Published Saturday, January 8, 2005

By Sue Yanny/Gazette Staff

Ice fishers have ventured onto lakes in increasing numbers in Rock and Walworth counties in recent weeks, officials said.

But they should be careful.

"Treat all ice as if it were unsafe because conditions can change from hour to hour, day to day and body of water to body of water," said Boyd Richter, a warden for the state Department of Natural Resources who works in Rock County .

Lake Koshkonong is partly in Rock County , and it is the most popular body of water among winter sports enthusiasts in the area, Richter said.

People can safely walk on the lake ice now, but they shouldn't drive ATVs, snowmobiles, cars, trucks or campers, he said.

They should never walk or take vehicles on ice on the Rock River , which flows into Lake Koshkonong , he said.

People should measure the ice on Lake Koshkonong or any other body before venturing out, Richter said. They can do that by auguring a hole and then using a tape measure.

The ice should be at least 4 inches thick to support a person, 6 inches to support ATVs and snowmobiles and 12 inches to support cars and light trucks, he said.

People and vehicles have broken through the ice on Lake Koshkonong in the past, Richter said.

"Luckily, it's a shallow enough lake where if a vehicle goes through the ice, part of it will be visible," he said.

Like Koshkonong in Rock County , Delavan Lake in Walworth County is used heavily by winter sports enthusiasts.

And every winter, people break through the ice into deep, frigid waters.

Town of Delavan Police Chief Andrew Mayer said he has seen more people ice fishing on Delavan Lake this year than in any of the past six winters.

They initially were fishing near the Inlet on Highway 50 and are now scattered all over the lake , he said.

"The ice is relatively stable right now, but people should be aware that the snow might cover soft spots," he said.

"There is still open water under the Inlet bridge on Highway 50, and the ice around it is unstable there, as of Thursday."

Several people have already fallen into Delavan Lake this winter.

A woman drove her snowmobile into the open water under the Inlet bridge Wednesday. She pulled herself out of the water and was not injured. She hired a diver to locate her snowmobile, and a tow truck pulled it out of the lake Thursday .

An ice boater broke through the ice recently and pulled himself out of the water. He was not injured.

Richter and Mayer recommend that ice fishers tell their families or friends where they will be fishing. They should fish with other people and stay a distance apart so the other can help if one breaks through.

Richter and Mayer recommend that fishers carry ice picks so they can pull themselves out of the water if they break through the ice.

They should carry cell phones, too.

People fish largely for crappies in Koshkonong , Richter said. They fish for bluegills, perch, crappies, walleyes and northerns in Delavan Lake , he said.