28/01/2024
January 27, 2024
Let’s start off with the ice conditions. We’ve lost maybe a half an inch. I’m still finding 5 to 9” on Upper Little Bay de Noc North of the narrows of Gladstone. We had a high of 42° today and the sun popped out for a bit. There’s water on the ice and the remnants of any snow is close to gone. Traveling out the Days River Landing was wet. Out off to the left towards Garth Point you can see what looks like a modified pop-up camper with hard sides that’s sinking through the ice. When traveling on the ice, I noticed it doesn’t crack or spiderweb out, a good indication that ice is getting soft. After stopping in to check on our overnight guests this evening, I made my way down the Bay until I got to where I typically cross the heave. As I approached, I noticed a few people positioned around with their machine lights on a specific area. I assumed they were shining their lights for others letting them know where to cross. Nope! A huge gaping hole has formed where there had been a heave crossing. One Gentleman recognized me right away and said “Hey Blade, I just sent you a picture!” We all started knocking down chunks of ice to position them around the opening. Thank you for thinking of others and helping identify sketchy places on the bay. All that information is compiled and verified to help make my ice reports as accurate as possible to keep everyone as safe as possible. Which is funny, because I got a voicemail message last night indicating I tell people the ice is safe to sell more bait…🤦🏽♂️
On a sidenote, other than ice and weather, it’s always fun to share things that give us a chuckle around the shop. First though, we’d like to reiterate that We Do Not Have The Capability To Provide You With Fishing Licenses or ORV Stickers!! For 4yrs we have been on a list, but the State of Michigan has still not been able to supply us with the machine to do so. I bring this up, because in the middle of our rather chaotic morning of slinging minnows, a gentleman was beside himself that he would have to go to Holiday, 2 miles down the road, to get an ORV sticker. He pouted a little bit, then looked like he was gonna have a hissy fit. I said that’s really bothering you, Isn’t it? My good friend Marty always had an expression for people like that. Those kind of people are “dinks” because they’re not big enough to be “pricks”.
The photo tonight is of the area that WAS a good crossing through the heave.
Increasing your odds,
-Blade