Ice fishermen near Voyageur Park on the Fox River in De Pere, January 17, 2024. PC: Fox 11 Online
DE PERE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — As the colder weather continues throughout Northeast Wisconsin, some are getting ready to head out to the frozen waterways for some outdoor fun.
Included in those plans, might be the Department of Natural Resources’ offer called the “Free Fishing Weekend.”
With walleye reported to be biting on the Fox River downstream of the De Pere Dam, many anglers are taking to the newly-formed ice. Chisel in hand, Kyle Brickler tests his luck Wednesday morning.
“Last I heard, there’s about three inches of ice. That was Monday. So hopefully, it’s about four or five today,” said Kyle Brickler, Bellevue.
For those angling on the river, and around the state, a resident annual fishing license is $20, but on Saturday, January 20, and Sunday, January 21, it’s free.
“It’s a great recruitment tool, to get more people to try something new. Maybe there’s a lot of people who tried open-water fishing, it’s your opportunity to try ice fishing,” said Kayla Sasse, DNR Outdoor Skills Trainer.
Kayla Sasse, says there will be learn to ice fish clinics throughout the state, and for those who don’t have gear, the Howard DNR office is also a tackle-loaner site.
“It’s fundamentally different than open-water. You’re dealing with different weather, different equipment,” she said.
Sasse says dealing with those weather conditions has an impact.
“I don’t know that there’s many places in the state that are taking vehicles out on the ice at all. Most of it will be just walking. And you have to remember, before this deep-freeze that we’ve been in this week, there was a lot of open water across the state,” she said.
Back on the ice, Kyle Brickler takes it slow.
“This year is a late ice season. Usually, we’re out here late November, early December. And it’s been an extreme weather pattern with warm weather, then getting super cold. So finally, got some ice out there. So I’m going to give it a try,” he said.
The DNR free-fishing weekend started in the summer of 1994.
The winter version has been around since 2012.
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