blake
Life Member
<span style="color: #000099">“The Iowa DNR's Mission:
"To conserve and enhance our natural resources in cooperation with individuals and organizations to improve the quality of life for Iowans and ensure a legacy for future generations.”</span>
<span style='font-size: 14pt'>From the Iowa DNR :</span>
DNR Extends Deadline to Remove Permanent Ice Fishing Shelters
CLEAR LAKE - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has extended the deadline to remove permanent ice fishing shelters from public waters of the state from Feb. 20 to Feb. 23. The extension gives owners an extra weekend to remove their shelters from the lakes.
Most of the permanent shelters are found in northern Iowa on the Iowa Great Lakes and on Clear Lake. From an estimated high of 150 shelters, about half were removed last weekend from Big Spirit Lake and West Okoboji Lake last weekend. Similarly, of the 90 shelters on Clear Lake, about half remained as of Tuesday morning.
Ice conditions have deteriorated across much of southern and central Iowa and any permanent shelters remaining on the ice should be removed with caution.
"What we don't want is for anglers to wait until the last minute to get their shelters off the ice. We had a lot of rain yesterday and lost a lot of our snow. Once the temperature falls, those shelters will be frozen to the lake and it will take some work to get them free. There is still 24 inches of ice on these northern lakes and after the warm spell the extended forecast calls for seasonable temperatures which should allow for shelter removal," said Jim Wahl, fisheries supervisor for the DNR covering northwest Iowa.
If a shelter falls through the ice, the owner is responsible for getting it out of the lake.
Ron Wyllie
Southwest Iowa IBA Area Representative
rwyllie@iowawhitetail.com