OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – With the start of the new year, attention is turning towards the ice fishing season.
Don Herman with Otter Street Fishing Club frequently measures the depth of the ice out on Lake Winnebago. He said it’s almost time for huts to begin appearing on the ice.
“It hasn’t changed much since I checked it a few days ago because we really haven’t had any cold weather. But now, we’re going to get cold weather in the next couple of weeks. People are getting excited.”
Herman told FOX 11 fluctuations in the weather have been troublesome.
“I’m hoping in about a week and a half, we’ll be able to put our four wheel bridges out, if the weather stays around zero. Everybody’s hoping for below zero. I know most people don’t want that, but ice fisherman do.”
The four-wheel bridges are just one thing the fishing club does to keep anglers safe. Donated Christmas trees are used to line safe roadways out on the ice. Herman told us it may be a couple of weeks before you see them out on Lake Winnebago.
“We need some below zero. All day,” he said. “It gains about a half inch to an inch, when it gets right around zero in a 24-hour period.”
Herman is also the founder of SUNK? Dive and Ice Service, which helps pull vehicles out of the ice. He says they’ve been busy.
“I haven’t recovered any vehicles, but a bunch of four wheelers and snow mobiles,” he said.
Herman wants to remind those who venture out on the lake for the season: “Whenever you’re out here, no matter if it’s 14 or 20 inches, the ice is never 100% safe.”
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