Carmody County Park boat landing in Door County, January 10, 2024. PC: Fox 11 Online
DOOR COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A familiar ice fishing spot is being recognized as the best in the country.
An online platform called “Fishing Booker” ranks Green Bay as the best ice fishing destination for 2024.
But with open water in most places, some say the season, so far, is far from ideal.
Waves crash ashore near Little Sturgeon Bay in Door County. Experts say the area is a popular place to fish through the ice.
“It kind of was a very mild fall, going into a really mild December. And it’s kind of the result of what we have here. We’re pretty behind on the ice conditions,” said JJ Malvitz, JJ’s Guide Service.
Malvitz, a professional ice fishing guide, charters trips on the frozen surface each winter. He says last year’s poor conditions forced him to cancel his season.
“It’s a huge responsibility taking people out on the ice. Safety is number one. It will always be number one. And it’s a very calculated decision when going out there and making sure the conditions are right,” said Malvitz.
It’s a waiting game for some area business owners too.
“This is about as bad as I can remember. Last year we started late, but at least we could walk out Christmas, New Year’s time. We had a bunch of anglers that like to walk out and hit that early ice, and get on the great bite. And that’s non-existent this year,” said Travis Stangel, Stevenson Pier Mini Mart owner.
Stangel says seasonal sales are slow.
“I can tell you, we haven’t sold any ice fishing tackle this year, which is tough. While we’re fully-stocked to whatever you need. Jigs, rods, tip-ups, nothing’s going, because there’s no place to use it,” he said.
But Malvitz is hopeful, with the forecast calling for some colder temperatures on the horizon.
“There’s a lot of water to freeze, but like I said earlier, it doesn’t take a lot to make the bay freeze. You just need those advantageous conditions of calm winds, super cold, to really help that ice form across the bay,” he said.
The season on the waters of Green Bay could pick up as conditions improve.
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