Muskegon Lake Ice Warning-Tug Barge Arrival

Ice fisherman have a few more days to move their shanties before a barge and tug cut through Muskegon Lake.




The barge's arrival was scheduled for Friday night, but has been pushed back to Wednesday. The time of its arrival is not yet available.



Muskegon Lake will be unsafe for ice fishing for at least a week after the barge breaks the ice, said Nathan Jandt, an employee at North Muskegon bait shop Adam's Angler Archer.



Ice fishing conditions already are marginal because an early January thaw melted the ice, and subsequent snows insulated the lake surface, making it slushy, Jandt said. He estimated that most parts of Muskegon Lake have 4 or 5 inches of ice, with some snow and slush on top.



Safety guidelines dictate ice fishermen should wait for about 8 inches of ice when it forms under snowy conditions, Jandt said, though 4 inches of ice is safe if it forms during drier weather.

Muskegon Ice Fishing Report 02/12/2010

They are now fishing 2nd street catching a few walleye and pike with some limits of perch also if you can get into them, the ice is from 3 to 6 inches with a few soft spots. Fishermans landing will be unsafe after friday because the barge company in going to be breaking up all the ice and moving a few peices of equipment. They are still getting perch by the clipper, papermill and cottage grove. Ice is around 8 inches. People are useing quads and snowmobiles all over the lake but you still need to use caution.

by Cliff Shaut, Muskegon's Fish Slayer!

Muskegon Fishing Report 02/06/09

"They are fishing Cottage Grove, cCipper and behind the paper mill for perch in 40 to 70ft of water. It has been a hit or miss season but I have been hearing of some nice catches when you do get into them. Ice ranges from 4 to 8 inches out there. You need to figure out what they want and go from there.

Also need to use caution goin out further the shipping channel was wide open after the warm weather we had. I have been fishing Fishermans landing for the last few trips out did ok on pike on Monday and it was slow for me on Wednesday saw a lot of flags and fish caught by other people, ice was 3 to 6 inches. Cant get out to deeper water yet the east side of the lake was open water last week.

They have been fishing Snug since first ice and haven’t heard to much about it except for gills. They have been fishing Hartshorn for pike and doing ok some days. Sand Docks is not safe nobody is fishing it. I went to 2nd street yesterday and got out but it wasn’t safe once you walked off the path others have made, ice was 1 to 4 inches. Ice is just starting to get better on the rest of the lake so we will be able to get out and try different spots soon enough."

Report by Cliff Shaut