Keith Lusher 12.17.25
Cold December temperatures have jump-started the ice fishing season across parts of northeast Wisconsin, drawing anglers onto bays and smaller lakes earlier than usual while safety experts urge caution.
With temperatures running 10 to 15 degrees below normal in the Fox Valley, ice has begun forming on sheltered waters such as Little Lake Butte des Morts and bays around Lake Winnebago. Larger bodies of water, including much of the Fox River and Lake Winnebago, remain mostly open.
Several anglers said the early cold snap pushed them onto the ice weeks ahead of a typical season, which usually runs from late December through March, depending on conditions. Many relied on bait shops, local reports, and the presence of other anglers to judge whether ice was safe enough to fish.
Ice fishing activity has picked up in places like Asylum Bay near Oshkosh, where anglers have begun setting up early-season shanties. The stretch of frigid weather has also coincided with the return of the Wisconsin Ice Fishing Expo, which runs Dec. 12 through Dec. 14 at the EAA Grounds in Oshkosh.
According to reporting from WFRV Local 5, Oshkosh-area ice expert Don Herman said most of the ice currently forming across Lake Winnebago bays measures only 2 to 3 inches thick.
Herman, who has spent decades plowing lakes and retrieving vehicles and ice shanties that fall through the ice, recommends at least 4 inches of ice for walking, 6 to 10 inches for ATVs, and 12 to 15 inches for larger vehicles. He said ice conditions can change rapidly as cracks form and temperatures fluctuate, making early-season ice especially unpredictable.
Despite the risks, local bait shops report increased business as anglers take advantage of early ice, when larger fish often move into deeper water. Shop owners and experts alike stress that no catch is worth risking a fall through thin ice.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources continues to remind anglers that no ice is ever completely safe and urges people to check local reports, fish with partners, and carry safety equipment, such as ice picks and flotation devices, when venturing onto the ice.
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