Ice blows out at Saxon Harbor

By RALPH ANSAMI

[email protected]

SAXON, Wis. — Slowly, but surely, there are a few signs that spring is arriving on Lake Superior.

On Wednesday, the ice blew out of Saxon Harbor, ending a bang-up winter of ice fishing on the lake.

It was mostly blue water out of the harbor as far as the eye could see, punctuated by numerous floating ice chunks, as of Thursday afternoon.

During the height of the winter fishing season, it was not uncommon to see 30 or 40 trucks and trailers parked in the north lot at harbor, as anglers enjoyed pursuing herring, trout and salmon through a substantial base of ice.

The thick ice allowed safe snowmobile and all-terrain vehicle travel until this week.

It was a relatively late start to the ice fishing season at the harbor, but there was solid ice for the past month or so.

Also a sign of spring, the U.S. Coast Guard plans to open the Lake Superior waters between Bayfield and Madeline Island on Saturday morning with the cutter Morro Bay.

The ice road linking the mainland to Madeline Island is no longer serviceable, which necessitated local officials to call the Coast Guard for ice-breaking assistance.

The Coast Guard reminds all recreational ice users to plan activities carefully, use caution on the ice and stay away from the designated break-out during the cutter’s operation.

Questions can be addressed to 906-635-3232, or via email at [email protected].