Mid-February is giving us that classic late-winter weather mix. The sun is a little higher and hanging around longer, which always helps morale, and this week’s predicted temperatures will get us thinking Spring. Don’t fall for it! We’ve got plenty of winter left, no doubt.
Overall ice conditions across the Eagle River and Vilas County area remain solid, with most lakes continuing to show generally good ice in the 18 to 24” range or better. Travel has been easy where there’s been regular foot or machine traffic, as most of the slush we saw earlier has frozen up. Don’t worry, there will be plenty more where that came from!
Walleye fishing slowed over the last week or so. Fish are being caught most consistently at weed edges in the 12-18’ range, …
The February sun is a bit warmer, it’s out a bit longer, and has given us some nice days on the ice. The extreme cold we experienced recently definitely slowed the bite in general, but things are picking up nicely and we saw good action over the last weekend. Ice conditions in the Eagle River and Vilas County area continue to be generally in the 12–18 inch range. There are still some pressure cracks, shoreline heaves, and “layer cake” ice/snow/slush buildup in places, so take your time getting around on foot or machine, especially if you’re going off the beaten path.
The walleye bite remains one of the more consistent highlights of winter, although we did see a slowdown in action during the extreme cold. …
After another stretch of very cold weather and more to come, ice conditions around the area are continuing to improve for hardwater anglers. Continued small snowfalls and wind-driven snow redistribution have mostly stayed packed down on many lakes where there has been regular foot or machine travel, so getting around out there is getting much easier. We’re seeing ice in the 14 – 18” range or better throughout the area. It’s been a great season so far, despite some challenging weather to start.
Walleye action remains strong and is among the highlights of fishing right now. It was a good weekend despite the cold, with fish caught on weed edges and transitions in the typical mid-winter depths. Concentrate efforts in 8–14’ depths along structured breaks and weed edges, …
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. …