There have not been very many years in the last two decades when ice fishing on Lake Erie was possible. When nature does revert to age-old times of cold weather in winter, like this year, the ice thickness on inland lakes and Lake Erie, too, has been solid and thick. On Lake Erie, though, ice anglers need to exercise extreme caution depending on heavy winds from any direction and occasional thaws like going on right now.

Angler reports show that there are serious frozen and refrozen ice stacks where Lake Erie ice broke up, then settled down and refroze thicker than ever. From the shore with binoculars, one long stare across the Lake Erie ice will confirm that it appears to be a sea of white mini-mountains resembling building rubble in Gaza Strip. Anglers need to get to about 50 feet of water depth to find the targeted yellow perch. That means that most ice fishermen heading out on Lake Erie need to get out about two to three miles from shore, which means using an ice machine. The bravest anglers who went first last week created a trail, becoming the main access route most anglers with or without snow machines will use. It’s a traveler’s ice trail highway that’s been proven, and with ice from 15 inches to 30 inches thick, it is safe except for one consideration: when high winds come from the east, it can cause the ice surface to crack and separate the ice field from shore. That’s when someone might need helicopter support. In the old days, if you were not smart enough to stay off the ice with that known wind condition and threat to your personal safety, you would be rescued by air, but it was typically not without loss. You had to leave your gear and your ice machine there, too. In winter, no matter where you go to ice fish, always remember that safety comes first. Stay aware of conditions and leave a day plan with details with friends or family about where you’re going. No matter the ice thickness, always carry safety equipment such as a life jacket, ice picks, and a whistle, and be aware of the signs of hypothermia.

All of that considered, how’s the fishing? Anglers accessing Lake Erie from Hamburg at the boat launch or from 18-Mile Creek at the NYS Fishing Access site on Lakeshore Road have done from mediocre to very well running out with ice machines. Anglers in the know, like Rob Ebersole, a USCG Master Charter Captain with Scary Good Sportfishing (Dunkirk), shared news of the good fishing. He caught his 50-fish limit of fat yellow perch about four miles out from the Hamburg Boat Launch area, doing very well. Anglers in the know say the trick is to move and drill new holes until active fish are found on the portable sonar. Jim Drozdowski Jr. and his fishing team of friends accessed from the fully frozen 18-Mile Creek last week, which is hard to believe all by itself – that the creek froze that solid to allow ice machine access, but this group caught perch too, just not as many. The fish move around down there. Word to the wise: please use caution.

Anglers are ice fishing with much more safety at Dunkirk Harbor or the Buffalo Small Boat Harbor. At Buffalo, check in with Steve Hawkins at Captain Bob’s Bait and Tackle at the Small Boat Harbor, where a simple tungsten ice jig (a small jig designed for ice fishing) and a waxworm or minnow do the trick to catch fish. In Dunkirk, a drive down the Central Avenue Pier will confirm or deny that there is safety in numbers at that location where steelhead catches on jigging spoons and swim lure glide baits are quite common right now.

The walleye and crappie catch rate went way up last weekend at Chautauqua Lake, with some anglers limiting out near Long Point using Rapala-style swim jigs and a minnow.

The yellow perch and panfish are on a hot bite at Mayville there, with adequate parking in the lot near the Chautauqua Ice Castle. Connect with Captain Mike Sperry at Chautauqua Reel Outdoors or with the staff at Hogan’s Hut. Both places have bait supplies. Sperry has a fresh supply of swim jig lures in the best colors. The south end of the lake near Burtis Bay has also started producing good crappie catches, as well as along the inner weedline at Arnolds Bay near the Highway 86 bridge. Just be sure to obtain permission to park if accessing private land.

Gotta love the outdoors.

CALENDAR

Feb. 27: Erie County Federation of Sportsmen, monthly meeting, 7PM, this month at George Washington Hiking and Camping Club, 2805 Niagara St., Buffalo. Info: call President Jack Coad, 716-481-7281.

March 1: Southtowns Walleye Association, Outfitters Fair (Flea Market), 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 7 p.m., 5895 Southwestern Blvd., Hamburg, free entry, free parking. Table reservations: 716-796-5372

March 2: WNY 3D Archery, league shoot, open to the public, this week at West Falls Conservation Club, 55 Bridge St., West Falls; $15, kids 12 and under are free. Info: 716-863-7342.

March 6: WNY Walleye Association, monthly meeting, 6:30 p.m., Curly’s Grill, 647 Ridge Road, Lackawanna, guest speaker, Capt. Dave Adrian.

March 7-9: WNY Sport and Travel Expo, Hamburg Fairgrounds, $10 admission.

NOTE: Send Calendar info or related outdoor news to forrestfisher35@yahoo.com.