Ice Fishing this season?

[West Basin]

My buddy who went to South Bass Island to ice fish back on Sunday is still there this morning (Friday). He's been stuck on the island since Tuesday. Too foggy to fly. The last two days he did some ice fishing in the Harbor, just off the docks, but only managed a few small perch. He said still 7 inches of ice there, on Wednesday.

Rest of winter forecast doesn't look good for much more ice fishing.

[West Basin]

Buddy is still stuck on South Bass Island. May not be able to leave until Sunday. Airplanes still grounded due to fog.
Two week forecast doesn't look good for ice fishing to start again, maybe the rest of the winter. Every day above freezing as well as most nights. Another cold spell is in the long range forecast, mid February, but that will probably be too little too late. The week or so we got might be it.

[gill]

I saw live camera video from the ship on the west side. Open water between the island and rattlesnake. Doesn’t look good for the near future.

[West Basin]

Buddy got a boat ride back on Saturday late morning (not an airboat). Haven't talked with him, so haven't got the info on the boat. Obviously capable of running with ice in the water. He sent a video of the ride. Don't know where they landed on the mainland

Mid February forecast is for a longer cold spell again. Not a lot of real warm days between then and now. Right now it looks like a good amount of the ice will hang around until then. It could provide a base for new ice formation, if some of it can remain in larger sheets.