For the second time in a month, first responders had to rescue several ice anglers off the waters of the Bay of Green Bay on Monday morning. 

At approximately 8:30 a.m., crews from the United States Coast Guard, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Southern Door Fire Department, Brussels-Union-Gardner Fire Department, Sturgeon Bay Fire Department were called into action near the coastline of the Town of Nasewaupee between Rileys Bay and Idlewild. Rescue boats were launched near Cliff View Road to rescue the ice charter of approximately 13 people. While a handful of anglers were able to walk back to shore, four were brought in by the Sturgeon Bay Fire Department’s rescue boat and six were rescued by the United States Coast Guard. Southern Door Fire Department Captain Rich Olson says ice fishing at this point is too risky.

Olson says everyone was able to get to shore safely and the scene was cleared by 10:30 a.m. March 15th was the last day the DNR was allowing ice anglers to keep ice shanties out on the ice of state waters. The locally docked United States Coast Guard Cutters Mackinaw and Mobile Bay started their ice-breaking missions of the Bay of Green Bay on Monday.  

It was just over a month ago when 66 ice anglers had to be rescued by the Coast Guard and other responding agencies.

Picture courtesy of the B.U.G. Fire Department Facebook page