Ice Condition's 1-25-10

[crawlerman]

This is the report that I have for the day on the upper part of the bay. I went out with a buddy on a side by side 4 wheeler and anchored some shacks down before the wind pick's up. We went to quite a few places and drilled hole's and we still have between 13 and 15 inches of ice, there is still some water on top of the ice but that should firm up tonight. Needless to say there is no snow left on the lake so creepers are a must! The shorelines on the other hand are a little dicey, the pressure cracks were working pretty good the last couple of day's and they are washed out. Finding a safe place to cross is not easy. I also heard that a coal ship was suppose to be coming into Gladstone by the end of the month, so I went down to the Upper Lakes Coal Co. and talked to them and they told me that they didn't have a shipment coming in. She said that it maybe coming into Escanaba but she didn't know that for sure.
REMEMBER THAT THE ICE IS NEVER CONSIDERED SAFE AND BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!!!!!!!!!

Tightlines and Good Luck to All.

[The Bait Shop Guy]

Fished south of Gladstone tonight. Ice was in great shape, even along the shoreline. DITTO ON THE CREEPERS!

Didn't mark many fish until about 5:45, then they were coming through steady for about 20 minutes. They were mostly small "lookers." Landed one fish that was right at 15 inches that I threw back. Got that one on a size 0 Shiver Minnow in the JJ Mac pattern.