Rescue crews spent much of the morning recovering 62 people that were trapped on an ice floe.
Officials told WBAY the situation could ve been a lot worse.
Those on the ice noticed a break at around 9 a.m., but by then it was too late.
The floating ice had broken off, traveling more than 1,000 feet away from ice attached to land, trapping the fishermen.
The mild winter until this week likely played a big part in this.
One man assisting in the rescue effort said in his 30-plus years fishing on Sturgeon Bay, he s never seen such an incident. In my years of being on this ice, I ve seen it open north, south, but I ve not seen it where you got a split going to the west in that north-south region, and there must be a super strong current today. I ve never seen that, said Dale Stroschein, who assisted in the effort.
Ice boats and helicopters were called in for the rescue Thursday in Door County
Fishermen became trapped when ice broke free and drifted into Lake Michigan
The Coast Guard and multiple agencies rescued a total of 66 people
Ice fishing is a time-honored winter sport in the Great Lakes region
But officials warn to be mindful of dangers and equipped for an emergency
Modified Jan 11th, 2021 at 11:25 AM
Grand Prairie, TX (January 11, 2020) The cold temperatures are settling in, and the visions of open water fishing are coming to a close. Ice anglers all over the upper Midwest have already taken to the early ice in pursuit of that first and quite often a very good early ice bite. Here are a few tips from Freshwater Hall of Fame Angler and guide Dale Stroschein, as well as some of the best Ice fishing experts around to help you put more fish on the ice this season.
1. Safety is the number priority for Dale Stroschein. Dale never takes ice conditions for granted, with over 37 years of guiding on the ice under his belt. “Just because you see someone way out on the ice doesn’t mean it’s ok to venture out there yourself,” say’s Dale. The ice conditions will vary from spot to spot, and not everyone has the same sense of security on the ice as others. Dale never steps onto the ice without a good set of ice picks (which are included on every Fr
Modified Dec 12th, 2020 at 7:14 AM
Grand Prairie, TX (December 11, 2020) Brian “Bro” Brosdahl took the annual Road Show online for 2020, and it evolved into the Frabill College of Ice letting ice anglers across the country learn from the masters in the comfort of their own homes. Catch episodes live when they air to chat with some of ice fishing’s greatest anglers, or tune in later to catch up on all the great tips to make you more productive out on the ice.
In the first episode, Bro sat down with host Steve Pennaz and Dale Stroschein to talk all things ice. The trio discussed the differences between straight line and spinning reels, and when to use each. They also covered the key differences between mono and fluorocarbon lines and what they mean out on the ice. Techniques to target various depth ranges and big fish techniques were also covered in depth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JopeIuP3Evk