February 9, 2017
Fishing tournament overcomes good weather
By Jerry W. Kram
The organizers of the 11th Bite the Ice on the Hook Ice Fishing Tournament had an unusual concern in the weeks running up to the event. The weather was too nice.
Weeks of frigid weather in December had created a thick, firm layer of ice that would support just about anything an angler would want to drive on the ice. But that was followed by multiple feet of snow that left a thick blanket of powder covering up the ice. But what really concerned organizers was was the three-week January thaw that turned that powdery blanket into a couple of feet of icy slush.
“All the snow and warm weather put a lot of weight on the ice,” said Eric Grubb, who manned the weigh station at the tournament with other volunteers. “It made for sloppy ice conditions and we are lucky it cooled off and we don’t have that conditions today.”
Weeks of frigid weather in December had created a thick, firm layer of ice that would support just about anything an angler would want to drive on the ice. But that was followed by multiple feet of snow that left a thick blanket of powder covering up the ice. But what really concerned organizers was was the three-week January thaw that turned that powdery blanket into a couple of feet of icy slush.
“All the snow and warm weather put a lot of weight on the ice,” said Eric Grubb, who manned the weigh station at the tournament with other volunteers. “It made for sloppy ice conditions and we are lucky it cooled off and we don’t have that conditions today.”
