SE Wi / NE Il area Ice Fishing Report 2/2/12

Fishing around the border area lakes has picked up a bit this week with the warmer weather, unfortunately the weather is starting to take it's toll on the ice conditions. That being said yes there is still safe ice available to fish on but problem areas like springs, current, inlets, etc are popping up so if you do not know the lake & it's "bad spots" stay off the ice!

Lake Delavan - Ice conditions vary, the bays are holding up with 5 to 6" of ice, some crappies & gills being reported. (NOTE) The fishing portion of the Lake-Link derby has been cancelled due to unsafe ice conditions mid lake and other areas. for more details there is a thread here on this forum with a press release or visit their site.. If you fish this lake please stay in the bays!

Lake Geneva - Geneva Bay was just getting safe ice & a few brave souls were out picking up some nice gills, I have not been there in a couple days & would recommend staying off what little ice remains for now. From the narrows west the lake has remained wide open, had a call from one of the area guides that he was going to take the boat out, will follow up with his results.

Powers Lake - 5 - 6" of ice & holding up, be careful around the inlet tube by the launch on the north end. We picked up quite a few small pike this week, crappies are off & on in shanty town, 12-18' over standing weeds (which are tough to find this year) on plastics & shiners. Smaller Gills & Perch have been plentiful in 6' - 8' fow with weeds, Walleye are just plain tough out here, we did see one caught at daybreak on Monday & my son finally nabbed a fat 16"er with a belly full of baby bluegill who smacked his little atom tipped with a single spike for desert.

Twin Lakes - Mary (North Twin) Pretty much the same ice conditions here 5 - 6" of ice, Lots of small Pike being caught with a stray nice fish mixed in, tons of small gills & perch to sort thru to bring home a meal but they are there.

Twin Lakes - Elizabeth (South Twin) 5" - 6" of ice, Pike & a few bass on tip-ups, mixed bags of perch & gills again a lot of sorting. Most are fishing in the crowd off 100 steps.

Camp & Center Lakes - 5" - 6" of ice. Lots of pike activity on tip-ups shallow 3' - 8' FOW with weeds, crappie bite has been tough, gills & perch are off & on near weed edges in 12FOW

Paddock Lake - 5" of ice, The only reports I'm hearing about out there have been small gills & perch in 5'-8' fow with a few pike & bass on tip-ups in the same area

Pell Lake - Ice conditions vary, 2" - 6", There's a few regulars who have been picking up some nice crappies out here, but I've also seen the Fire dept out on the lake twice this week, so altho I've not seen anything in the local news regarding their calls out there common sense says to stay away for now.

Fox River Wi. & Il. side of border - Wide open, water is very low due to winter draw down, A good friend was out in the boat early in the week & found some white bass & smaller walleye relating to new current in areas of deep holes with runoff coming in from the melting snow.

Bangs lake - Ice 4"-5" & degrading, Some limits of panfish still being caught out in front of the marina. NOTE: The walk on Water Ice derby & fund raiser has been cancelled due to current ice conditions & future weather outlook.. Be Very careful if you venture out on this lake!

Fox Chain Channel Lake, Ice conditions 3"-5", tough bite on panfish with most gills in the 5"-6" range, some crappies in the evening all in the south bay, I've heard pretty much the same reports from the North end with the exception of a few old timers who have the channel cats dialed in along with an rare walleye.

Fox Chain Lake Marie - Ice conditions vary a lot on this lake due to many areas with current there is open water up to 5" in some of the bays, early in the week a few walleyes & mixed in drum were taken in areas with current, along with a few white bass in 12"-15" fow. This is one of those lakes that if you don't know it, STAY OFF!

Fox Chain Pistakee, Fox, Bluff, Nippersink & Grass Lakes- I haven't heard to much happening out on these lakes the last few days due to lack of ice & in general poor fishing, but if this weather stays warm I know a few others as well as myself will be getting the boat wet soon!

Other Area News

The 1st annual Kenosha County Youth Ice derby scheduled for this saturday at KD Park has been cancelled due to unsafe ice, This is a shame as this "New" lake (former strip pit) is virtually an untapped gem, which is a barbless C&R lake that so far has only been open to the public a handful of dates since the county acquired it. I was looking forward to taking my grandson out to this event along with a few of his neighborhood friends & their dads.