What a winter we’re having! A stretch of really cold weather has helped firm things up across the Eagle River and Vilas County area, and the cold has continued and and is intensifying into this week. Overall ice conditions continue to improve. Snow cover remains a factor, but in many areas it has packed down nicely, especially those places where there’s been regular foot or machine traffic. That said, there are still pockets of slush and uneven ice out there, so beware. Ice thickness across most area lakes is generally running in the 12–16” range, so we’re in good shape in most places.
Walleye fishing continues to be very good, although we might see a slow down with this cold. We’re still seeing action along weed edges and transition areas in the 10–14’ range at the time of this writing. …
**It is FREE FISHING weekend here in Wisconsin, so residents and non-residents can fish the 17th and 18th, without a license! There is also a great family tournament happening in St. Germain on the 17th. Go to the Facebook page for Battle on St Germain Lakes for all the information.
We’re into mid-January now, and experiencing a typical winter is nice! Recent snow and cold have generally improved ice thickness across the Eagle River and Vilas County area, but travel and conditions remain somewhat variable and occasionally tricky. Snow has helped pack down slush in some spots, and where there has been either foot or machine traffic getting around isn’t too difficult. Other areas are still soft and uneven, so patience and caution are important. …
We’ve officially turned the calendar to 2026, and winter is starting to show a little more consistency here in the Northwoods. After the snow that arrived late last week, followed by colder temperatures, ice conditions are generally improving, though travel has become more challenging. Snow cover has locked in some slush in low spots and that’s likely to be the biggest hurdle for anglers over the coming week. Patience and caution are still very much required.
Ice conditions around the Eagle River area remain variable. Most reports are still putting ice thickness in the 8-12” range, depending on location, with some thicker pockets where ice formed earlier and stayed protected – and thinner spots, too, to keep it interesting. …
We’re closing out 2025 and heading into the New Year with winter finally feeling a bit more like winter, even if it hasn’t been a picture-perfect Northwoods deep freeze. It seems we’ve got that coming later this week. The snow we got Sunday into Monday will have a big impact on “getting around” out there – slush is going to be the name of the game for a while. Let’s hope the predicted cold holds.
Ice thickness continues to vary across the Eagle River area. Overall, ice is decent, though it still remains pretty classic “early-season”—uneven, variable, and very dependent on location. Snow cover (a bigger issue after the storm), pressure cracks, and shoreline heaves are still factors to watch closely, …