Winter fishing starts with safety

NORTHEAST WIS. – Despite his experience as an outdoor guide, Travis Soletske learned the hard way how soft the ice was on the bay last year when his trailer carrying a four-wheeler broke through into two feet of frigid water at the shoreline.

Last week, Soletske of Amberg spent 48 hours on the icy Bay of Green Bay, taking shifts sleeping and staying alert to changes in the weather that could weaken the ice. A sudden cold front can lead to dangerous surface cracks, he said.

But beneath the ice, the perch were running hot.

“Between the six of us, we caught 75 to 85 perch. We didn’t keep anywhere near that amount,” he said.

As owner of Zero Dark Thirty Outfitters, Soletske was leading a group of six on a guided ice fishing trip.

With more sophisticated electronics to pinpoint where the fish are hanging out, it’s a matter of being prepared with just the lure or bait the fish are hungry for – and with plenty of gear designed to help keep warm. Soletske wears a Striker ice-fishing suit and brings several tents for shelter, he explained.

Ideally, team up with someone who has sonar electronics or underwater cameras to locate where the fish are, he said.

Successful ice-fishing isn’t dumb luck, he said. Neither is staying safe.

“Ice is never 100 percent safe. Go out with a friend if you’ve never been there before,” he said.

“Use common sense. If it doesn’t look safe, don’t go by it.”

Ensuring proper apparel is worn is essential to staying safe and enjoying ice fishing, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) shared.

They recommended wearing layers, including extra socks and an extra pair of gloves, as well as waterproof boots and ice cleats.

“Ice is never most secure on the bay,” Soletske said. “That changes daily.”

If fishing without a guide, it’s important to be prepared. Check the ice before setting up and pick an area where the ice is strong, experts said.

These tips are important for experienced fishers and newcomers alike ahead of Free Fishing Weekend.

With Free Fishing Weekend in Michigan coming up on Feb. 14 and 15 — when the State of Michigan waives fishing license fees — ice anglers of all skill levels are likely to try their hand at ice fishing in Menominee County. A $5 day pass is still required.

The Menominee Woods and Stream Sportsman’s Club has scheduled its 61st Annual Ice Fishing Derby, with food and a raffle, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 14 at Shakey Lakes County Park, N-8390 County Park Road in Stephenson, Mich.

“Take the opportunity and go,” Soletske said. “One thing you can never get back is time.”
Since he was a kid, Soletske said he has fished on Shakey Lakes as his aunt has a place there. “It’s an all-around great fishery to go fishing in,” he said.

“It has a very good, healthy fish population,” he said, noting the Northern pike, bass, “huge blue gills” and crappy.

Bring a fishing pole and a gig pole, somebody to drill holes and a stud bar to open up some holes, he said. Fresh bait or a couple of lures also are a necessity. Knowing where to set up involves understanding the sun, barometric pressure and how to use technology.

“It gives you confidence to stay in the spot because you know fish are there,” he said.

Then comes patience. Soletske suggested sticking with spots that have proven successful. “You don’t leave fish to find them,” he advised, recommending people try switching out their bait instead.

In Marinette County, Soletske recommends ice fishing on the Peshtigo River at Cauldron Falls and High Falls in the Athelstane area. The water is generally frozen solid except for under the bridge, he said.

Soletske typically makes two to three ice-fishing trips a week or 45 or 50 guided trips a winter, he said.

He doesn’t travel light. He supplies fishing gear, heated shacks, hard shacks and pop-up tents, meals and electronics to pinpoint where the fish are hanging out.

“The tents are set up; the holes are drilled. They just show up and fish,” he said of his clients.

Many people try ice fishing for the camaraderie, he said, while others hope to catch dinner.
“A lot of people think the fish taste better out of cold water,” he noted.

Whether fishing for food or friendship, make sure to find time for a safe trip out on the ice this winter.