Getting to the ice on the Chain O’Lakes: And other notes as fishable ice builds

Depending on your view, Jan. 17 is the nadir or apex of meteorological winter.

It finally settles in. There will be ice fishing generally.

Dave Holmquist, who was open-water fishing until the bitter end on ponds and the Calumet system, opined, “Open water is over for the foreseeable future but we sure had some killer days in some very frigid conditions to start the New Year off.”

On Green Bay, ice anglers are finally getting out to deeper water for whitefish, with a caution.

“There have been some decent whitefish reports coming in from the folks that are sneaking out to a bit deeper water,” Lance LaVine at Howie’s Tackle in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin emailed on Monday. “Now, with that said, the ice is still quite iffy and anyone that goes out there should definitely fish with a buddy and really do some homework before heading out!”

Even in northern Wisconsin, ice thickness has been lagging.

But Kurt Justice at Kurt’s Island Sport Shop in Minocqua, Wis. emailed Tuesday, “Anglers have everything to be happy about as local lakes are getting ice thick enough for truck travel.”

In the Chicago area, general fishable ice has taken longer than usual to set up.

Time for a refresher on access points for the Chain O’Lakes and the Fox River backwaters, the most popular ice fishing destinations in the area.

Nielsen’s Channel off the Fox River in Port Barrington is the one spot with the most frequent fishable ice. Access through Hermann’s Rest-A-While ($5 parking).

Most taverns or restaurants that allow parking run a deal where the parking is refunded from your drink or meal bill.

That’s the way Granny’s Lakeside Diner ($5) at Spring Lake Marina does it. Same with Choppers Bar and Grill ($5) on Channel Lake, the Sandbar Bar & Grille ($10) on Lake Marie, Oak Park Lounge ($5 for vehicle, $10 trailer) by Pistakee Bay.

Another access option is Musky Tales Bait Shop (near the old Mentone’s), For the T-Channel, try Famous Freddie’s Roadhouse.

Barnacle Bob’s has access ($5) on Marie, but proprietor Tom Cahill noted that most find access to the good ice-fishing spots easier from one of the taverns or restaurants.

It’s that time.

HUNTING: Deer hunting in Illinois ends an eventful 2018-19 with the second late-winter and CWD seasons Friday through Sunday and the final day for archery on Sunday. Harvest will be up from 2017-18 and Luke Brewster arrowed a pending world-record buck Nov. 2 in Edgar County.

WILD THINGS: Perfect week to note Carl Strang has updated his guide, “Singing Insects of the Chicago Region.” Four new species were added: restless bush cricket, Kiowa rangeland grasshopper, pasture grasshopper and Walker’s cicada. Contact Strang at wildlifer@aol.com for a pdf.

STRAY CAST: Realizing both Sean Payton and Bill Belichick might reach the Super Bowl made me refresh my memory on the anatomy of a pirate perch and cloaca.