authorities recommend against.
“We have not seen anyone with a motor vehicle and we would advise against anyone wanting to venture out on the ice with a motor vehicle,” Bieber said. “We would just advise people not to drive onto the lake but to use smaller recreational vehicles at their own risk if needed at all.”
The ice shacks that routinely populate the lake very year haven’t started popping up yet, but portable tents have started going up.
Bieber said the tents are a wise choice given the changing weather.
Temperatures have ticked back up to highs in the mid-30s over the past few days and the forecast calls for that to continue until New Year’s Eve.
There has already been at least one ice rescue so far this season, but not in Shawano County. A man went through the ice while fishing on Howes Lake in Crawford County over the weekend.
Authorities say the man would have frozen to death had he not been spotted by an employee of the nearby Camp Shawano Juvenile Detention Facility. He was rescued by Crawford County sheriff’s deputies after the employee called 911.
The Shawano County dive team is ready to respond to similar emergencies, but authorities obviously hope that won’t be necessary.
“Our dive team trains routinely in cold water and in different scenarios,” Bieber said. “We prefer to keep our exposure to cold water to training related and not have to do it for a real emergency.
“We hope everyone using the lake for recreation in the winter use common sense and take safety precautions so our emergency rescue crews do not have to risk their lives and equipment due to recklessness.”