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January 19th, 2011 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, rglerie@msn.com Conditions: Along with most of the Northeast part of the country, Erie has finally been able to dig out from the recent snowstorms that hit the area. Cold temperatures continue to strengthen the ice on most of the areas waters although some areas are still a bit unstable and in some areas the ice is still relatively thin. Presque Isle Bay remains ice covered with reports on thickness from 4 to 6" in most areas. Some areas in the center of the Bay remain thin and there is still slush in some areas. . Anglers coming off the Bay this past weekend reported moderate catches of perch although blue gills and smelt seemed to be plentiful. There were no complaints though; just being able to finally do a little hard water fishing seemed to be enough to bring out the smiles. Anglers have had success targeting steelhead through the ice at the Walnut Creek Basin and in the channel just outside the basin. Broken drift ice has built up along the Lake Erie shoreline. This ice is not solid or stable and should be considered unsafe. The Manchester hole although mostly ice covered although fast flowing water under the ice in this area is a recipe for danger. A number of anglers found good ice fishing at the Upper Gravel Pit pond in Fairview this past weekend bringing in a few nice perch and a a few leftover stockies. Shiners were the ticket. The Gravel Pit pond is somewhat sheltered from the high winds that often blow on Presque Isle Bay and can be a good place for those without a portable ice shanty. The Gravel pit, although not a large body of water, is quite deep. Ice Fishing Gear Reminder:
Frostbite has three stages of progression: Frostnip - In this stage, the individual experiences a pins and needles sensation with the skin turning very white and soft. No blistering occurs. This stage produces no permanent damage and may be reversed by soaking in warm water or breathing warm breath on the affected area.
Wear several layers of clothing when in extremely cold conditions since the air pockets between the layers will help to retain warmth. Limit the use of alcohol and smoking tobacco. Alcohol causes the blood to cool quickly and tobacco inhibits circulation to extremities. Avoid going outdoors during extremely cold weather. When outside, shield the face and other body parts from the cold wind and temperatures by wearing protective clothing, scarves, earmuffs, gloves etc. Wear waterproof skin moisturizer on exposed areas. Do not spend extended periods in extreme temperatures when exhausted, intoxicated, wet or under the influence of certain drugs. If, after being in extremely cold conditions, any of the following are experienced, seek emergency care.
If the patient cannot be transported to a hospital immediately, the following re-warming techniques may help until reaching an emergency facility.
Apply warm towels or immerse the area in circulating lukewarm water for twenty minutes. Hot water should not be used and the area should not be rubbed in any way. If blisters are present, leave them intact. Do not hold the affected area near fire since the area may be burned due to the reduced feeling in the area. Offer the patient warm coffee or tea, if alert, but never alcohol. Keep the affected area raised. After re-warming, a superficial frostbite will redden and become painful as circulation resumes in the area. Blisters are likely to form within 24 hours.
Avoid infection by leaving any blisters intact. Watch for signs of infection such as redness, swelling, fever, oozing pus, and red streaks on skin. Take all prescribed medications Do not expose the affected area to cold temperatures until cleared to do so by a physician. Ice Fishing Season: Consider the following check list of items (enhanced from last year, and the year before, and the year before) to make your ice outing more enjoyable and productive. You may not need everything but some folks like to prepare for everything: Fishing rods- Large guides, sensitive tip, with some backbone, preferably the short ones made specifically for ice angling For those with a few extra bucks: Elk Valley Sportsmen Reverse Raffle.. Local Weather: Wednesday Night...Mostly cloudy. A chance of snow showers in the evening. Colder with lows around 11. West winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 30 percent. Thursday...Cloudy. A chance of snow in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 20s. West winds around 5 mph. Chance of snow 50 percent. Thursday Night...Snow. Near steady temperature around 16. North winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 80 percent. Friday...Snow showers likely. Highs around 20. Chance of snow 70 percent. Friday Night...Cloudy with a 40 percent chance of snow showers. Breezy and cold with lows 5 to 10 above. Saturday...Cloudy. Highs 15 to 20. Saturday Night...Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of snow showers. Cold with lows around 10 above. Sunday...Mostly cloudy. Highs in the lower 20s. Sunday Night...Partly cloudy in the evening...then becoming mostly cloudy. Lows 15 to 20. Monday...Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of snow. Highs in the mid 20s. Monday Night...Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of snow. Lows in the lower 20s. Tuesday...Cloudy with a 30 percent chance of snow. Highs in the upper 20s.
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