Bitterly cold weather played a role as two ice fishermen had to be rescued from Lake Poygan early Tuesday after winds caused ice shoves. The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office said the anglers went out Monday and were planning to get in a long day and overnight of fishing.
One of the anglers called the Sheriff’s Office at around 4:30 a.m. to report they were stranded near Noffke’s boat ramp in Winneconne. The Sheriff’s Office and Winneconne-Poygan first responders answered the call and launched an air boat to pick up the men. They were back on shore and safe within an hour. Both men were dressed for the conditions and none the worse for the better temperatures –but they had to leave their ATV out on the lake.
Anglers are being urged to use caution while the ice is unpredictable. It’s best to check in with the DNR, local bait shops and esidents before heading out on the ice. On their Facebook page, Oshkosoh-based OB Outdoors posted that a large crack had opened off the south shore of the lake and an ATV went in the water.
WTAQ
