Warm weather making ice too thin to fish

After an unusually warm January, most of the ice on the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario has melted, leaving many popular ice-fishing spots with only thin layers of ice.

"It's not safe right now. There's really no ice," said Executive Petty Officer Daniel C. Payne of the Alexandria Bay Coast Guard Station. "What did it was the rain, high wind combined with the temperature."

As of Tuesday, the average monthly temperature in Watertown was running 10.5 degrees above last January. According to the National Weather Service, the average temperature during the first 26 days in January was 22.7 degrees, while the monthly average last January was 12.2 degrees.

So far, there were 10 days in January when the average temperature was above 30 degrees, with the temperature peaking at 55 degrees on Monday.

Several local marina owners, who make a living in the winter by selling bait to ice fishermen, said business has been slow since the ice melted.

"There's usually a lot of ice fishing around this time of the year," said Jennifer L. Gushlaw, desk manager at French Bay Marina, Clayton. "But there's no ice right now. This is very unusual. I'd say it's probably the second or third time it happened in my whole life."

Even with temperatures below freezing and no wind, it would take about a week until the ice gets thick enough to fish on, she said.

Amy Saiff, operations manager at Bill Saiff's Westview Lodge & Marina, Henderson Harbor, said she normally would see as many as 25 huts and 150 fishermen on the ice in Henderson Bay on a January weekend.

This year, the ice got as thick as 14 inches in some areas, but most of that was gone by Monday because of the temperate weather, she said.

Michael Martin, an ice fisherman and co-owner of Martin's Marina and Motel, Cape Vincent, said the ice on Mud Bay also was too thin to walk on at the moment.

"I sure wouldn't be fishing," he said.

Mr. Martin said he fished at Point Peninsula last weekend and that ice fishermen should go to Chaumont Bay if they absolutely must go fishing this weekend.

Bryan C. Young Jr., owner of Guffin Bay Resort & Marina, Point Salubrious, said people were fishing in Chaumont Bay and Guffin Bay as of Wednesday. The ice was about 7 inches thick that day and people were even driving ATVs on the ice, Mr. Young said.

Mr. Payne said the ice should be at least 3 inches thick for people to walk on and 12 inches for vehicles to travel on. But ultimately, he said, there is no such thing as "safe ice."

"You never can predict ice," he said. "It's always a good idea to call bait stores and ask them about the ice conditions."

Mr. Payne said fishermen should stay away from slushy and dark spots on the snow covering the ice, as it means water is coming up.

"You also need the right type of clothing and equipment. Always have ice picks with you and never go on the ice alone," he said.