Getting onto the area ice: things to know

With ice conditions on Lake Erie and elsewhere providing opportunities for recreational use, the number of places to get onto the ice is surprisingly limited. In fact, there are just as many launch ramps suitable for ice fishing vehicles on South Bass Island's fewer than five miles of shoreline than along 40 miles of shoreline from Lucas to Erie County.Even though there are many more boat ramps on the mainland, few are suitable for winter use. Most are on private property and up a channel some distance from the Lake itself. This subjects anglers on snowmobiles and ATVs to thinner ice at the channel mouths and over warmer water flowing under the channel's ice.Going from west to east, there are five public launches used by ice fishermen. They include Metzger's Marsh Wildlife Area (Bono), Magee Marsh Wildlife Area (Oak Harbor), Camp Perry National Guard Training Facility (Port Clinton), Catawba Island State Park (Catawba Island) and Mazurik Access Boat Launch (Marblehead).Poorly publicized ice-breaking activity in the Maumee River shipping channel can cause the ice sheets near there to drift and strand fishermen near the Toledo Water Intake, Metzger's Marsh Wildlife Area and Crane Creek/Magee Marsh.Until the entire Western Basin is ice covered, this area, which widens from west to east, has few places for the ice to catch against the shoreline. Any remaining open water allows cracks to open and ice sheets to shift during strong winds. By contrast, when the ice reaches the islands, it is funneled into narrow places, locking in between them and increasing in thickness and area.Metzger's Marsh has the launch ramp that's most often used by those with air boats. Metzger's provides access to walleye staging areas near the Maumee Bay and the reefs. Unfortunately, some captains use the other ramps, too.Even though air boat operators legally have just as much right as fishermen on foot, ATVs or snowmobiles to go wherever they want, the combined weight of their boat and passengers breaks thinner ice that would support the other ice users.There have been many cases of ATV and snowmobile operators falling through broken ice when crossing air boat trails. This may eventually cause the death of innocent fishermen. There needs to be an effort to separate air boat and ATV/snowmobile routes before this happens, especially when the ice is thinner.Magee Marsh and Camp Perry provide a straight shot to the reefs and West Sister Island, but use a GPS to stay off the reefs. The ice over them is undercut by currents, making it thinner than the rest.Catawba Island State Park gives anglers access to the reef area, Green, Rattlesnake, Mouse, Starve and the Bass Islands.Fast currents going through the South Passage between Mouse and South Bass Islands can quickly erode the ice thickness during strong winds. A cobblestone bar between Mouse Island and Catawba (Scott) Point also keeps ice thin there. Mazurik is used in good winters for ice traffic toward Kelleys, South Bass and Starve Island area fishing spots.There are a couple more private property locations where lots of fishermen access the ice, such as the Port Clinton Moose Lodge, the rocky bank just west of the Miller Ferry Catawba dock and a few others, but using these sites without permission may disrupt their scheduled activities.For inexperienced ice fisherman trying Lake Erie, it's best to follow established trails and go with someone familiar crossing cracks and reading ice conditions. It is not useful to list specific locations where the ice is thin and where it is safe, because conditions can change quickly.Less ambitious outings would include a trip to East Harbor, Resthaven Wildlife Area ponds Nos. 7, 8 or 10 — or reservoirs such as Raccoon Creek in Sandusky County, Norwalk, New London or Willard in Huron County, or Beaver Creek in Seneca County. Some have good numbers of panfish and are best fished in the winter.The Sandusky Bay has locations known for producing perch, crappies and bullheads through the ice. There is private access at White's Landing, called The Cove Inn ($5) and additional parking at 2 Cans Tiki Bar. ODNR's Willow Point and the Sandusky Bay Bridge Fishing Access produce fish in some years.Marinas hold crappies, perch, bluegills, largemouth bass and occasionally other surprises such as muskies or steelhead trout. At private marinas, if you ask permission first, leave no messes behind, go somewhere civilized to use the restroom, and you and others may be allowed back.