Ice covering much of Lake Erie

SANDUSKY — Ice is covering much of Lake Erie, particularly the Western Basin, forcing the Coast Guard to rescue stranded cargo ships but pleasing ice fishermen.The Western Basin of the lake — the section west of the islands — is almost entirely covered by ice, said Robert LaPlante, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Cleveland office.By Monday, the lake's central basin will mostly be ice covered, he said."The shallowest part of the lake freezes first," LaPlante said.As of Thursday, ice covered 49 percent of Lake Erie, with the remaining open water in the central part of the lake, and with the lake's shores covered with ice, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.The Coast Guard said icebreaking tugboats based in Cleveland freed four big freighters stuck in the ice Monday and Tuesday.The John J. Boland, The Hon Paul J. Martin and The James R. Barker all got stuck in the ice in western Lake Erie near Pelee Pass, northwest of Sandusky, while The Indiana Harbor got stuck in the ice in the Middle Channel of the St. Clair River.The ice tugboats reported, at the east outer channel entrance to Pelee Pass, the ice is six to eight inches deep with some ridges a foot deep, a Coast Guard spokeswoman said.While the Sault Ste. Marie locks will close Jan. 15, cutting off access to Lake Superior, shipping will continue, and Coast Guard icebreakers will be available as needed, the spokeswoman said.The last Miller Boat Line Inc. ferry crossed to the islands Dec. 23, and operations were then halted for the winter, said Jacob Market, vice president of resources for the company.When operations resume will depend on the weather and when the lake thaws, he said. Operations typically resume in mid to late March, but some years the boats had to wait until April, he said.As the ice thickens along the shore, ice fishing began at Catawba Island State Park, said Kelly Schott, wildlife communications specialist, and an ice fishing instructor at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area in Oak Harbor. Ice six to 10 inches thick has been reported there, she said.While no amount of ice is considered totally safe, the rule of thumb is a person with average ice fishing gear should wait until the ice is 5 inches thick before venturing out, she said.The Ohio Department of Natural Resources offers these safety tips for ice fishermen:• Let someone know when you'll be out on the ice, where you'll fish, where you will park your car and when you will return.• Fish with a partner or in an area with other fishermen.• Ask a local ice guide or bait shop about ice conditions.• Put your phone in a plastic bag so it won't get wet.• Check ice thickness before you go out on the ice.• Dress properly, including wearing an approved life vest.• Avoid areas with streams, springs, bridge pilings, docks and dams, where the ice is usually thin.Reach reporter Tom Jackson at jackson@sanduskyregister.com and follow him on Twitter @jacksontom.Ice covers the Sandusky Bay on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018.Ice covers the Sandusky Bay on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018.Ice covers the Sandusky Bay on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018.An ice angler displays bluegill pulled out of Lake Erie.